The presence of Delta Phi at Rensselaer is pervasive. Throughout the school’s history, our brothers have been leaders on campus. The first two Grand Marshals of RPI were Delta Phis. Three brothers have served as President of the institute.
We’d like to take you on a walking tour …
Travel across RPI today and you will encounter the brothers of Delta Phi at every turn, from one end of the campus to the other. In all, fifteen buildings and one entranceway have been named after Delta Phi brothers.
At the lower end of campus you will find Walker Laboratory, named after brother William Weightman Walker. William, L’1882, was a physician and mining investor in Colorado. Walker Lab was originally built in 1906. Delta Phi brother and famed industrialist John Joseph Albright, L’1866, made a substantial, $50,000 contribution to the construction. In 1966, the laboratory was renovated through a campaign led by Delta Phi brother Neal Barton L’56.
Walker Laboratory
Move up to the center of campus and you’ll encounter the George M. Low Center for Innovation, dedicated to Brother Low, ‘The Man Who Put Men on the Moon’, and 17th President of RPI.
George M. Low Center for Innovation
George, L’43, was appointed President of RPI in 1976, after a long and distinguished career at NASA. George was closely involved in the planning of NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo Projects. He led the Apollo project, was one of the leading figures in the early development of the Space Shuttle, the Skylab program, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and served as Administrator of NASA.
Swing by the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center and, at the South entrance, you’ll find the engraved archway keystone from the old Proudfit Laboratory, still proudly displayed and preserved on campus. We’ll share more about Proudfit later in the tour.
Now move across campus to the Quad, where you’ll find the first seven of ten dorms on campus bearing Delta Phi names: six Church dorms and Caldwell.
Church Dormitories
Townsend Vail Church, L’1877, civil engineer and executive with the Keokee Coal Company, bequeathed the funds for the Church Dormitories upon his passing in 1930.
Caldwell Dorm
Given in honor of his son, John Christie Caldwell L’1911
James Henry Caldwell, L 1882, was President of the Ludlow Valve Manufacturing Company in Troy. He also served as Vice President and a trustee of RPI. His son, John Christie Caldwell, was also a Delta Phi, L’1911.
Across Sage Avenue from the Quad, you’ll find one more dorm, Hearne Dormitory, part of the E-Complex.
Hearne Dormitory – The E Complex
Frank J. Hearne, L’1865, was the 2nd Grand Marshal of RPI. He served as President of Colorado Fuel and Iron Company and National Tube Company.
From Hearne, stroll up Sage, past the Student Union, until you reach the freshman dorms. Here you will find the last two Delta Phi-named dorms.
Nason Hall
Henry Bradford Nason, L’1867, was a world-renowned scientist who came to Rensselaer to teach in the mid 1800’s and stayed for almost 40 years. He was beloved by his students and is of the few brothers ever invited to join the fraternity without having earned his degree there.
Barton Hall
Neal, L’1956, was appointed the acting President of RPI in 1998. He served as a trustee of the Institute for twenty years. In the business world, he was President and CEO of worldwide conglomerate Dorr-Oliver.
Time now for the final walk, past the Chapel + Cultural Center and up the hill to the Houston Fieldhouse. If you glance behind the Chapel, you can catch a glimpse of our chapter house before the Academy, at 8 Sherry Road. When you reach the Fieldhouse, you’ve completed the Delta Phi circuit across campus.
Houston Fieldhouse
Livingston Houston L’1909 was the President of Ludlow Valve Manufacturing Company and the 14th President and later Chairman of the Board of RPI.
But we’re not quite done yet. Three other structures have been named after Delta Phis. Two no longer exist and one has been reconfigured twice.
Mason Laboratory stood at the corner of Peoples Avenue and 8th Street and was named after William Pitt Mason, L’1870.
Mason Laboratory
Brother Mason taught at Rensselaer for over fifty years and was Head of the Chemical Engineering department. He was one of the country’s leaders in sanitary engineering and an expert in making water safer for consumption around the world, at a time when drinking the local water anywhere was a risk.
Proudfit Observatory/Laboratory
Williams Proudfit, L’1874, was a student at RPI when he was fatally injured by being thrown from his carriage, in 1875. Originally known as the Proudfit Observatory, the building was a gift from his parents as a memorial to their son.
In 1900, the dome on the original structure was replaced by a roof, and a second story was added to the three wings. After a fire in 1902, the building was renovated, and a third story was added. It razed in 1959, but the building’s engraved archway keystone was saved and placed in the south wall of the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center in 1961, where it remains today.
The Tillinghast Gate
The Tillinghast Gate was presented to the Institute in honor of familial and fraternal brothers Theodore Vorhees Tillinghast, L’1910 and Charles Whitney Tillinghast, Jr., L’1914. Originally located at the entrance to the ’86 Athletic Field, the gate was redesigned and relocated in 1937 to make way for an addition to the ’87 Gymnasium. It was placed between the ’87 Gym and Ricketts Building. The original iron side gates were retained.
Ultimately, the central portion of the gate was removed to storage to open up the entrance, leaving only the side gate pieces in place.
