Old King's College, City of New York

The old King's College in the City of New York. Engraving by Charles Havens Hunt (1824-1872), published in 1881. Source: New York Public Library.

Admissions to the College began to be examined by June, 1754, by Samuel Johnson, later appointed as president. The King’s College (now Columbia University) received its charter on October 31, 1754, by King George II of Great Britain. It was originally housed in the vestry-room of the Trinity school house on the south side of the present Rector Street.

King's College moved to this building in 1760 at Church Street at the foot of Robinson Street (later Park Place), near the present City Hall Park. The College suspended instruction in 1776, due to the Independency War. In 1784 it reopened as Columbia College. In 1857, the College moved to 49th Street and Madison Avenue.