Outspoken New England urbanite Horace Holley (1781--1827) was an unlikely choice to become the president of Transylvania University -- the first college established west of the Allegheny Mountains. Many Kentuckians doubted his leadership abilities, some questioned his Unitarian beliefs, and others simply found him arrogant and elitist. Nevertheless, Holley ushered in a period of sustained educational and cultural growth at Transylvania, and the university received national attention for its scientifically progressive and liberal curriculum. The resulting influx of wealthy students and...