Today is the 189th birthday of Rensselaer and weR: The Spirit of Rensselaer Society had a fabulous idea - to serve cake in front of the Troy Building!

On November 5, 1824, Stephen Van Rensselaer wrote a letter to the Reverend Dr. Samuel Blatchford stating "I have established a school at the north end of Troy, in Rensselaer county, in the building usually called the Old Bank Place, for the purpose of instructing persons, who may choose to apply themselves, in the application of science to the common purposes of life."

Surely it's time to celebrate, and have cake with the weR Society. We'd like to thank them for the opportunity to shed light on this wonderful anniversary and the document itself, housed in the Institute Archives!