Gordon State College has been a village school, a boarding military academy that drew cadets from across the country and Latin America, and a junior college. Today it is a four-year state college on a 235-acre campus in Barnesville. It traces its roots to an 1832 schoolhouse and was chartered in 1852. Its old football stadium drew a crowd estimated at up to 50,000 in 1938 to hear Franklin D. Roosevelt.
About this site
Gordon State College is a college & university in Barnesville, Lamar County. It is one of 74 historic sites cataloged in Lamar County on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 33.0474, -84.1513 near Barnesville. The nearest cataloged historic site is Gordon Military College (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include A&M - G.I.C., Roosevelt’s Barnesville Speech, and Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center.
This record is drawn from Georgia Roam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Gordon State College different
The college traces its start to an 1832 frame schoolhouse built by Josiah Holmes in the center of Barnesville. gordonstate.edu
For about 80 years after 1890 it was a military school. As Gordon Military College it drew boarding cadets from across the U.S. and from Central and South America. gordonstate.edu
On Aug. 11, 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at the Gordon Military College stadium to dedicate a New Deal rural electric cooperative. A 2009 monument beside campus marks the spot. youtube.com
For decades the school doubled as Barnesville's public school system, with the college president also serving as superintendent of the lower grades. gordonstate.edu
When it joined the University System in 1972 as Gordon Junior College, 571 students enrolled in its first year. Today it has more than 3,000. gordonstate.edu
A military memorial dedicated in 2015 honors the Gordon cadets and alumni who served in the armed forces. youtube.com
History
In 1832 Josiah Holmes built a frame schoolhouse in the middle of Barnesville to teach local children the classics. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated it in 1852 as the Barnesville Male and Female High School. In 1872 it was renamed Gordon Institute for John B. Gordon, the former Confederate general who went on to serve Georgia as a U.S. senator and governor. A military department added in 1890 set its course for the next 80 years. As Gordon Military College, the school enrolled boarding cadets from across the country and from Central and South America while also serving as Barnesville's public school.
In 1933 Gordon moved to its present campus, whose oldest building, Lambdin Hall, dates to 1907. On August 11, 1938, the college's stadium hosted President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he dedicated a local rural electric cooperative. The college says as many as 50,000 people came. By the 1960s the private military school was struggling, and on July 1, 1972, it joined the University System of Georgia as Gordon Junior College. The cadet corps was disbanded, and 571 students enrolled that first fall.
"Junior" was dropped in 1986. The school was designated a state college in 2006 and soon added its first bachelor's degree, in early childhood education. It became Gordon State College in 2012. It now serves about 3,100 students with bachelor's and associate degrees, a strong nursing program and on-campus housing. Russell Crutchfield became its sixth president on August 1, 2026.
Gordon State offers bachelor's and associate degrees through three schools: Business and Professional Studies; Education, Arts and Humanities; and Nursing, Health and STEM. Associate degrees are built to transfer within the University System. Nursing, education and health sciences are among its best-known programs. The list below reflects the college's majors page in September 2026.
Known for
Nursing (A.S. and B.S.)
Gordon trains nurses in a dedicated nursing and allied health building. In 2026 it partnered with Upson Regional Medical Center on a scholarship-to-career pathway.
Known for
Elementary/Special Education (B.S.)
Gordon's first bachelor's degree, added in 2006 when it became a state college, was in teacher education.
Known for
Respiratory Therapy (B.S.)
A health-science bachelor's that leads directly to a licensed clinical career.
Known for
Film Production (Nexus degree)
A career-focused Nexus degree tied to Georgia's film and TV industry.
FDR Monument Unveiled · Gordon State CollegeGordon Military College Football 1. · Gordon State CollegeEmergence: Gordon State College Oral History · Jessica Traylor
Yes. Gordon has been a state college since 2006. It offers 11 bachelor's degrees along with associate degrees built to transfer within the University System of Georgia.
Was Gordon State a military college?
Yes. It added a military department in 1890 and was known as Gordon Military College until it joined the University System in 1972. The cadet corps ended with that change.
How many students attend Gordon State College?
3,179 undergraduates in Fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
What sports does Gordon State have?
The Gordon State Highlanders compete in the NJCAA in baseball, men's basketball, softball and women's soccer. Club teams include football, golf, volleyball and esports.
Who is Gordon State College named for?
John B. Gordon, the Georgia senator and governor who had been a Confederate general. The school took his name in 1872.
Who is the president of Gordon State College?
Dr. Russell Crutchfield, named by the Board of Regents in June 2026. He took office Aug. 1, 2026, succeeding Donald J. Green, who left for Valdosta State.
Did FDR speak at Gordon State?
Yes. On Aug. 11, 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at what was then the Gordon Military College stadium while dedicating a rural electric cooperative. A monument unveiled in 2009 marks the site next to campus.
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