It was founded on February 28, 1872, when the West Virginia Legislature passed "an Act to locate a Branch State Normal School, in the town of Concord Church, in the County of Mercer".

[6] The normal school was founded by veterans of both the Union and the Confederacy; Concord is named for the ideal of "harmony and sweet fellowship".

[21] US Senator Robert C. Byrd secured $10 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services to develop the campus and begin building the facility.

North (female) and South (male) Towers house the fraternities and sororities as well as Honors and several sports teams.

The men's intercollegiate teams include: baseball, basketball, football, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field.

The women's intercollegiate teams include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field.

The Office of Student Affairs provides intramurals in many athletic activities, including flag football, volleyball, and basketball.