Wikipedia

Founded as a normal school by provision of the North Dakota Constitution in 1889, Mayville State was granted 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) and organized by the first Legislative Assembly.

Classes began in 1889, with funds for the current Old Main a building provided by the Second Legislative Assembly in early 1891, where classes were initially held in 1894. In 1926, the State Board of Higher Education authorized Mayville State to grant a Bachelor of Arts in education. The Mayville Normal School thus became a teacher's college, providing general education and offering a four-year degree. Successive additions strengthened the curriculum; and as enrollment grew, new buildings appeared.

In 1948, the B.A. in Education became a B.S. in Education and the first non-teaching Bachelor of Arts was offered in 1961. In 1973 and 1982, the college established programs in business administration and computer studies respectively. In the early 1980s, the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of General Studies became available. The present name, Mayville State University, was approved by the legislature in 1987.