September 2 is an important day in North Carolina history.
Elon College opened on Sept. 2, 1890 after years of planning and development as a four-year liberal arts college.
Elon was first called Graham College during the planning stages until trustees weren't able to acquire land in Graham. When trustees acquired a spot for campus west of Burlington, the land was filled with old oak trees. Elon, the Hebrew word for oak, seemed like a natural fit.
In January 1923, a fire destroyed the main campus building. The campus expanded after reconstruction with five new buildings.
The school changed its name to Elon University in 2000 and the town became Elon. That same year, Elon changed its mascot from the Fighting Christians to the Phoenix. The new mascot honored the school's recovery from the fire in which it "rose from the ashes."
Also on Sept. 2, Grandfather Mountain's Mile-High Swinging Bridge was dedicated.
William B. Umstead dedicated the bridge in 1952 and his daughter Merle became the first person to cross it.
The bridge was designed by Greensboro architect Charles Hartmann, Jr. and fabricated by Truitt Manufacturing Company in Greensboro. Hugh Morton was the man behind the bridge. Morton wanted to build a bridge between Grandfather's Convention Table Rock and Linville Peak to improve access to the best scenic overlooks.
The 228-foot suspension bridge was reassembled in three weeks at Grandfather Mountain by Craven Steel Erecting Company. The cost was $15,000.
In 1999, the mostly wooden bridge was rebuilt using galvanized steel, which cost $300,000.
