val lo ▁is ▁a ▁public ▁university ▁in ▁Monte val lo , ▁Alabama . ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁it ▁is ▁Alabama ' s ▁only ▁public ▁liberal ▁arts ▁college ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Public ▁Liberal ▁Arts ▁Colleg es . ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Monte val lo ▁Historic ▁District ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁included ▁ 1 6 ▁buildings ▁on ▁campus . ▁It ▁was ▁expanded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁to ▁include ▁ 7 5 ▁buildings ▁total . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁campus ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁the ▁Ol m sted ▁brothers ▁and ▁the ▁central ▁part ▁is ▁a ▁historic ▁district ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places . ▁The ▁university ▁opened ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁as ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Girls ' ▁Indust rial ▁School ▁( AG IS ), ▁a ▁women - only ▁technical ▁school ▁that ▁also ▁offered ▁high ▁school - level ▁courses . ▁AG IS ▁became ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Girls ' ▁Techn ical ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁further ▁adding ▁" and ▁College ▁for ▁Women " ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁The ▁school ▁gradually ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁traditional ▁degree - gr ant ing ▁institution , ▁becoming ▁Alabama ▁College , ▁State ▁College ▁for ▁Women ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁effectively ▁became ▁co ed uc ational ▁after ▁lo bb ying ▁by ▁the ▁school ' s ▁supp or ters ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Legisl ature ▁passing ▁a ▁bill ▁on ▁January ▁ 1