Eastern Arizona College (EAC) holds the distinction of being Arizona's oldest community college, with roots stretching back to 1888, when it was chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the St. Joseph Stake Academy. Its first classes were held on December 8, 1890, in the community of Central, Arizona. The school relocated to Thatcher in the spring of 1891, largely because most of its students already lived there, and Thatcher has remained its home ever since.
A Changing Name, A Constant Mission
Over the following decades, the institution went through several names that tracked its growth: it became Gila Junior College of Graham County, then Eastern Arizona Junior College in 1950, before finally adopting its current name, Eastern Arizona College, in 1966. Through all of these changes, it has remained the educational anchor of the Gila Valley, serving generations of local students alongside a growing number from across the region.
Rebuilding After Fire
The campus has weathered its share of hardship. In 1979, the college's original “Old Main” building was destroyed by two separate fires within the span of a single week — a loss that could have derailed the young institution but instead led to rebuilding and renewed investment in campus facilities.
Arts, Athletics, and Community Life
Today EAC offers a full range of academic and vocational programs, along with a robust calendar of community events, live theater, music performances, and athletic competitions. Its Fine Arts Center, completed in 1972 and now home to the David M. Player Center for the Arts, anchors the performing arts scene on campus. Visitors and students alike can also explore the Graham County Historical Society Museum in Thatcher, just a short distance from campus, for a deeper look at the valley's broader history alongside the college's own century-plus story.