1863 — Receives charter.

1864 — Only 22 young men show up when BC opens doors in South End. The Rev. Robert Fulton, the first dean, remarks in his diary, “Many came gratuitously, and only one or two had talent.”

1907 — Outgrows original building and purchases land in Chestnut Hill.

1913 — Gasson Hall opens, an early example in the United States of the English Collegiate Gothic style.

1918 — College nearly closes after enrollment drops to 125 students during World War I.

1920s — Officially adopts the eagle mascot; first women ­receive degrees through the ­Extension Division.

1944 — Enrollment falls to 236 students from 1,200 in 1941 during World War II.

1973 — BC, with a negative net worth and five consecutive years of major deficits, almost files for bankruptcy. Rumors of the school’s ability to survive begin to spread.

1996 — J. Donald Monan named chancellor after serving as president for 24 years, the longest in BC’s history.

2005 — Joins the Atlantic Coast Conference for athletics.

2007 – Announces a $1.6 billion plan to build new buildings and hire new faculty.