On November 1, 1855, Butler was opened and was originally known as the North Western Christian University. The original location of the school was 13th Street and College Avenue on the near-northside of Indianapolis at the eastern edge of the present “Old Northside Historic District” on land provided by attorney and university founder Ovid Butler.

In 1930, Butler merged with the Teacher’s College of Indianapolis, founded by Eliza Blaker, creating the university’s second college. The third college, the College of Business Administration, was established in 1937, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences was established in 1945, following a merger that absorbed the Indianapolis College of Pharmacy. The Jordan College of Fine Arts, the university’s fifth college, was established in 1951, following a merger with the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music. Butler’s School of Religion, established in 1924, became independent in 1958 and is currently known as the Christian Theological Seminary.

In 1875, the university, renamed for Ovid Butler “in recognition of Ovid Butler’s inspirational vision, determined leadership, and financial support,” moved to a 25-acre campus in Irvington, IN. The campus consisted of several buildings, including an observatory, most of which were demolished in 1939. The Bona Thompson Library at the intersection of Downey and University avenues, designed by architects Dupont and Johnson, is the only remaining building, although several buildings that housed faculty still remain, such as the Benton House.

Enrollment at Butler increased following the end of World War I, prompting the administration to examine the need for a larger campus. The new campus, designed in-part by noted architect George Sheridan, was formed on the site of Fairview Park, a former amusement park on the city’s northwest side. Classes began on the 290 acres campus in 1928.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler_University#History

Butler University: A Sesquicentennial History by Professor George “Mac” Waller