A brief review of the beginning of the University of Nebraska and the College of Agriculture provides the background for the establishment of a Department of Agricultural Economics. During the early 1860's the Congress of the United States passed several acts in support of higher education. These acts gave land and other financial assistance to the individual states to establish public universities which must include Colleges of Agriculture. The Nebraska State Legislature established the University of Nebraska in 1869 providing that it must include six colleges. The College of Agriculture and Industrial Arts was established in 1872. The name was later changed to Industrial College. In 1909 the work was separated into a College of Agriculture and a College of Engineering. The 320 acres of land, which is the site of the present College of Agriculture (East Campus), was purchased in 1874 and was often referred to as the "State Farm". The Agricultural Experiment Station was established in 1888 and in 1895 the School of Agriculture was opened. The School of Agriculture provided high school work related to agriculture and home economics. This school had an important role in providing agricultural education until it was closed in 1928.