The Beginning
In December of 1818, Archibald Bilbo, surveyor of Mercer County (in what is now Boyle County), surveyed seven acres of John Cochran's pasture land for the campus of the new college. The Board of Trustees paid $400 for the land. A few months later a strip 20 feet wide and the length of the first, was added to the north side. The two comprise the area bounded today by Main Street, College Street, Walnut Street, and Maple Avenue.
Less than two months later, the Trustees of the College appropriated $10,000 to construct the first building, now known as "Old Centre."
From the Trustees of Centre College Minute Book, Vol.1
[page 5]
Danville February 15, 1819
At a meeting of the Trustees of the Centre College of Kentucky pursuant to adjournment, present Isaac Shelby, Chairman, John Boyle, Thomas Montgomery, Joshua Fry, James Birney, Jeremiah Briscoe, Jeremiah Fisher, David G. Cowan
Joshua Barbee appeared and took his seat as a member of the Board, having taken the oath required by law before Jeremiah Clemens, Esq., a Justice of Peace for Mercer County.
Nathan H. Hall, Thomas Cleland, and Barnabas McHenry appeared and took the oath required by law before Edward Worthington, Esq., a Justice of the Peace for Mercer County.
Ephraim McDowell, James Barbour, and William Craig appeared and took their seats.
The committee appointed at last meeting reported an address
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to the public which being twice read was unanimously adopted and signed by the Chairman on behalf of the Board, and ordered that it be published in the newspapers, and that the Clerk cause to be printed in pamphlet form 1,000 copies of said address.
Resolved that the sum of $10,000 be appropriated for the erection of a principal College edifice [Old Centre], and that the committee appointed to draft a plan thereof have further time to report, and that Ephraim McDowell and James Barbour be added to that committee.
Joshua Fry resigned his seat as a member of this Board.
The Board then chose John Green to fill the vacancy on the Board occasioned by the resignation of Mr. Fry, who thereupon appeared and took the oath prescribed the law before Edward Worthington, Esq., a Justice of the Peace, and who is added in place of Mr. Fry to the committee to draft a plan for the building.
The Board then adjourned to meet at this on Friday next at 11 o'clock.
Isaac Shelby, David G. Cowan, Clerk