Today in Georgia History – October 13, 1885
A Ramblin’ Wreck from the Start…When Georgia lawmakers created the Georgia School of Technology in 1885, their goal was simple but bold — bring the Industrial Revolution to the South.
Classes began in a single building with 84 students and a modest $65,000 in state funding, teaching only mechanical engineering. But progress came fast: by 1900, students were also studying civil, chemical, and electrical engineering, shaping the workforce of a modern Georgia.
Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $20,000 for Tech’s first library, and in 1903, the school hired its first full-time football coach — none other than John Heisman, whose name would later define college football greatness.
The nickname “Ramblin’ Wrecks from Georgia Tech” sprang from alumni who built makeshift vehicles while working in the South American jungles — a nod to the school’s inventive spirit.
Over time, Georgia Tech evolved beyond its mechanical roots. It became the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1948, opened its doors to women in 1951, and in 1961, made history as the first major university in the Deep South to integrate voluntarily.
From steam engines to supercomputers, Tech has stayed true to its founding purpose — helping Georgia build, innovate, and engineer its future.
Photo Caption: An early picture of Georgia Tech that dates to around 1899.
