List of defunct colleges and universities in Kansas


The following is a List of defunct universities and colleges in Kansas. This list includes accredited, degree-granting institutions and bona fide institutions of higher learning that operated before accreditation existed. All have hosted their primary campus within the state of Kansas, and all have since discontinued operations or their operations were taken over by another similar institution of higher learning.

List details

Time of operation

Length of operation

Eight of the schools operated for more than 50 years. Brown Mackie College was able to function for 125 years before closing. The shortest length of operation was less than two years by Bethel Bible College, followed by three years for Concordia Normal School. At least four of the schools began operations before Kansas was admitted into the union.
Records for several of the schools have yet to be located and verified at this time of this writing to accurately determine how long the schools operated.
One school, Garfield University, actually opened and closed its doors twice.

Earliest and latest

The earliest verified to open was St. Mary's College in 1848, while the most recent to open was The Way College of Emporia in 1975. The earliest on record to close was Blue Mont Central College in 1863. The most recent four-year college closure was St. Mary of the Plains College in 1992. The most recent two-year programs to close are Wright Career College in 2016 and Brown Mackie College in 2017.

University vs college/school

Of the 64 institutes on the list, each chose a different method of naming itself:
Three of the schools have some variation of "Saint Mary" in the name of the school: St. Mary's College, St. Mary of the Plains College, and Marymount. This can become even more confusing because there are two active colleges/universities in Kansas that have some variation of "Saint Mary" in their names: University of Saint Mary and St. Mary's College, the latter which is at the same location of one of the previous "Saint Mary" colleges.
Also in the same location and with similar names were The College of Emporia and The Way College of Emporia. The first school ceased operations and then sold the grounds to The Way International, which operated a school afterward. Critics accused the second school of attempting to use the history of the first to give a perception of value and credibility on the second.
Other colleges with similar names include the several normal schools and business colleges. The College of the Sisters of Bethany is somewhat similar in name but otherwise unrelated to Bethany College in Lindsborg.
Aside from the two Emporia colleges, schools that shared locations were the former Kansas Technical Institute and the current Kansas State University – Salina; the site for Garfield University later became Friends University; and St. John's College was located just a few blocks from Southwestern College. Other schools may also have shared property/buildings during location and relocation efforts during closing of the schools.
One school relocated outside of the state: Midland College originated in Atchison and then relocated to Wahoo, Nebraska where it eventually merged with other schools.

Athletic programs

Several of the schools maintained active athletic programs during their time of operation.
TeamSchoolCityConference
Brown Mackie-Salina LionsBrown Mackie CollegeSalinaIndependent
College of Emporia Fighting PresbiesCollege of EmporiaEmporiaHeart of America
Marymount SpartansMarymountSalina
St. John's JohnniesSt. John's CollegeWinfieldKansas
St. Mary of the Plains CavaliersSt. Mary of the PlainsDodge CityKansas

Included exceptions

There are a few inclusions in the list that are exceptions to the inclusion rule—most noticeably Utopia College. Utopia did not grant "degrees" but operated as a "college" for an extended period of time. Also, there are multiple business colleges that may not have been considered degree-granting institutions. In the interest of being as complete as possible, such schools are listed.

