H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College was created through the consolidation of John M. Patterson State Technical College and H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College in April 2000. The Trenholm Campus was designated as the main campus of the combined institutions. Both institutions were accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, which granted approval for the merger in March 2002.
In December 2014, Trenholm State was granted initial accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Transfer credit for eligible courses is retroactive to January 1, 2014.
In May 2015, H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College officially became H. Councill Trenholm State Community College.
Patterson Site
The John M. Patterson State Technical School was established as a result of the 1947 passage of Regional Vocational and Trade School Act 673 by the Alabama State Legislature. The Montgomery County Board of Revenue and the City of Montgomery purchased 43 acres of land at the junction of the Southern Bypass and U.S. 231 South in 1961. The school opened on September 4, 1962. Patterson was named a technical college by action of the State Board of Education in 1974.
Trenholm Campus
H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College was authorized by the Alabama State Legislature in May 1963. Construction was completed and classes began in August 1966, with the City of Montgomery and the Montgomery County Board of Revenue contributing to construction costs. The College was named for the late Dr. Harper Councill Trenholm, a past president of Alabama State University.