The Troy University was a short-lived educational institution run by the Methodist Episcopal Church as a non-denominational Christian academic institution.  It was founded in the mid-1850s by religious and civic leaders from Troy and Charlotteville, New York, who raised funds through subscriptions, or pledges, to support the construction of a substantial building.  Ground was broken in 1856, and on October 1 of that year its cornerstone was laid. The school’s first students were admitted in 1858, but the university failed financially after graduating only one class in 1862.  The property was sold to the Catholic Church and converted to a Provincial Theological Seminary.  In 1958 the site was purchased by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which owned much of the surrounding property.  The Institute tore down the deteriorated building in 1969.  During demolition, the marble cornerstone was found embedded in an interior wall; its contents were in excellent condition after their 113 year entombment. Unlike time capsules, which are meant to be opened in the future, cornerstones serve a much more symbolic purpose.  They embody the aspirations of the people associated with the new building, and are meant to imbue the structure with the values represented by the buried materials.  The values represented by the contents of the Troy University cornerstone – education, religion, philanthropy, culture – continued to reflect the use of the building throughout its existence.

Note written by