Defunct colleges and universities in Kansas

at Kansas State University, named to honor Blue Mont Central College
, original site of Garfield University
class of 1905.
applied to and was accepted by Highland University, but upon arrival they turned him away because of his race.
and territorial capital museum
, main building 1915
postcard showing Wolfe Hall and Holmes Hall
College/UniversityLocationOpenedClosedNotes
Atchison Business CollegeAtchison1885??Listing found The school fielded a college football team for at least two years.
Bethel Bible CollegeTopeka19001901Sometimes called "Parham School of Tongues" - founded by evangelist Charles Fox Parham.
Bissing's Conservatory of MusicHays
Topeka		1901??Established by violinist Petrowitsch Bissing, shown operating as of 1918. Began in Hays and relocated later in Topeka.
Blue Mont Central CollegeManhattan18581863Kansas State University named Bluemont Hall to honor the College
Bresee Theological CollegeHutchinson19051940Closed in 1940 to merge with Bethany-Peniel College.
Brown Mackie CollegeSalina18922017On June 11, 2016, 22 of 26 Brown Mackie campuses began closing. The remaining campuses were sold in 2017.
Campbell CollegeHolton18801913Merged with Kansas City University which later also closed
Central Normal CollegeGreat Bend????Independent normal school
College of EmporiaEmporia18821974Nationally known for its College football team's innovative play and success: see College of Emporia Fighting Presbies football
College of the Sisters of BethanyTopeka18611928Chartered before Kansas became a state. Was originally named Episcopal Female Seminary of Topeka but changed name around the time the school re-chartered in 1870.
Concordia Normal SchoolConcordia18741876Lost state funding and did not survive. State normal schools were consolidated to what is now Emporia State University
Conway Springs Normal and Business CollegeConway Springs????Listing found
Draughon's Practical Business College??????Listing found
Emporia Business CollegeEmporia????Listing found
Fort Scott Normal SchoolFort Scott1878??Sometimes called Kansas Normal School or Kansas Normal School of Fort Scott One student that studied there was born in 1867. Listed as closed in 1905
Garfield UniversityWichita18881890Named for United States President James A. Garfield. The school struggled financially from the beginning. Closed once and then re-opened in 1892 officially chartered as "Central Memorial University" but still maintained the name "Garfield"—and closed again. In 1898, passed property to what would become Friends University.
G.A.R. Memorial National CollegeOberlin1891??Established by five women of the Women's Relief Corps and endorsed by the Grand Army of the Republic posts of Kansas for the free education of soldiers' and sailors' children. It was said to have been the only such college of its kind in the United States.
Great Western Business and Normal CollegeConcordia1889??Founded by L. H. Hausam, sometimes called "Concordia Business College" or "Concordia Normal and Business College"—Private, different than the state operated "Concordia Normal School"
Harper Normal and Business CollegeHarper????Listed closed as of 1905
Highland UniversityHighland1856??established for the Sac and Fox Nation under the Presbyterian church Highland Community College claims that its roots date back to this university, and thus claim to be "the first College in Kansas."
Iola Business CollegeIola1899??Listing found
Kansas Christian CollegeLincoln18821913Listing found
Kansas City Baptist Theological SeminaryKansas City1901??Later became a part of Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Kansas City.
Kansas City College of Physicians and SurgeonsKansas City??1905Merged with what is now the University of Kansas to become KU Med Center
Kansas City UniversityKansas City18961933This school, located in Kansas City, Kansas should not be confused with UMKC, which was also sometimes historically called "Kansas City University" and is located across the state line in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas Technical InstituteSalina19651991Merged with Kansas State University to form Kansas State University – Salina College of Technology and Aviation
Lane UniversityLecompton18651902Merged with Campbell College which later also closed
Lawrence Business CollegeLawrence1869??Listing found
Leavenworth Business CollegeLeavenworth1887??Listing found
Leavenworth Normal SchoolLeavenworth18701876Lost state funding and did not survive, state normal schools were consolidated to what is now Emporia State University
Manhattan Business CollegeManhattan19081924
Marymount College Salina19221989Records sent to St. Mary of the Plains College which also closed
Midland CollegeAtchison18871962In 1919, the College moved to Fremont, Nebraska to the site of the former Fremont Normal School and Business College. In 1962, Midland merged with Luther Junior College founded in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1883. Midland College then became Midland Lutheran College.
Miltonvale Wesleyan CollegeMiltonvale19091972Ceased operation in 1972 when the school merged with Bartlesville Wesleyan College—later to become a part of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Modern Normal SchoolMarysville????Listed in a directory published in 1905
Moline CollegeMoline????Listing found
Mount St. ScholasticaAtchison19231971Merged with St. Benedict's College to form Benedictine College
National Business CollegeCoffeyville????Listing found
National Business CollegeHiawatha????Listing found
National Business CollegeKansas City????Listing found
Nemaha Commercial CollegeSeneca1900??Listing found
Nickerson Normal SchoolNickerson1898??Independent normal school
Oswego College for Young WomenOswego1883??Sometimes referred to as Oswego College or Oswego College for Young Ladies
Ottawa Business CollegeOttawa????Listing found
Ottumwa CollegeOttumwa18641872Organized by the Methodist Episcopal Church, later under control of the Christian Church. Only building burned to the ground on July 24, 1872.
Parsons Business CollegeParsons1892??Listing found
Pittsburg Business CollegePittsburg1894??Listing found The school had a football team in 1908, losing one game to local college team Pittsburg State University.
Salina Normal UniversitySalina18841904Destroyed by fire in 1904 and was not rebuilt
Salt City Business CollegeHutchinson1897??Listing found The school had a football team in 1907 and 1908.
Skelton's School of Telegraphy and Railway BusinessSalina18871909Early adopter of teaching both telegraph and typewriter skills to students. Became a Union Pacific Railroad school in 1909 and turned over to Kansas Wesleyan Business College.
Soule CollegeDodge City1894??Advertised board for $2 per week and tuition for $24 per year.
St. Benedict's CollegeAtchison18591971Merged with Mount St. Scholastica to form Benedictine College
St. John's CollegeWinfield18931986Maintains an active alumni association
St. Mary of the Plains CollegeDodge City19131992Maintains an active alumni association
St. Mary's CollegeSt. Marys18481968A second College presently exists at the same location also named St. Mary's College"
The Way College of EmporiaEmporia19751989Same location as College of Emporia. Attempted a legal battle to gain the endowment of the previous college and lost. Enrollment dwindled around 90 students.
Topeka Business CollegeTopeka????Listing found
Utopia CollegeEureka19461970sGranted only "certificates"
Western Musical ConservatoryEmporia1871??Listing found
Western Theological SeminaryAtchison1893??Evangelical Lutheran college, listed as operational as of 1902.
Western UniversityQuindaro18641943Earliest historically black college or university west of the Mississippi River
Wichita Business CollegeWichita1901??Listing found The school had a football team in 1901 and 1902.
Wichita Commercial CollegeWichita1893??Listing found
Windsor Commercial CollegeFort Scott1897??Listing found
Winfield Business and Academic CollegeWinfield1894??Listing found
Wright Career CollegeOverland Park19212016Founded in 1921 as Dickinson's Business School. One thousand students and 200 staff members at five campuses locations were affected when the school abruptly closed its doors. All students were notified students by email on a Thursday evening that the school would not be open the next day.