This visitor-oriented timeline highlights the turning points that shaped the University. It is a concise companion—not a substitute for Notre Dame’s official history and archives.
Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., and seven Holy Cross companions took possession of 524 snow-covered acres on November 26. Believing the two frozen lakes were one, Sorin named the school L’Université de Notre Dame du Lac—Our Lady of the Lake.
The Indiana legislature officially chartered Notre Dame on January 15. The young school grew around a Main Building that served nearly every campus function.
A devastating fire destroyed the Main Building. The community rebuilt immediately, constructing a larger building and ultimately covering its new dome with gold—a physical expression of resilience that still defines the campus story.
As anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant prejudice intensified, Notre Dame became a national symbol for many Catholic and immigrant communities. In 1927, University president Rev. Matthew Walsh, C.S.C., approved the “Fighting Irish” nickname.
During World War II, Notre Dame became a major naval training site. The V-7 program trained roughly 12,000 officers and helped sustain the University during an existential period.
Under Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., Notre Dame expanded its academic ambition, buildings, enrollment, endowment, and national public-service role. Women were admitted as undergraduates in 1972.
Notre Dame continues to pursue its mission as a Catholic research university with a global community, while the campus remains a place where worship, scholarship, service, and tradition visibly intersect.
University of Notre Dame: History ↗
University Archives ↗
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