Oldest Fraternity on your Campus
 

I'm curious to know what the oldest houses happen to be on campuses around the country.

At Purdue it is:

1. Sigma Chi
2. Kappa Sigma
3. Phi Delt/SAE (not sure exactly which)

Long Beach State...
 

Here at Long Beach State (which was founded not too long ago in 1949),
our Delta Theta chapter of TAU KAPPA EPSILON is the first fraternity on campus (despite Sigma Pi FALSELY claiming that they were the oldest - and we have no idea where they got that)...

We received our charter in 1954...

It became inactive for a few years, but recolonized - (hence the fact that our scroll numbers are only in the 700's when we should be well in the thousands)...

GO BEACH!!!

UT Martin - Phi Sigma Kappa, which is now the smallest chapter on campus.

BUT nationally we are the oldest on campus. :)

Iowa State's oldest fraternity is Delta Tau Delta, which came to campus in 1875.

The oldest existing one at Georgetown is Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Fraternity. Established in 1920, I think.

Theta Chi
Kappa Sig
Delta Sig

All in 1948

The oldest one at IU is Beta Theta Pi - Pi Chapter. It was founded in 1845. It just rechartered after being off campus for a few years.

FSU
 

At Florida State, the first fraternity was Kappa Alpha Order(1905ish.) They helped Kappa Delta charter (1906?) the first sorority here (they have a continuous existance), which is why FSU's KD chapter is named "Kappa Alpha." Soon after (1910ish), FSU (which I believe was known as "Florida University) became a women's college. The KA chapter folded.

After WWII, the Florida State College for Women became the Florida State University. A bunch of fraternities colonized, and Delta Tau Delta was the first (I think by less than a day) to charter (1947?), so they have the longest continuous existance among the men's fraternities.

To summarize:
KA Order: First mens fraternity
KD: First sorority
DTD: Longest continuous existance among mens fraternities

At Auburn, it's Alpha Tau Omega, founded 1879

The University of Kentucky
 

The University of Kentucky

Year is the original chapter founding date.

1893 Kappa Alpha Order
1893 Sigma Chi
1900 Sigma Alpha Epsilon
1901 Pi Kappa Alpha
1901 Kappa Sigma
1901 Phi Delta Theta (re-charted 2003)
1902 Sigma Nu

I believe that Sigma Chi and Kappa Alpha Order have been in continuous existence since they were chartered.

Also, my understanding is that Pi Kappa Alpha was actually the third fraternity to begin colonizing at UK in 1900; however, they received their charter in 1901 - after Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter.

At Boston U., it's a little different...there was a thriving Greek system into the 70's, but administration sold all the houses to MIT and effectively kicked the system off campus (adduncan can tell you more about it than I can).

The system made a comeback in the 80's (with chapters such as Kappa Sig, Lambda Chi and Sigma Chi returning in full force).

As far as the oldest chapters - I believe that would have to go to Lambda Chi and Tri-Delt. Although both left when all chapter were kicked off, both have their Alpha chapters at the school.

SAE has stuck around through it all, although they're not officially recognized by the school. They've had tremendous alumni support though and have been around through it all.

At Akron.....our Local "Lonestar" is the oldest. But on a National level....the first NIC fraternity established was the Eta Chapter of Delta Tau Delta (1873) but I know that they did close shortly after and didn't reopen for almost 100 years. I think the next one after that is Phi Delta Theta....but don't quote me on that.

NPC-wise.... the Lambda Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was founded in 1877 followed by the Eta Chapter of Delta Gamma in 1879.

Re: FSU
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
[B]At Florida State, the first fraternity was Kappa Alpha Order(1905ish.) They helped Kappa Delta charter (1906?) the first sorority here (they have a continuous existance), which is why FSU's KD chapter is named "Kappa Alpha." [QUOTE]
The KD chapter at FSU was founded on November 4, 1904. So Kappa Alpha Order was founded earlier.

After checking in a couple of editions of Baird's, I believe that three sororities were established at BU before Tri Delta's Alpha chapter was founded: KKG (1882), A-Phi (1883), and GPhiB (1887).

