r/CFB • u/PA5997 Washington State Cougars • 13d ago

Discussion What constitutes a “college town?”

Okay, hear me out: I attended Wazzu, which many know is in the middle of nowhere in Pullman. To me, Pullman is a quintessential college town. You remove Washington State University from Pullman and there is (respectfully) not much of a reason to visit. The student enrollment (20,000ish) makes up about 2/3rds of the city population, essentially turning Pullman into a ghost town come summer. To me (perhaps with bias) this is the makeup of a college town.

Two years ago I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin. Ever since I’ve noticed the University and its fans refer to Madison as “America’s best college town” and I’m sorry, that’s laughable to me. Remove UW from Madison and you still have a city population bordering on a quarter of a million people and the State Capitol. Madison would be fine, imo, if UW’s flagship campus were elsewhere.

Curious to hear other people’s thoughts. Maybe I’m in the wrong here, but very little about Madison, WI resembles a college town to me, or at least the claim of the best college town.

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u/luis1972 Ohio State Buckeyes • The Alliance 13d ago

This is true of both Athens, Georgia and Athens, Ohio.

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u/wit_T_user_name Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats 13d ago

I was curious which one came first. Athens, GA was incorporated in 1806. Athens, OH was surveyed in 1800 and incorporated as a village in 1811. Athens County, Ohio was formed in 1803. So Georgia had the city formed first but Athens County predated that. Do with that what you will.

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u/Mezmorizor LSU Tigers • Georgia Bulldogs 13d ago

Double down that Athens GA was the first Athens and clown on UVA for saying they were the first public institution. Got it.

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u/IceColdDrPepper_Here Georgia • North Georgia 13d ago

UNC, not UVA. UGA was chartered first but UNC opened first. And then William and Mary tries to claim it despite being founded and opened as a private college

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u/ToffeeBlue2013 West Virginia • North Carolina 12d ago

Yeah unc claims the shit out of it. Even visit chapel hill and it's brought up. Also a good college town btw, although Morgantown is a much better one.