Eastern Arizona College was chartered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1888.

Classes started in a church room in Central, Arizona in 1890 with 17 students and was called the St. Joseph Stake Academy.

The state of Arizona took over the school, changing the name to Gila Junior College of Graham County.

EAC is a state-sponsored community college and comes under the guidance and control of the state of Arizona.

The main campus 32°50′31″N 109°45′43″W / 32.8419°N 109.7620°W / 32.8419; -109.7620[5] sits in the center of the Upper Gila River Valley with Mt.

The Mills conducted extensive excavations on archaeological sites in Southeastern Arizona and Western New Mexico from the 1940s through the 1970s.

Most of their work was carried out on private land in southeastern Arizona and western New Mexico.