Denison University is a private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio. One of the earliest colleges established in the former Northwest Territory, Denison University was founded in 1831. The college was first called the Granville Literary and Theological Institution, later took the name Granville College, and, in the mid-1850s, was renamed Denison University, in honor of a key benefactor. The college was founded by Baptists who settled in the area. While the college's early curriculum was rooted in theological education, it also provided a broad education in literature and science. Female students attended the Granville Female Seminary beginning in 1832 followed by the Young Ladies’ Institute in 1859, later renamed Shepardson College for Women in 1886. Shepardson College was incorporated