The University of Georgia is pretty integral to the Peach State's identity. Sure, you've got small pockets of Georgia Tech fans, and even Georgia Southern fans, all over the state, but there's nothing like a Saturday in Athens. Red and black are practically a state uniform, and there are tons of UGA fans and alumni spread all over the state. But not many people know just how historic of an institution the University of Georgia is... this place is one of the most historic places in Georgia, in fact. The University may not have been the first college in the US, but it was the first state-chartered college in America, and arguably the first public college in America. The original charter for the University was granted by the state in 1785. It's often called the "birthplace of the American system of higher education." Next time you're in Athens, GA, make sure to pay a visit to the University of Georgia campus to check out this famous Georgia first.

There's actually some contention as to what is truly the oldest public college in the country, and three colleges have a claim to the title.

The University of Georgia was definitely the first state-chartered university, but the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admitted students in 1795, six years prior to UGA. The College of William and Mary in Virginia was founded in 1693, but remained a private school until 1906.

Though founded in 1785, the University of Georgia didn't admit any students until 1801. The first graduation ceremony was held in 1804, and the first building was not completed until 1805.

Much of UGA's North Campus has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One beautiful part of North Campus is the Founders Memorial Garden, which was planted in the 1930s and contains over 300 species of plants.

I love all of the UGA gardens, but this one's my favorite!

The Arch was constructed in 1858 and has become a symbol of the college itself. It serves as an entrance to campus and was designed to represent the three branches of Georgia government.

Today, the University of Georgia is nationally-renowned for its championship football team. The first Georgia Bulldogs team was established in 1892 and had a 1-1 record.

Sanford Stadium was not built until 1928, though as you can see from this postcard, it looked substantially different prior to later renovations!

With a capacity of 92,746 seats, Sanford Stadium now is the 14th-largest non-racing stadium in the entire world.

Whether you're a football fan or not, you have to admit that the fact Georgia had the first state-chartered school in the country is a pretty big deal!

Did you attend the University of Georgia, or have you ever visited the campus? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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