The ranking was created based on the following criteria: Most of the information gleaned for this article was taken directly from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Selected colleges for this list had to hold an official designation by the government as a National Historic District or have a considerable amount of buildings on the National Historic Register, have at least five buildings or structures on campus, and also have a significant contribution to American history. We have many colleges and universities that are designated as National Historic Landmarks or Districts due to their stunning architecture, notable architects, famous founders, and each school’s place in the story of America. From the first colleges founded on the shores of Colonial America, to colleges who saw battle during the Civil War, stood up in the face of segregation, or those founded out west as land-grant institutions, every college has a unique story that is woven into a tapestry of history we call America.

Our nation’s colleges are steeped in history – the history of freedom and a peoples’ attempt to live up to high ideals.

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