Video: Addison Caldwell's walk
Virginia Tech's first student, William Addison Caldwell, walked 26 miles in 1872 to enroll at the new college.
Every year, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets freshman class replicates the walk made by Caldwell.
Marking the end of the first phase of training for the Class of 2016 is the Fall Caldwell March taking place on Saturday, Sept. 29 2012. The first year cadets will complete the second half of the march in the spring at the conclusion of their training year.
The starting point for the march is at the Caldwell family homestead in Craig County, Va. The entire freshman class and their training cadre, the upper-class cadets responsible for the initial phase of freshman training, are bused out to the start and then march approximately 13 miles over Sinking Creek Mountain to Caldwell Fields in Jefferson National Forest.
