Founding of the Rensselaer School. Board of Trustees meet December 29th.

The Rensselaer School opens at the Old Bank Place on January 5th.

First Commencement - 10 graduates receive A.B. degrees.

John Chester named president

Eliphalet Nott assumes presidency.

Amos Eaton institutes a Rensselaer School Flotilla on the Erie Canal as a special summer session.

Rensselaer School moves to Van der Heyden Mansion and is renamed the Rensselaer Institute.

The Civil Engineering degree is awarded to four students at the spring commencement. The Bachelor of Natural Science degree replaces the A.B. degree. Eight women complete a special mathematics course.

Rensselaer Institute moves back to Old Bank Place.

Amos Eaton, Senior Professor and visionary of the Rensselaer Institute dies on May 10th.

The Rensselaer Institute acquires the Infant School Property.

Nathan S. S. Beman appointed president.

Benjamin Franklin Greene begins a reorganization of the school into a three year polytechnic institute with six technical schools.

A school uniform is adopted. The uniform is dark green, bronze buttons with R.P.I. on them, pants with black stripes and cap with a silver level on the front.

First student publication the Commentator appears on campus.

School uniform is changed to blue military style suit with buttons bearing the level symbol.

Rensselaer Institute is officially renamed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The Great Troy Fire destroys the Infant School Property.

The Main Building is completed on 8th St. Theta Xi is founded at R.P.I. on April 29th.

John F. Winslow becomes president. The Transit, a student yearbook, is published by the junior class.

First Grand Marshal is selected by the student body. Winslow Chemical Laboratory is completed.

Thomas Brinsmade serves briefly as president. James Forsyth is appointed president.

The Rensselaer Association of Graduates is established. The Polytechnic, a student newspaper, is published during the fall semester.

First intercollegiate baseball game played against Union College.

The Glee Club is formed. The first recorded Cane Rush is held.

Williams Proudfit Astronomical Observatory is completed. First intercollegiate football game played against Williams College.

Garnett Baltimore is the first African-American student to earn a degree from Rensselaer.

Polytechnic begins continuous publication as the student newspaper.

RPI joins the State Athletic Association and begins official participation in intercollegiate athletics.

Rensselaer's first Gymnasium is built.

John H. Peck is appointed president.

Palmer C. Ricketts is hired as Director of the Institute.

Rensselaer exhibits at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Ill. An Alumni Building is completed on Second St.

Institute Basketball team forms just a few years after the game is invented. The first game is played against the R.R.Y.M.C.A. of Troy.

The office of Director is combined with the duties of President. Palmer C. Ricketts is appointed as the first person to serve as full-time president of R.P.I.

Varsity Baseball is reestablished after a thirteen year hiatus. First Varsity Hockey game is played against Williams College at the Ship Street rink in Cohoes.

Two consecutive fires destroy the Main Building and damage the Winslow Laboratory.

Rensselaer purchases the Warren Estate and makes plans to build a campus up the hill from 8th St.

Carnegie Building completed. Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage announces a $1,000,000 gift in memory of her husband, Russell Sage.

The City of Troy completes The Approach on the site of the old Main Building. Walker Chemical Laboratory opens.

Russell Sage Laboratory is completed.

A Student Council is formed.

Pittsburgh Building and '87 Gymnasium are completed. Phalanx, a senior honor society, is formed.

First Master’s degree awarded in Mechanical Engineering. First Pushball Rush is held.

First Doctoral degree awarded in Electrical Engineering (D. Eng.). Quadrangle Dormitories along 15 th St. are completed and Russell Sage II Dining Hall is opened.

Student Army Training Corp exists briefly until WWI ends in November. A condensed year-round curriculum can be completed in two years.

A Tug-of-War contest between freshmen and sophomores is held for the first time.

The Troy Building is completed.

Amos Eaton Hall is opened. 1928 Commencement held in the new auditorium.

Architecture department is established. The R.P.I. Players, a student theatrical group, is formed.

The Greene Building is completed.

Rensselaer Union Clubhouse is opened to students.

The Ricketts Building is dedicated in memory of Palmer C. Ricketts. William O. Hotchkiss is appointed president.

Navy ROTC unit established at RPI.

Livingston W. Houston is appointed president. V-5 and V-12 Naval training programs are established on campus. Curriculum accelerated to 2 2/3 years with 3, 16 week semesters per year. Curtiss-Wright Cadette training program held at R.P.I.

Lois Graham and Mary Ellen Rathbun are the first women to earn a Rensselaer degree. GI Bill triples student enrollment.Post-war housing accommodates married students and expands the Rensselaer campus.

Houston Field House is completed.

The Dutchmen’s Shoes trophy awarded for the first time after an R.P.I. – Union football game.

Last accelerated class graduates in January. Two-semester, four year program reinstated in September.

Lacrosse team wins national championship.

West Hall is purchased from the Albany Diocese. Freshmen Dormitories are completed.

Hockey team wins national championship.

Academic departments are organized into Schools of Engineering, Science, Architecture and Humanities and Social Sciences. Deans head each school and report to a new Provost.

Richard G. Folsom assumes the presidency. St. Joseph's Seminary property (Chapel and University Building) is purchased.

Freshmen Week events are abolished.

A Faculty Council is formed. Science Center and Linear Accelerator are dedicated.

Materials Research Center is completed. Peoples Avenue Complex is purchased.

Rensselaer Union is opened to students.

Cogswell Lab is completed. Troy Armory is purchased.
Richard J. Grosh is appointed president.

Women’s basketball completes its first full season, women’s softball team plays its first game; women’s ice hockey “class” meets on Friday nights; and women's field hockey completes its first season.

Communications Center is completed.
The first “Hockey Line” forms around the Union.

George M. Low ’48 is appointed the 14th president of R.P.I. Folsom Library opens.

Jonsson Engineering Center is dedicated.

Daniel Berg serves as acting president.
R.P.I. community mourns the loss of George M. Low who dies on July 17th.

Hockey team wins the NCAA Div. I Championship.
Daniel Berg is inaugurated as president of RPI.

Center for Industrial Engineering is completed.

Roland Schmitt is appointed president.

School 14 (Academy Hall) is purchased.

R. Byron Pipes is appointed as president.

Shirley Ann Jackson becomes the 18th president of Rensselaer and the first African-American woman to lead a national research university.

President Jackson unveils The Rensselaer Plan. Barton Hall residence is opened for the Fall semester.

Anonymous donor pledges an unrestricted $360 million gift to Rensselaer.