Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636, Harvard University ranks as the oldest and arguably the nation’s most prestigious institution of higher learning.

But in 1781, at the end of the Revolution, the college endured a challenging period with only five professors and two hundred students. From that modest beginning, Harvard has been a testament to visionary leadership that has resulted in one of the world’s leading institutions of learning.

See the development and evolution of Harvard over the last century in this pictorial recollection of key events, landmark structures, generous benefactors, and the dedicated presidents who created the legacy.

Nearly 200 photographs reproduced in vivid black-and-white, written and captioned by Dana Bonstrom, revisit the storied past of one of the world’s premier universities. A natural companion to the college annual of every alum, Historic Photos of Harvard University belongs in the library of every graduate and all those devoted to America’s favorite ivy-league school.