Olivet College

Olivet College is a Michigan historical marker in Olivet, Eaton County, dedicated 1960.

333 S. Main Street, Olivet

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On February 24, 1844, the Reverend John J. “Father” Shipherd and thirty-nine followers arrived by ox-cart on this wilderness hilltop, driving their herds before them. They felt God had directed them to this oak grove for the purpose of founding a coeducational Christian college open to students of all races. First chartered as Olivet Institute, the school received its charter as a college in 1859. For over a century it has given a broad liberal arts education, with strong support from the Congregational church. Many alumni have gone forth “Pro Christo et Humanitate.

TodayHistorical map

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Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library

Historical maps covering this location

1832 · Ohio Pocket Map (Mitchell, 1832) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1850 · Ohio (Cowperthwait, 1850) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1853 · Map of the surveyed part of Michigan (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1854 · A map of the surveyed part of Michigan / by John Farmer ; engraved by S. Stiles & Co. (University Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
1873 · (Map of Eaton County, Michigan) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Map of the surveyed part of Michigan, 1853, covering the location of Olivet College, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Map of the surveyed part of Michigan, 1853, covering this location. Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Marker data: Michigan History Center
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