History of the Evangeline Booth College

A Century of Calling, Formation, and Mission

The story of Evangeline Booth College began in February 1927, two months before The Salvation Army’s Southern Territory was officially established.

Forty-six cadets from the New York and Chicago training colleges came to Atlanta to prepare for Salvation Army officership. Bringing together the session names “Invincibles” and “Crusaders,” they became known as the Invincible Crusaders—the first session in a story of calling and service that continues today.

A Place Prepared

The Southern Training College first opened at 339 Luckie Street in downtown Atlanta. As the work grew, the need for a permanent campus became increasingly clear.

During General Evangeline Booth’s 1937 visit to Atlanta, she spoke publicly about the territory’s need for expanded training facilities. An anonymous donor, moved by her appeal, provided the $60,000 needed to purchase and renovate the former Atlanta Theological Seminary property on Stewart Avenue—now Metropolitan Parkway.

In 1938, the college moved to the campus that remains its home today. That act of generosity created a lasting place where generations of men and women would be prepared for ministry.

Growing for the Mission

As the mission of The Salvation Army expanded, officer training continued to develop.

In 1960, the school moved from a one-year program to two years of residential training. This change reflected a growing understanding that preparation for officership required more than classroom instruction. Cadets needed time for spiritual formation, theological learning, personal development, community life, and practical ministry.

Over the following decades, the campus grew to support that whole-person approach to formation. New residences, classrooms, worship spaces, a library, family facilities, a wellness center, and ministry-training environments created a community in which cadets could learn, worship, serve, and grow together.

The campus also became home to the Southern Historical Center, preserving the stories and resources of The Salvation Army’s ministry throughout the South.

Evangeline Booth College

In 2005, the territorial training center was named Evangeline Booth College, honoring the Salvation Army leader whose vision and influence helped secure its permanent home.

The new name also recognized that the campus had become more than a single training school. It was developing into a center for officer training, continuing education, leadership development, mission, and the preservation of Salvation Army history.

The Story Continues

Buildings, programs, and names have changed since 1927, but the heart of EBC’s calling remains.

Evangeline Booth College exists to form people who know God deeply, know themselves truthfully, and know the mission faithfully. Here, cadets are invited to become apprentices of Jesus, Blood and Fire officers, and community-minded leaders.

Every session adds a new chapter to the story—called by God, formed in community, and sent to serve.