On Feb. 18, 1881, an act of the U.S. Congress dedicated for university purposes in Montana seventy-two sections of the public domain. The Enabling Act, provided for the organization of the State of Montana and its admission to the Union, February 22, 1889, confirmed this grant to the State and added 100,000 acres for a school of mines, 100,000 acres for normal schools and 140,000 acres for an agricultural college.

The Third Legislative Assembly of the State of Montana, in February, 1893, enacted laws providing for the establishment of all these institutions and locating the State University at Missoula (now the University of Montana), the State School of Mines at Butte (now Montana Tech of the University of Montana), the Western College of Education at Dillon (now the University of Montana – Western), and the State College at Bozeman (now Montana State University).