In 1830, Lima was chosen by the Genesee Methodist Episcopal Conference as the site of Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, whose campus stood at the top of Genesee Street. After the Seminary building was destroyed by fire in 1842, it was replaced by the building that stands there today. As one of the country’s earliest co-educational secondary institutions, it quickly grew in reputation and enrollment, making Lima a nationally recognized center of learning. Around 1850, educational offerings on the campus expanded with the chartering of Genesee College and the construction of College Hall. In 1869, the College fragmented, and many faculty members and students moved to Syracuse, forming the nucleus of Syracuse University. The Seminary graduated its last class in I41. Elim Bible Institute purchased the facilities in 1951 and continued the campus’s educational function.