Texas A&M University, often referred to as Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU, is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. Established in 1876, it was initially an all-male military institution, and it has grown over the years to become one of the largest and most respected universities in the U.S. . The letters "A&M" originally stood for "Agricultural and Mechanical" when the university was opened on October 4, 1876, as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. However, in 1963, the Texas state legislature officially renamed the school to Texas A&M University, with the "A" and "M" being a symbolic link to the schools past but no longer officially standing for "Agricultural and Mechanical".