Davis & Elkins College was established through the influence and efforts of Henry G. Davis and Stephen B. Elkins, two United States Senators who were responsible for building the first railroad in the area. In 1901, the Senators donated land and money to establish a college and academy associated with the Presbyterian Church. Their gift was matched by donations from the citizens of Randolph County and the presbyteries of Lexington and Winchester, Virginia. In 1902, the College’s Board of Trustees met for the first time. The first classes were held on September 21, 1904.

The original campus was located in South Elkins on a plot donated by Senator Elkins. Later, a gift of her home, Halliehurst, and a tract of land from Mrs. Hallie Davis Elkins prompted the move of the college to its present location in 1926.

In the years since its founding, the physical plant of Davis & Elkins has expanded to include 22 major buildings on a 170-acre campus.

From the beginning, Davis & Elkins College has sought to be of service to its students and through them to the state, the nation, and the world—meeting the perceived needs of each generation to the best of its ability.