Some say a friend’s worth may be measured by whether or not he or she remembers your birthday. Oops! The Internet just reminded us that Columbia King’s College turns 258 today. Gothamist commemorated the day with neat old photos and some stories from the days Columbia spent romping around between Morningside Heights and Madison Avenue.

If you were wondering, Columbia shares a birthday with no one interesting other than Donald Sutherland, and even that’s a stretch. The date of our beloved institution’s inauguration also makes it a Cancer, which according to one dubious astrology website, means that is “emotional, loving, protective, and sympathetic.” With that we say, Happy 258th Columbia.

birthday card via Museum of the City of New York