MORGANTOWN:

A PLACE RICH IN HISTORY!

West Virginia University {WVU} was founded February 7, 1867.  Originally the university was called the Agricultural College of West Virginia when it initially opened in September 1867.  There were three educational departments: collegiate, scientific and agricultural.  Tuition at the time for a term of 13 weeks was $8 for the college level, $5 for college preparatory school.  Room and board were merely $3.50 a week.  The school of medicine gained much attention in 1962 when Dr. Herbert Warden and his team performed the first open-heart surgery in West Virginia.  WVU is an acknowledged leader in energy and alternative fuels research, health sciences, forensics and investigative science and biometric research.  In 2010, WVU dedicated a Robotic Center in cooperation with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to support space exploration missions. 

Zackquill Morgan; Explorer, American Revolutionary War Patriot and founder of Morgantown

Zackquill Morgan was born in Berkeley County, Colonial Virginia in 1735, from Welsh parents, Morgan Morgan and Catherine Garretson.  Zackquill was born into a large family as the seventh child of eight.  When Zackquill became older, he fought during the French and Indian War in Bradock's Expedition of 1755 and Forbes's Expedition of 1758. [The French and Indian War lasted from 1754 to 1763] It is estimated that Zackquill  moved to Monongalia County in 1771 where he claimed the land along the Monongahela River and Deckers Creek. Fort Morgan was established in 1772 at the present site of Morgantown.  Zackquill Morgan served honorably in the American Revolution [1775-1783] where he achieved the rank of colonel, and it should be noted that Zackquill fought with General Gates at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, which was a decisive victory for the Americans over the British.  In 1785, Zackquill asked the Virginia General Assembly to establish a town from 50 acres of his land and an act was created that read as follows; "Be it enacted by the General Assembly that 50 acres of land, the property of Zackquill Morgan, lying in the County of Monongalia, shall be laid out in lots of half an acre each, with convenient streets which shall be established as a town by the name of 'Morgan's Town'."  It is interesting to note that the original grid as laid out by Zackquill Morgan so many years ago, has been followed to this day.  Zackquill Morgan passed away in 1795 at age 60 and was buried at the cemetery  at Prickett's Fort.