FIRST DU HOUSE 1892

For several decades after its founding the brothers met at various locations in Ithaca, including the Ithaca Hotel and a rooming house on College Avenue. In 1892 DU’s first chapter house was completed at 6 South Avenue. It was considered English Tudor and was designed by brother Allyn Packard '86 of Chicago. It’s based on the great hunting lodges of the Adirondacks and Northwest. It was built at a cost of about $25,000.

On Christmas Eve 1909 fire almost destroyed the house. According to the Cornell Alumni News, the fire was discovered about 5:30 o’clock in the morning by two brothers, who were the only persons in the house at the time. 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 current house is one of Cornell's most architecturally distinguished fraternity houses. Read the Cornell Alumni News article.