From RPI's Institute Archives and Special Collections department:
The Approach is a massive granite staircase between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and downtown Troy. It was completed in 1907 on the former site of Rensselaer's Main Building after the latter was destroyed by fire in 1904.
The staircase was constructed by the City of Troy to emphasize the interdependence of this industrial city and the polytechnic school for which it is known. For many years the Approach remained an important link between the city and the college. As the city's fortunes gradually declined, the once elegant structure fell into disrepair, and by the 1970s the Approach was closed due to its precarious condition.
In 1994, the Approach was given a new lease on life when the Louis and Hortense Rubin Foundation raised funds to rebuild the staircase. After extensive renovation and landscaping, the Approach was officially reopened in 1999.
When I was a freshman at the 'Tute we used to visit a pub downtown and then stumble our way up the ruins of the Approach back to campus. Especially fun in the winter! I was also part of a service organization on campus that once a year would embark on mission to clear as much trash and encroaching vegetation as we could from the staircase.
You may look at the bottom of the Approach and say to yourself "Why does it end where it does?" Well, like much of downtown, everything looked quite different before urban renewal, neglect, and fire took their toll.
Here's a picture looking down the approach sometime last century. The building on the left was the RPI gymnasium; slightly further down was 7th Ave.
There is a wealth of photos at this site.
In order to get your smiley, take a photograph from the the top of the Approach and include it with your log entry. I hope you enjoy the view!
Congrats to twistedchickie for the FTF!
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.