Trail marker 1, 65 years of learning, from George Street to Heathhall and the Crichton.

Welcome to Dumfries and Galloway College Heritage Trail. For more than six decades, Dumfries and Galloway College has played a central role in education, skills development, and community life across the region. From its early beginnings, delivering evening classes in Dumfries, the institution has grown into a modern regional college supporting thousands of learners each year.

Today, as part of the Crichton Learning Campus, the college sits within a unique community of education, research, and culture. The origins of further education in the region lie in post-war need of technical education and vocational training needed across Scotland to support local employers and growing industries. These early courses laid the foundations for a structured system of technical education within the region.

Our story formally begins in 1961 at a small building on George Street in Dumfries, where Dumfries Technical College, as it was known, first welcomed its students supporting new and growing businesses in Dumfries and Galloway and a new generation of learners. What began as a small centre of technical training quickly grew as more students sought opportunities to gain new skills and qualifications.

By 1960s, it was clear that the college had outgrown its original home and plans were made for a new campus. The Heathhall Campus was completed in 1973, officially opened by Princess Alexandra. It represented a major investment in education for the region and allowed the college to expand its workshops, classrooms, and student facilities. With the large amount of students attending the college each year, it was becoming obvious that the college needed to expand again, and in 1994, the George Street School of Art was officially opened, returning the college to its spiritual home and giving a place for the creative industries to flourish.

Former Principal Tony Jakimciw described the college’s approach during this period:

“I think we were a college who opened its doors to the community, basically encouraged people to come, wanted to take them on their journey, not select them out, but to select them in.”

That philosophy helped shape generations of learners across Dumfries and Galloway. At the same time, a new vision was beginning to take shape here at the Crichton. The aim was to create a learning campus where colleges, universities, and communities could work together, fulfilling the original educational vision of Elizabeth Crichton. In 2008, that vision became reality when the college relocated from Heathhall to its purpose-built campus at the Crichton. The campus was an innovative, welcoming modern building.

Carol Turnbull remembered the move and explained why bringing education providers together mattered:

“We wanted closer ties with the universities, or we wanted to see what the opportunities could be with closer ties to the university. And it made sense, we’re all quite small institutions, and it made sense to kind of create a kind of learning campus and working in partnership with key personnel in Dumfries and Galloway”

Today, the college continues to support learners of all ages. Current Principal Douglas Dickson believes the college plays a vital role in supporting learners across the region.

“Ultimately, our measure will be what our students think and who comes through the door. And that’s the bit I want to make sure is that even if they’re coming through a virtual door, they’re getting a high-quality experience. I’m keen that to move us on, to be as good as we can possibly be, and deliver for Dumfries and Galloway.”

From George Street to Heathhall, and now here at the Crichton, Dumfries and Galloway College has continued to evolve, adapting to new industries, new technologies, and new generations of learners. But throughout every chapter, one thing has remained constant, a belief that education should be open, practical, and rooted firmly in the community. Today, the college continues to evolve, supporting learners of all ages and backgrounds as they begin their own journeys into education and employment throughout Dumfries and Galloway.