Image 1: In January, Jerry Falwell Sr. announces plans to to open a Christian university to his congregation at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Image 2: Lynchburg Baptist College (LBC) is founded, and the first classes are held on September 13 with 154 students.

Image 1: Athletic teams are named the “Flames”. Basketball becomes the college’s first intercollegiate team. Image 2-3: The first section of Liberty Mountain is purchased.

Lynchburg Baptist College forms its first football and baseball teams.

Image 1: Lynchburg Baptist College holds its first Commencement on May 22, 1974. Image 2: The college exceeds 1,000 students enrolled for the first time.

Image 1: Lynchburg Baptist College becomes Liberty Baptist College (LBC). Image 2: Liberty Baptist College becomes an associate member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Image 1: Jerry Falwell Sr. holds a prayer meeting in the snow on Liberty Mountain seeking God’s provision for campus buildings. Image 2: After receiving more than $2.5 million in donations, constructions begins on the first buildings on Liberty Mountain. Image 3: Liberty Baptist College receives candidate status by the..Read More

Image 1: The “Convocation of Champions”, the fifth Commencement Ceremony, is the first to be held on Liberty Mountain. Image 2: The first classroom buildings and dormitories open on Liberty Mountain by the year’s end.

By the end of the year, twenty-one buildings – including a multi-purpose center, academic buildings, and dormitories – were under construction.

Image 1: Liberty Baptist College receives full accreditation as a liberal arts college by SACSCOC. Image 2: The bald eagle is chosen as Liberty Baptist College’s mascot.

Image 1: LBC’s campus contains 18 dormitories, 5 academic buildings, a multipurpose center, an administration building, and a prayer chapel. Image 2: Liberty Baptist College gains full acceptance into the NCAA at the Division II level.

B.R. Lakin cuts the ribbon of the new B.R. Lakin School of Religion building as Chancellor Jerry Falwell Sr. and President A. Pierre Guillerman watch.

Vice President George H. W. Bush and U.S. Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy visit campus.

Over 4,500 students enroll for the fall semester, representing 50 states and 30 countries.

Image 1: Liberty Baptist College becomes Liberty University. Image 2: Treasure Island is flooded in the great James River Flood.

Image 1: Liberty receives SACSCOC approval for 10 years. Image 2: Hancock Athletic Center opens with offices, locker rooms, a training room, and a weight room.

Image 1: All 16 Liberty athletic programs transition to NCAA Division I. Image 2: Liberty becomes the largest private university in Virginia with more than 11,000 students in residence and adult education programs.

Liberty University breaks ground on May 8 for a 12,000-seat football stadium. On October 21, the stadium officially opens to a Homecoming crowd of 12,750-the first time that the Flames play a home game on their own campus.

Image 1: President George H.W. Bush gives the Commencement address on May 12. Image 2: Vines Center is completed, and Convocation is held there for the first time in the fall.

Liberty Athletics joins the Big South Conference.

Reber-Thomas Dining Hall opens its doors after months of prayer for God’s financial provision.

Liberty holds its first Block Party before the fall semester.

Men’s basketball claims the Big South Conference championship for the first time and receives its first berth to the NCAA tournament.

Two major benefactors purchase the majority of Liberty’s debt.

Liberty University celebrates 25 years of Training Champions for Christ.

Image 1: The Hangar Food Court is constructed in the academic courtyard. Image 2: A large, six-story residence hall called Dorm 33 is built, providing additional living spaces for 425 female students.

Construction begins on three additional floors to Arthur S. Demoss Learning Center.

Image 1: The second floor of Arthur S. Demoss Learning Center is completed. Image 2: Liberty receives approval for a School of Law, our first professional school.

Image 1: East Campus residence halls open. Image 2: Hobby Lobby and the Green family purchase the Ericsson facility on Candlers Mountain and donate all 888,000 square feet of the property to Thomas Road Baptist Church.

LaHaye Student Center opens its doors.

Women’s basketball advances to the NCAA Sweet 16 as a 13 seed.

Image 1: Built with funds donated by Dr. Tim and Beverly LaHaye, the LaHaye Ice Center opens in January. Image 2: LU Transit begins servicing Liberty students through a bus system.

Image 1: The LU Monogram is completed. Image 2: Jerry Falwell Sr. passes away on May 15, 2007, at 73 years old. Image 3: Liberty becomes entirely debt-free for the first time in university history.

Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre opens, offering year-round skiing and snowboarding.

Image 1: Williams Stadium expands to 19,200 seats. Image 2: Liberty reaches 50,000 students enrolled on campus and online.

Image 1: Liberty celebrates 40 years of Training Champions for Christ. Image 2-3: Equestrian Center opens on Liberty Mountain.

Hancock Welcome Center opens.

Image 1-2: Liberty Baseball Stadium opens. Image 3: Liberty alumna Shannon Bream becomes first female Commencement speaker.

Image 1-2: The Jerry Falwell Library opens its doors. Image 3: The Center for Medical and Health Sciences opens, welcoming the first class of students in the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Image 1: Center for Natural Sciences opens. Image 2: Center for Music and Worship Arts opens. Image 3-4: Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium opens.

Montview Student Union is completed.

Image 1-3: Liberty Athletic Center, Liberty University Indoor Practice Facility, and Liberty Natatorium open. Image 4: President Donald Trump delivers the Commencement address.

Image 1: Freedom Tower opens and becomes the new home for the Rawlings School of Divinity and the Rawlings Scriptorium. Image 2: Liberty Athletics moves from the Big South Conference to the ASUN Conference, and Flames Football plays in its first FBS season.

Image 1: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence gives the Commencement address. Image 2: Flames Football wins its first bowl game. Image 3: Men’s basketball reaches the second round of the NCAA tournament. Image 4: School of Business building opens.

Image 1: Enrollment exceeds 100,000 students residentially and online. Image 2: Flames Football wins the Cure Bowl for a second time, finishing as the 17th ranked team in the U.S., while men’s basketball moves on to the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive year.