Averett University

The Virginia General Assembly chartered Union Female College, forerunner of Averett University, in 1859. Supported by the Concord, Dan River, and Roanoke Baptist Associations, the school offered preparatory and collegiate instruction to young women. Classes were held in downtown Danville until 1911, when Main Hall, a Neo-Classical Revival-style building, opened here on a new 15-acre campus. At the request of alumnae, the school was renamed in 1917 for the Averett family, eight of whose members served as trustees, presidents, principals, and professors. Averett later became a co-educational, four-year university combining the liberal arts and sciences with professional programs.