Lincoln Memorial University: A Legacy of Lincoln in Appalachia

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Abraham Lincoln, honoring his name, values, and spirit. Nestled in Harrogate, Tennessee, in the heart of Appalachia, LMU's history is intertwined with Lincoln's vision for the people of this region. Its 1,000-acre main campus borders on Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, a location steeped in Civil War history.

The Genesis of LMU: Fulfilling Lincoln's Vision

The story of LMU begins with a comment made by Abraham Lincoln to General Oliver Otis Howard in 1863. Lincoln expressed his concern for the people of East Tennessee, who had suffered for their loyalty to the Union during the Civil War. This concern remained with Howard, and years later, it became the catalyst for the founding of LMU.

In the late 1800s, Colonel A. A. Arthur, an organizing agent of an English company, purchased the land where LMU is now located. His company developed the area, constructing a 700-room hotel called "The Four Seasons," along with a hospital, an inn, a sanitarium, and other supporting buildings. The grounds were meticulously landscaped with roads, shrubs, and trees.

Reverend A. A. Myers, a Congregationalist minister, arrived in the Cumberland Gap in 1888 and established the Harrow School to provide elementary education to mountain children. General Howard visited the school to deliver a series of lectures, and it was during this visit that he remembered his commitment to Lincoln's request. He joined forces with Reverend Myers, M. F. Overton, C. F. Eager, A. B. Kesterson, and M. Arthur to establish Lincoln Memorial University.

This group, along with Confederate veteran Robert F. Patterson, formed the board of directors and purchased The Four Seasons property. Lincoln Memorial University was officially chartered on February 12, 1897, which would have been Lincoln's 88th birthday. Cyrus Kehr served as its first president.

A University Rooted in Service

From its inception, LMU was envisioned as an institution that would serve the people of Southern Appalachia. General Howard, deeply committed to Christian values, hard work, education, service, and generosity, sought to instill these qualities in the descendants of the loyal Unionists of the region. He associated these characteristics with Abraham Lincoln, further solidifying the university's connection to the 16th president.

In 1896, Gen. Howard traveled to the Cumberland Gap at the invitation of his friends who operated the Harrow preparatory school for mountain children. During their conversation, Howard recalled a meeting with Abraham Lincoln in 1863 in the president’s office. At that meeting, Lincoln expressed his concern for the people of East Tennessee who had suffered for their loyalty to the Union during the war. Arthur A. Myers suggested to Howard that the mountaineers of southern Appalachia desperately needed an institution of higher education. Howard and Myers recognized the opportunity and made plans to create the institution of higher education that became Lincoln Memorial University.

The idea of connecting Lincoln to the emerging school was discussed. One idea was to raise money for a statue of Lincoln, but this would only honor Lincoln.

Howard played a significant role in arranging the financing and raising the funds to pay off the University’s debt associated with the acquisition. For the rest of his life Howard would organize fundraising events in major cities like Chicago, New York and Philadelphia to benefit the University. The General enlisted the services of his friend Mark Twain to act as a master of ceremonies for an annual fundraising event. For several years the annual event was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Gen. Howard was a man of deep convictions and wanted to impart to the descendants of the loyal Union people of Appalachia Christian values, hard work, education, service, and generosity. Howard associated all of these characteristics with Abraham Lincoln.

Today’s LMU students come from all 50 states and several foreign countries. The student body is very diverse and the University’s undergraduate curriculum includes courses that prepare students to pursue a variety of professions. However, the University’s mission to serve the people of southern Appalachia remains the core of its vision. LMU’s medical school continues to focus attention and offers opportunities for primary care physicians to practice in the underserved regions of Southern Kentucky, Western Virginia, and East Tennessee. The University continues to emphasize instruction for professional educators in the school of education and offers advanced degrees. It attracts students from throughout the South.

Academic Expansion and Professional Programs

Throughout its history, LMU has remained dedicated to providing quality educational experiences. Over the years, many thousands of LMU alumni have pursued careers in medicine, law, and education. LMU’s strong heritage has propelled the growth of the University over the last decade, leading to the addition of professional schools: the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (DCOM), the Duncan School of Law (DSOL), and the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

The University has expanded from the original campus in Harrogate to include locations in Knoxville and other extended sites. The LMU law school is located in the historic pre-Civil War City Hall building in Knoxville. It is difficult to imagine a stronger foundation for a law school then the legacy provided by Abraham Lincoln. Although our students come from across the country and around the globe, a significant number come from the geographical region that Gen.

The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (DCOM)

The initial plans to open Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) began in 2004. Autry O.V. Pete DeBusk, the Chairman of the LMU Board of Trustees and LMU alumnus, was interested in starting a college of osteopathic medicine at LMU. After conducting a year-long feasibility study, LMU announced it was pursuing the development of a college of osteopathic medicine and named Ray Stowers, D.O., F.A.C.O.F.P., a rural family physician, as vice president and dean. The college was named DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in honor of its initiator.

