John Bryan Bowman founded the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky (A&M), a publicly chartered department of Kentucky University, after receiving federal support through the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act in 1865.[4] Courses were offered at Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate.[8] Three years later, James Kennedy Patterson became the first president of the land-grant university and the first degree was awarded. In 1876, the university began to offer Master's degree programs. Two years later, A&M separated from Kentucky University, which is now Transylvania University.[8] For the new school, Lexington donated a 52 acre (210,000 m²) park and fair ground, which became the core of UK's present campus. A&M was initially a male-only institution, but began to admit women in 1880
In 1882, the official colors of the university, royal blue and white, were adopted. An earlier color set, blue and light yellow, was adopted earlier at a Kentucky-Centre College football game on December 19, 1891.[3] The particular hue of blue was determined from a necktie, which was used to demonstrate the color of royal blue
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