Episode 2 of 2
Naming Dispute
- When
- 1853
- Where
- St. Louis, Missouri
The institution was initially called Eliot Seminary, a name opposed by Eliot who favored a nonsectarian identity, leading to its naming for George Washington.
Originally called Eliot Seminary, the name faced opposition from Eliot himself, who favored a nonsectarian identity for the institution. The university was named for the first U.S. president, George Washington. Eliot was 'to his chagrin' associated with the initial name, reflecting his preference for a broader civic identity.
Sources
- Washington University in St. Louis Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29
- William Greenleaf Eliot Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.