Wofford College

Wofford College is a private liberal arts college in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1854, it is one of the few four-year institutions in the southeastern United States founded before the American Civil War that still operates on its original campus. The 175-acre (71 ha) campus is a national arboretum.

Wofford was founded with a bequest of $100,000 from Benjamin Wofford, a Methodist minister and Spartanburg native who sought to create a college for "literary, classical, and scientific education in my native district of Spartanburg." The college's Main Building is the oldest structure on campus and was designed by the noted Charleston architect Edward C. Jones. In 1941, the college was awarded a chapter of the honor society Phi Beta Kappa, and the Beta of South Carolina chapter was the first at a private college in South Carolina.

Wofford College Historic District

The Wofford College Historic District consists of the Main Building, which was designed by Edward C. Jones in the Italianate style, and six two-story brick residences. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Construction of the Main Building began in 1852, and the first classes were held in the fall of 1854. The Wofford campus is designated as a national arboretum.

Endowment

During the Civil War, the endowment was invested in Confederate bonds and other securities, which became worthless by the end of the war.

In February 2021, Jerry Richardson, alumnus and founding owner of the Carolina Panthers, donated $150 million to the college's endowment, which, according to Wofford statements, exceeds $400 million.