Texas A&M University is celebrating its 135th birthday today.

A&M was the very first public institution of higher education in the state.

Texas A&M was established and opened on October 4, 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.

After many years of expansion and change, and to better market the school's differentiating roles, the Texas Legislature in 1963 officially renamed the school to Texas A&M University.

Texas A&M is one of the few universities with a Corps of Cadets, and it provides more commissioned officers to the U-S military than any other school outside of the service academies.