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Our College on the Hill LbNA #17749

Owner:Tamsyn
Plant date:Aug 25, 2005
Location:
City:Schenectady
County:Schenectady
State:New York
Boxes:4
Found by: planthunter
Last found:Jul 25, 2018
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Aug 25, 2005
Box #3 is missing, since the shrub that hid it was removed!
I will remove this when it is replaced. Also, logbooks are being reported as full...

** The clues for box #1 were updated slightly 9/2/06.

Union College can trace its beginnings to 1779. Several hundred residents of northern New York, certain that Burgoyne's defeat at Saratoga two years before would mean a new nation, began the first popular demand for higher education in America. These residents pursued that dream for sixteen years until, in 1795, Union became the first college chartered by the Regents of the State of New York. The first trustees consciously attempted to bring their new college into the mainstream of their world. The very name, Union, carried echoes of the new national union. Union's founders were determined to avoid the narrow sectarianism characteristic of earlier American colleges; today, Union is one of the oldest nondenominational colleges in the country. Union did not share the heavily classical bias of most colleges of the day. Its motto ('Sous les lois de Minerve nous devenons tous freres,' or 'We all become brothers under the laws of Minerva') is significantly of French rather than Latin origin. Union was among the first to introduce French on an equal level with Greek and Latin. In the 1820s, when the classical curriculum was the most widely accepted field of study, Union introduced a bachelor's degree with greater emphasis on history, science, modern languages, and mathematics. This liberality of educational vision characterized Union during the early years of the term of Eliphalet Nott, president from 1804 to 1866. Science and technology became important concerns; chemistry was taught before 1809, a degree in scientific studies was added, and in 1845 Union became the first liberal arts college to offer engineering. The College was one of the first to offer work in American history and constitutional government and did pioneer work in the elective system of study. The College's 100-acre campus includes eight acres of formal gardens and woodland known as Jackson's Garden. The first buildings were completed in 1814 following the design of French architect Joseph Jacques Rameé; Union is the first American college with a unified campus plan. For more info: http://www.union.edu Union is a wonderful place to learn, and a beautiful place to walk around.

There is a lot of history here, too -- come and visit!
NOTE: Please be mindful of the Union security guards -- one of them almost caught me placing a box -- I didn’t know that they are sometimes on bikes! Also, if school is in session, of course use discretion so that students don’t discover the boxes by accident. (Trimester sessions, Sept-June.)
Thanks to LisaScenic, Chile Boy, and phynstar for helping me place these boxes!

Clues: Park in the commuter parking lot on the corner of Seward Place and Nott Street (entrances on both streets). From the parking lot, take a right onto the road, passing the Yulman Theater, and head towards the middle of the campus. There is a large round building in the center. Go to this building and look inside if it is open (there is often an art exhibit on the upper levels open to the public). Before you leave, count the number of sides of the building, and note for later use.

Box 1: Jackson’s Garden. Now find a statue of a president. Behind him is a grassy “chessboard” and the closest circle of earthly friendship. Go through the gate and make a left, following the stairs down. When you get to the gingko tree, make a right, walking along the garden beds. You are looking for a clock without hands. Standing with your back at the rose that still blooms in winter and the main garden to your left, find the path straight in front of you and take it to the left. Make a right when it tees, and walk to the end of the garden. To the right, as you face the bank of trees and rocks, find a large stump. Behind it, under rocks, leaves, and bark, is the first box. Please rehide carefully! (This box has sometimes been left exposed.)

Box 2: Nott Memorial. Now come back towards the gingko tree and up the steps. This time head through the herb garden (campus center building on right), and follow the path through it until you come to the wildflower gardens. Go through the wildflower garden and find the path that leads from the far corner towards a white structure. Standing at the front, walk around it to the left the amount of steps which equals half the number of sides of the round building you counted earlier. The box is tucked underneath, covered by a rock. Of course, if there are people there (as there was when I went to hide it!), come back later...

Box 3: Union Triad. Finally, head back towards the herb garden again, but this time find an open grassy area with 2 cement benches surrounded by pines and often populated with rabbits. (Please note in the logbook if you spotted any!) Between these two benches is a white foundation stone. Casually go over to read the plaque on it -- maybe even sit on it. When no one is around, discreetly reach behind the left side (of stone/your right) to find the box.

Box 4: Drama. Time to leave the gardens. I would recommend wandering around more of the campus -- Memorial Chapel, find the Payne Gate, visit the book store in the campus center if it’s open... then make your way back towards the commuter parking lot. Just after you pass the theater again, make a right and walk down the side of the building, then turn right again and walk the length of the triangular patio behind the building. Step off the far end onto a rocky path and see a large carved reddish stone (old architectural detail?). On the far side, away from the theater, the box is tucked underneath. Enjoy your tour, and let me know how the boxes are doing! Thanks!