A short-lived Methodist college in Kansas City that merged with the University of Kansas City in 1933.
Lincoln and Lee University was established in 1927 as a Methodist Episcopal college in Kansas City, Missouri, with its campus straddling the Kansas border. The name was chosen to unite the Northern and Southern branches of the Methodist church, symbolizing a place where "North met South and East met West." Founded by Methodist leaders including philanthropist Kate B. Hewitt (who donated 143 acres), former Centre College president Ernest H. Newcomb, and Bishop Ernest Lynn Waldorf, the university was incorporated in January 1926 and received its Kansas charter in March 1927.
The university operated through partnerships with established professional schools rather than independent instruction. It merged with the Kansas City Dental School and Kansas City College of Pharmacy in 1926, and added the Kansas City School of Commerce in 1927. The School of Commerce offered classes in business, finance, foreign trade, marketing, manufacturing, personnel management, production, and transportation. The university did not graduate any independent students; all graduates came through its partner institutions.
The 272-acre campus (37 acres in Missouri, remainder in Kansas) was designed by architect Edward Buehler Delk with Gothic architectural plans presented in April 1926. Plans included seven buildings, a library, combined church and auditorium, athletic facilities, and dormitories. Student life included a chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon social fraternity, professional dental fraternities (Psi Omega and Xi Psi Phi), musical organizations, a basketball team, and a yearbook called the Bushwacker.
Despite ambitious fundraising goals of $5 million, the university secured only approximately $800,000, partly due to the 1929 stock market crash. Financial difficulties led to merger discussions with the non-sectarian University of Kansas City in 1930. The boards ratified the merger on November 29, 1930, and assets were consolidated in 1933, with the University of Kansas City opening on October 2, 1933.