MacMurray College

MacMurray College was founded as Illinois Conference Female Academy in 1846 by Methodist preachers. It became Illinois Woman's College in 1899 before acquiring its final name in 1930. MacMurray College was a major presence in Jacksonville for 174 years until its closing in 2020. A principal founder, Peter Cartwright, and its first president, James Jaquess, were both Lincoln acquaintances. During its early years it became a leading center for women's education in the Midwest and one of a handful of colleges that served women exclusively. For many years the college's only building was Main Hall, located on East State Street. Fires destroyed the original building twice. Its final incarnation was erected in 1873 and razed in 1976. The Georgian-style buildings that graced the campus were constructed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s during the presidency of Clarence P. McClelland and through the generosity of the Chicago businessman James E. MacMurray, after whom the college was renamed. The first class of men was admitted in 1957. MacMurray was known throughout its existence for its strong liberal arts curriculum. “The MacMurray Plan” of the 1960s was nationally recognized. Generations of women and men were educated here. Among those who visited and spoke on this campus were the social worker and reformer Jane Addams, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson.