Regional Comprehensive Universities (RCUs) are public institutions established to facilitate access, student-centeredness, and regional wellbeing, which has led scholars to call them the "people's universities." This study examined the histories of RCUs between 1970 and 2000, using qualitative inquiry and narrative analysis of data from oral history interviews with representatives of 51 RCUs and secondary and archival data. Grounded in the anchor institution framework and organizational ecology theory, findings demonstrate that RCUs evolved dynamically as anchor institutions to respond to regional needs while advancing educational equity and opportunity. This study also demonstrates that 1970-2000 was a significant era in the sector's history.