1909 Fire | DU Rebuilds | WW 1 | 1920 –1932
On Christmas Eve in 1909, fire almost destroyed DU. According to the Cornell Alumni Magazine, the fire was discovered about 5:30 A.M. by two brothers, who were the only ones in the house. In early 1910 the alumni association hired noted New York City architect F.Y. Joannes, Arch. '00 to design the reconstruction of the chapter house. The newly rebuilt DU house is the house familiar to every DU since 1910.
In January 1919 the DU House was again badly damaged by fire. It was discovered about 6:30 on a Sunday evening, when tiles from the roof fell through a skylight and tumbled on the stairway underneath. Fifteen brothers were holding a meeting at the time in the Great Hall. The roof was burned away and the attic was destroyed, but the lower portion of the house was undamaged.
