The school that eventually became the University of Tennessee was founded as one of the first three colleges established west of the Appalachians.

In 1794, two years before Tennessee even became a state, the legislature of the Southwest Territory established Blount College with a charter, and the small school struggled with a tiny student body and even smaller staff before changing its name to East Tennessee College in 1807. As the college grew, the trustees of the school scouted potential sites in Knoxville, settling on the site affectionately called "The Hill" in 1828, and changing its name once again in 1840 to East Tennessee University. During the Civil War, classes came to an abrupt halt as students and faculty were recruited to serve on battlefields, and troops used campus facilities as hospitals and barracks. With a final name change in 1879, the University of Tennessee has exploded in growth in the 20th century, with campuses and programs across the state. In addition to a rich sports tradition, the University of Tennessee is considered one of the best colleges in the Southeast, and among the best institutions of higher learning in the country.