Young Harris College sits in a Blue Ridge valley a few miles from Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest peak. A Methodist circuit rider started it in 1886 to bring schooling to the mountains. It spent most of the 20th century as a two-year college, and graduates such as Zell Miller and Trisha Yearwood passed through then. Since 2008 it has granted four-year degrees, and it now plays NCAA Division II sports as the Mountain Lions.
About this site
Young Harris College is a college & university in Young Harris, Towns County. It is one of 29 historic sites cataloged in Towns County on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 34.9328, -83.8465 near Young Harris. The nearest cataloged historic site is The Georgia Lottery Corporation (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Burch Cemetery, and Designated Wilderness.
This record is drawn from Georgia Roam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Young Harris College different
The town is named after the college's benefactor. In 1895 residents of the village of McTyeire voted to rename it Young Harris. georgiaencyclopedia.org
When fire destroyed the main classroom building in 1911, local townspeople rebuilt it to keep the college from moving away. The result was Sharp Hall. georgiaencyclopedia.org
The brick Susan B. Harris Chapel, built in 1892 and named for the benefactor's wife, is the oldest building on campus. en.wikipedia.org
The O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium opened in 1979. It seats 104 under a 40-foot dome and puts on public star shows throughout the year. yhc.edu
Young Harris was a two-year college for most of the 20th century. It began awarding bachelor's degrees after it was accredited in December 2008. yhc.edu
Scenes in the 2012 Clint Eastwood baseball film 'Trouble with the Curve' were shot at the college's baseball fields. en.wikipedia.org
In January 1886, Methodist minister Artemas Lester opened a school in an empty storefront in the mountain village of McTyeire, in Towns County. His aim was to educate families in one of the most isolated corners of the Blue Ridge. Judge Young L. G. Harris of Athens gave money that kept the struggling school open, and the trustees renamed it for him: first Young Harris Institute, then Young L. G. Harris College by 1891. In 1895 the village took his name too.
Money was always short. Harris's bequest was tied up in court until the Georgia Supreme Court settled it in 1897. When fire destroyed the main classroom building in 1911, townspeople rebuilt it so the college wouldn't leave. That building became Sharp Hall. For most of the 20th century Young Harris was a two-year junior college, known for sending mountain students on to universities and to public life. Zell Miller graduated in 1951 and later taught history here before becoming governor and U.S. senator. The poet Byron Herbert Reece studied and taught here too.
In 2007 the trustees asked incoming president Cathy Cox to turn Young Harris into a four-year college. Accreditation for bachelor's degrees came in December 2008, and the first modern junior class enrolled in fall 2009. The college moved from junior-college athletics to NCAA Division II in 2014 and joined Conference Carolinas in 2023. It added a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2019. John W. Wells became its 24th president in 2025.
YHC offers 31 bachelor's majors, 22 minors and two master's degrees, with classes that typically have about 20 students. Programs run from musical theatre and outdoor studies to business analytics, plus a 3+2 engineering pathway with UGA. The list below shows the majors YHC listed in September 2026; the groupings are Georgia Roam's.
Known for
Musical Theatre
A BFA program whose productions play in the Clegg Fine Arts Center's large performance hall.
Known for
Music Education
Choral and instrumental Bachelor of Music Education degrees from a college that is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
Known for
Outdoor Studies
A B.S. taught in the Blue Ridge, a few miles from Brasstown Bald and surrounded by national forest.
Known for
Mathematics / Mechanical Engineering (3+2 with UGA)
Students earn a YHC math degree and a UGA mechanical engineering degree in about five years.
Known for
Biology pre-professional pathways
Preparation for medicine, nursing, physical therapy, veterinary school or zoology, with labs in the Maxwell Center.
Zell Miller — 79th governor of Georgia (1991–99) and U.S. senator, who created the HOPE Scholarship; later taught at YHC (1951 graduate) en.wikipedia.org
Trisha Yearwood — Grammy-winning country singer and Food Network host (associate degree) en.wikipedia.org
Buddy Carter — U.S. Representative for Georgia's 1st district and pharmacist (associate degree, 1977) en.wikipedia.org
Tom Forkner — co-founder of Waffle House (Young Harris graduate) en.wikipedia.org
Nick Markakis — MLB outfielder for the Orioles and Braves, a three-time Gold Glove winner; played for the Mountain Lions (attended) en.wikipedia.org
Charlie Blackmon — four-time MLB All-Star with the Colorado Rockies; pitched two seasons for Young Harris (attended) en.wikipedia.org
Ronnie Milsap — country music star and Country Music Hall of Fame member (attended on scholarship) en.wikipedia.org
Byron Herbert Reece — Appalachian poet and novelist who returned to teach at YHC (attended) en.wikipedia.org
Home venues: Harp Recreation & Commencement Center (basketball, volleyball) · Zell B. Miller Field (baseball) · YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field · YHC Softball Field · Bob & Gayle Nichols Tennis Complex
Class of 2026 Commencement | Young Harris College · YoungHarrisCollegeHundreds gather to remember legacy of Zell Miller at public memorial service · WSB-TVPops on the Plaza 2026 - California Dreamin' · YoungHarrisCollegeThe Bitter Berry: The Life and Work of Byron Herbert Reece · George deGolian
A small Methodist liberal arts college in the North Georgia mountains, known for music and theatre, outdoor studies, its Rollins Planetarium and famous alumni such as Zell Miller and Trisha Yearwood.
Is Young Harris a four-year college?
Yes. It was a two-year college for most of the 20th century, but it has been accredited to award bachelor's degrees since December 2008 and now offers 31 majors and two master's programs.
How big is Young Harris College?
It enrolled 1,457 students in fall 2024, almost all undergraduates, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
What division is Young Harris in?
The Mountain Lions compete in NCAA Division II as members of Conference Carolinas.
Can the public visit the Young Harris planetarium?
Yes. The Rollins Planetarium in the Maxwell Center holds public shows through the year. See yhc.edu/community/planetarium for the schedule.
Is Young Harris College religious?
It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and the college describes its mission in the Wesleyan tradition.
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