In 1872, Addison Caldwell (cousin to my husband) was the first student to enroll at Virginia Tech after hiking 28 miles from Craig County, Va. The Caldwell statue stands on campus upper quad between Brodie and the Performing Arts Building. It’s a beautiful statue and the family is very proud of it.
Our farm is just a mile down the road from where Add was raised. Friends of ours and distant family live in the home he was raised in and I’ve not been in the house but hope to visit the Smith’s very soon. I’m very proud to be working on the campus where he went to college. From what I’ve read in some of the family journals he was the first student to attend college and his older brother, Milton (Mic) enrolled a few weeks after Addison did. The statue is life-size and beautiful. I plan to have my family come to meet me one day after work so that we can all go visit the statue.
Here is a link to the story about his life on campus and home: http://www.unirel.vt.edu/history/students_alumni/first_student.html
You should be proud. I’m going to check out your link.
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Hope you enjoy it and I am very proud. We live on Addison Caldwell’s grandfather’s farm. My husband inherited it from his uncle and he spent many summers growing up on this farm. The family owned a lot of the valley we live in at one time.
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I like Deb’s idea!!!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://handcraftedbyus.wordpress.com
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We’re gonna do it!
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You should all have your picture taken around the statue as well! 🙂 How interesting ! : )
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Great idea!! We’ll do it!
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I do have a story about the Caldwell statue. I’ll tell it at lunch. I love to hear these wonderful stories especially when I know the family!!
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