The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (DCOM) facility houses the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and its programs, including the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Master of Science (MS) in Anatomical Sciences, MS in Biomedical Sciences, MS in Life Science Research, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Anatomical Education programs. The Master of Medical Science (MMS) in Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program in the School of Medical Sciences uses the fourth floor of the DCOM facility.

The Duncan School of Law (DSOL)

In the spring of 2008, Lincoln Memorial University announced plans to seek approval to offer legal education leading to the Juris Doctor degree. In February 2009, the law school received approval from the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners, which allows Duncan School of Law graduates to apply to take the Tennessee Bar Examination. LMU's law school has 231 students. LMU-DSOL received provisional accreditation in 2014.

The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM)

The LMU College of Veterinary Medicine welcomed its inaugural class in 2014 and achieved American Veterinary Medical Association accreditation in January 2019. Though many classes and research facilities are located on the main LMU campus in the Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine building (completed in 2020), the College of Veterinary Medicine's hands-on educational facilities are located 12 miles from Harrogate in Ewing, Virginia. The DeBusk Veterinary Teaching Center (DVTC) is housed on 700 acres and provides extensive practical experience and educational opportunities with a wide variety of species.

A Campus Steeped in History and Natural Beauty

LMU's 1,000-acre main campus is a visual treat, boasting stately trees, shrubs, and open spaces. The surrounding farmland and rolling hills that become the Cumberland Mountains create a natural recreational area for enjoying nature on campus. Biking, cross-country trails, hiking, mountain climbing, and camping in the surrounding environs are activities available for all to enjoy. The climate in the area is pleasant, with cold temperatures and occasional snow December through February, and 80-degree temperatures July through August.

Several notable buildings contribute to the campus's unique character:

Grant-Lee Hall: The only original building on the Harrogate campus. Constructed as the luxurious Sanitarium of the Four Seasons Hotel in the 1890s, Grant-Lee Hall burned in 1904 and again in 1950.
Historic Avery Hall: The first building to be built on campus, houses offices, classrooms, and rehearsal space.
Paul V. Farr-Chinnock Hall: Home to the J. Frank White Academy, a college preparatory school for Grades 4-12.
Kresge Hall: Houses the lower school grades K-3.
Harold M. Finley Learning Resources Center: Houses the Carnegie-Vincent Library, the Tagge Academic Support Center, the Reed Health Sciences Library, the Dr. Mabel D. Smith Music Library, two computer labs, the Murray Alumni Lounge, and the Brooks Reading Room. The facility is the academic hub of campus with collections totaling more than 500,000 items including traditional and electronic books, electronic journals, bound periodicals, software, microfilm, and audiovisual materials.
Elizabeth D. DAR-Whitford Hall: Houses Undergraduate Admissions, the Registrar, Student Services, and Student Financial Services.
The Student Center: The hub for a variety of activities from eating meals to watching movies and playing games.
Schenck Center for Allied Health Sciences: Constructed in 1991 and underwent renovations in 2011-2012. In December 2023, it was officially transferred to the School of Engineering.
Tex Turner Arena: The centerpiece for the University’s NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic program and the competition site for men’s and women’s basketball.

The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum (ALLM)

A significant resource at LMU is the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum (ALLM), a center for historical research that provides a number of educational programs for students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The ALLM is home to one of the nation’s largest and most diverse collections of Lincoln and Civil War artifacts and supports an unmatched collection of fine and popular art, commemorating Abraham Lincoln reaching back over 150 years.

The ALLM's collection was initially formed from donations by the school's early benefactor, General Oliver O. Howard. For many years, the University kept these relics in the Lincoln Room in Duke Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. The 1930s and 1940s saw the most remarkable period of growth for the collection, due in large part to an aggressive campaign led by the Dean of Lincolniana and the President of LMU, backed by influential trustees. Thanks to the generous support of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders, the present facility opened in 1977.

LMU Today: A Comprehensive University

Today, LMU is a comprehensive values-based learning community dedicated to providing quality educational experiences at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. While primarily committed to teaching, the University supports research and service. LMU believes that one of the major cornerstones of meaningful existence is service to humanity. By making educational, service, and research opportunities available to students, Lincoln Memorial University seeks to improve life for the students it serves.

LMU currently competes in 21 sports. Men's sports are: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field outdoor, volleyball, and wrestling. Women's sports are: basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field outdoor, volleyball, and wrestling. Facilities include the Turner Arena, Mary Mars Gymnasium, Dorothy Neely Field (Softball), Lamar Hennon Field (Baseball), LMU Soccer Complex, LMU Lacrosse Complex, LMU Tennis Complex, LMU Indoor Tennis Center, and LMU Golf Complex.

In keeping with its mission, Lincoln Memorial University is committed to serving students of the Appalachian region and beyond. Technology extends the institution's reach simply and effectively to a great number of off-site graduate and undergraduate students.

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