Fairmont State University’s roots reach back to the very formation of public education in the state of West Virginia. The first private normal school in West Virginia, the West Virginia Normal School at Fairmont, was established in Fairmont in 1865 by John N. Boyd, the school's first principal, to train teachers. And for nearly 160 years, Fairmont State has transformed the lives of students and communities.
The University experienced many changes in its name over the past 159 years, reflecting the ongoing, dynamic expansion of programs and purpose. What started as the West Virginia Normal School at Fairmont changed to Fairmont State Normal School in the 1870s, to Fairmont State Teachers College in 1931, to Fairmont State College in 1944, and finally to Fairmont State University in 2004.