Appalachian State University, also known as App State, is a top-ranking public university located in downtown Boone, sitting high at an elevation of 3,333 feet. With its origins as a teacher’s college, it began as Watauga Academy, a small academy founded in 1899 by the Dougherty brothers, Dr. B.B. Dougherty and D.D. Dougherty, as well as D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty. Over the years, the institution has grown into a premier university recognized for higher education. Below is a timeline of the university’s history from its early beginnings to today.
Throughout the university’s campus, there are historical landmarks displayed, paying tribute to the school’s history and traditions, as well as the region’s larger community. Some main focal points include the bronze statue of local legend Daniel Boone with his hunting dogs and also the Founders Bell, a representation of Watauga Academy’s original bell. This representation is housed inside the campus’s Founders Bell Pavilion, which was completed in August 2019.
Today App State is led by Chancellor Dr. Sheri Everts and has approximately 21,000 students, or Mountaineers, attending its undergraduate and graduate programs. There are more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors. Go Black and Gold!

– Historic timeline –
Watauga Academy
1899-1903
Appalachian Training School
1903-1925
Appalachian State Normal School
1925-1929
Appalachian State Teachers College
1929-1967
Appalachian State University
1967-Present
For more information about App State, visit AppState.edu.