(On plaque) These keys were presented to Cornell College on February 4, 1953 by Edward Ristine (1853-1955) during the opening exercises for Cornell's centennial year. Mr. Restine, then ninety-nine years of age, gave a brief history of the keys, at the time of their presentation, from which the following has been adapted,

The keys were the personal property of William Fletcher King, the third president of Cornell, who arrived in mount Vernon in 1862. King occupied a small room in the south east corner of the Main College building, now knowns as College Hall. Mr. Ristine noted that they keys opened the north door of this building, and that King used them for many years until the locks were changed. King, or someone in his office, then filed the keys as a momento. In 1908 they were brought out and given to James E. Harlan when he was inaugurated as Cornell's fourth president. President Harlan held the keys in his hands as he delivered his inaugural address, and afterwards presented them to his secretary, who was Ristine's wife. She eventually took them home, where they remained until Ristine donated them to the college in 1953.

These were probably the keys to one of the original doors of College Hall at the time of its construction in 1987. Mr. Ristine, remembering their role in President Harlan's inauguration, seems to have intended them to be used in future presidential inaugurations. Whether this practice was ever followed is uncertain. --Peter Hoehnle 1/30/96 [The keys were used during the inauguration of current president, Jonathan Brand]