Brigham Young established the college to provide higher education to the youth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in northern Utah, southern Idaho, and western Wyoming. It was intended to operate similarly to Oberlin College—the students' work would support the college and their needs—but the plan was never fully worked out.
Classes started on 9 September 1878; they met in Lindquist Hall and also for a time in the basement of the Cache Tabernacle.
Brigham Young College had nearly 40,000 students in the period of its operation. Initially it was for preparing teachers (1877–1894), then offered college courses and for fifteen years (1894–1909) granted bachelor's degrees. After 1909, it operated as a high school and junior college.
Closure
In 1926, the Board of Education of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church Educational System decided to discontinue all its schools except for Brigham Young University. Brigham Young College's buildings were sold to the city of Logan and were used by Logan High School. In August 1962 an earthquake occurred nearby;[2][3] in 1968 the historical buildings were then demolished and replaced with new construction. The original BYC library collection was given to Utah Agricultural College, also in Logan, now Utah State University. The available property was used to replace the junior high school, now Mt. Logan Middle School.
Athletics
The athletic teams of BYC were known as the Crimsons.[4]
Sorensen, A. N. (1956), "Brigham Young College", in Joel E. Ricks; Everett L. Cooley (eds.), The History of a Valley, Logan, Utah: Cache Valley Centennial Commission, pp. 349–69.