[5] It was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans led by Eric Norelius and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

[6] Originally named Minnesota Elementarskola (elementary school in Swedish), it moved the following year to East Union, an unincorporated town in Dahlgren Township.

A delegation of residents from St. Peter won favor from the founders to relocate there as a result of an economic crisis and the town's offer of $10,000 and donation of acreage for a larger campus.

Courses were initially to start in the fall of 1875, but slow progress on constructing the first campus building, Old Main, delayed the opening.

The foundation granted the request at the urging of several prominent Nobel laureates, and the first conference was held at the college in January 1965.

[11] The Gustavus Adolphus College curriculum aims to "prepare students for fulfilling lives of leadership and service in society.

Its most popular majors, by 2021 graduates, were:[14] Gustavus Adolphus College alumni have won Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall, Rhodes,[15] Truman, National Science Foundation, and NCAA Postgraduate fellowships and scholarships.

[18] In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Gustavus 67th in the national liberal arts college category.

[27] In 2016, U.S. News & World Report classified Gustavus Adolphus College as more selective in its National Liberal Arts Ranking.

The campus includes 33 sculptures by the late Minnesota sculptor Paul Granlund, an alumnus of the college who for many years was sculptor-in-residence.

In 2009, students founded Big Hill Farm, which grows produce for the cafeteria and aims to connect the campus to sustainable agriculture.

It originally contained several classrooms, sleeping quarters for students, faculty, and the president, and a kitchen, dining room, chapel, library, and museum.

In 2005, another renovation was completed; the building now houses the Office of the Chaplains and the religion, political science, philosophy, and classics departments.

A famous ghost story surrounding Old Main is the tale of former Chaplain Richard Elvee of two deceased Gustavus security officers, Harley and Barney, occasionally wandering its halls.

The chapel and surrounding grounds are adorned by the sculptures of Paul T. Granlund, the former artist-in-residence at Gustavus Adolphus College.

These renovations, carried out by David Engen and more recently by the Hendrickson Organ Company of St. Peter, include a new console with solid-state combination and relay, moving several ranks of pipes from an antiphonal position in the basement into the main organ above the balcony, restructuring the Swell mixture, and extensive repairs after the 1998 tornado.

It has 55 speaking ranks of pipes, played from a four-manual console, and preparation on the new Great chest for a mounted Kornet V stop.

[37] The Chapel also houses a small portative organ of three stops on one manual that is used for accompanying and especially for continuo playing in Baroque compositions.

On March 17, 2008, the cross atop the spire was hung from the chapel's ceiling during a service marking the 10th anniversary of the tornado.

CAB's mission statement is to "enrich the campus life experience by encouraging the involvement of all students in engaging and enjoyable entertainment".

[40] Grainger had an opportunity to observe the work of Nelson, the choir, and the orchestra at close quarters by touring and performing with them that year.

Nelson was the college's musical director from 1930 to 1945 and the driving force behind a group that toured the eastern states, winning critical acclaim and financial success.

Theater and dance events are a vibrant part of Gustie life, with shows every fall and spring and a musical every other year.

[42] Gustavus is also a member of the Intercollegiate Sri Lanka Education (ISLE) consortium, run by Bowdoin College.

Key sports at the college are tennis, swimming & diving, golf, basketball, ice hockey, football, and soccer.

Gustavus has had three players selected in the NFL Draft: Russ Buckley in 1940, Kurt Ploeger in 1985, and Ryan Hoag in 2003.