Founded in 1854 under the auspices of the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church, Andrew Female College was named in honor of Bishop James O. Andrew (1794-1871), a noted pioneer leader of Methodism. Augustus Alden was the first college president. The college became a great source of school teachers for Southwest Georgia. During the War Between the States, its buildings were used as a Confederate hospital. In 1892, the college was destroyed by fire, and more modern buildings were erected.