On February 14, 1920, Proclamation Number 4 was passed by the American governor to the Philippines
Francis Burton Harrison, declaring the reservation of a 232-hectare virgin forest land in Barrio Ampayon, in the Municipality of Butuan, province of
Agusan as the grounds of the young school. The first framework of the school building was laid down in 1937; the development of the school was deferred as the government deviated to giving priority to serve the
Manobo cultural minority through the creation of the Bunawan Agricultural High School in
Agusan del Sur. At the close of
World War II in 1946, the Agusan Agricultural High School was established in the reserved area. On June 22, 1963, Republic Act 3604 was passed, converting the school into the Northern Mindanao National Agricultural College (NORMINAC). House Bill No. 25 was passed, converting NORMINAC to the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST). The House Bill became Batas Pambansa Blg. 241 when President
Ferdinand Marcos signed it into law on November 11, 1982. RA9854, signed on December 16, 2009, by President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, established the Caraga State University in the region by integrating the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST) of this city and the Northern Mindanao College of Science and Technology (NMCAST) in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte with its main campus in Butuan. ==Academics==