Likewise, other fraternities were established at BU before Lambda Chi's Alpha chapter: Beta (1876), Theta Delta Chi (1877), Delt (1889), SAE (1892), and ZBT (1908). Some went through periods of inactivity even before the 1970s.

Great to hear that BU's Greek life is coming back so well.

Boston U Greek History
 

exlurker is right on the dates of BU's GLOs.

Collin has the "exile" info correct.

<broken record> Stay on good terms w/ independents. You never know when one of them will be in a position to make or break your legacy. This is what happened at BU - some very early IFC and NPC history got clipped by someone (several, actually) either hostile to or indifferent to Greek life. </broken record>

--add
:D

I'm pretty sure that Phi Delta Theta was the first at the University of Nebraska. Would have been between 1880 and 1888. Greek Affairs took that information down with the re-design of their website, so I don't have any way to check right now.

At New Mexico State University the oldest and longest continous existence is TKE we were chartered here in 1934. Next up for both those categories would be SAE. After that i dunno most of the rest are pretty young. Some may have been chartered not too long after us but have had to recharter. Actually if i'm not mistaken i think our TKE chapter was either the first or one of the first fraternities in the southwest.

The order at Knox is as follows:
1. Beta Theta Pi (1855) Xi chapter
2. FIJI (1867) Gamma Deuteron chapter
3. Phi Delt (1871.....closed at the moment as of May '04) Delta Zeta chapter
4. Sigma Nu (1891) Delta Theta chapter
5. TKE (1912) Delta chapter

Furman has the Delta chapter of Pi Kappa Phi... so I think they may be the oldest! (I'm not completely sure though) :)

ETA: They haven't been at Furman continuously, I think they had a few recharterings (is that a word?)...

I'm not sure what the oldest Fraternity at Western IL University...our greek system is not as old as many...

Alpha Sigma Alpha was the first soroity in 1943 (But before that it was Phi Tau Phi local)

At the U. of Northern Colorado

1953 (no longer on campus as of 2003) Tau Kappa Epsilon
1957 (recolonized in 1997) Alpha Kappa Lambda
1958 Sigma Chi
1970 Sigma Alpha Epsilon
1976 (recolonized 2000) Lambda Chi Alpha
1984 Delta Chi
1987 Sigma Pi
1989 (no longer on campus as of 2003) Delta Upsilon
1993 Delta Tau Delta
2000 Sigma Lambda Beta
2001 (no longer on campus as of 2002) Kappa Alpha Order
2002 Kappa Sigma
2003 Alpha Phi Delta (unfortunately university won't recognize them yet :( )

Then there are 2 on our list but I'm not sure if they are sororities or fraternities since they are no longer on campus...Sigma Gamma Rho (1976/1998) and Alpha Phi Alpha (1993)

FYI:

Sigma Gamma Rho - NPHC Sorority
Alpha Phi Alpha - NPHC Fraternity

At the University of Central Florida, the first fraternities were SAE, Kappa Sig, and ATO.

Thanks for the dates - info on the history of Greek Life at Boston U. is difficult to find. It seems like they got rid of everything when they got rid of the chapters.

Delt faded away my freshman year; ZBT is still going strong, too bad more of those houses still aren't there.

There have been highs and lows in Greek support from the campus the past couple of years; we had one Greek Advisor who was extremely helpful with things, but he made some questionable personal decisions that got him fired. I think that set things back a bit. They keep on chugging along though.

Hillsdale:

- Sigma Chi was rechartered on our campus in 1980 "for the first time since 1886" according to our Greek Life website. I'm not sure when they were originally chartered at Hillsdale, but I'm pretty sure they were the first.
- Alpha Tau Omega in 1888
- Delta Sigma Phi in 1915

Until the mid-1990s we had a chapter of TKE which was founded quite early; additionally, until last year, we had a chapter of DTD which was also founded quite early on. The website no longer gives founding dates of those chapters.... Perhaps the TKE and DTD alums on GC could fill in that info. :)

I believe these are the oldest at Miami University in Ohio.

1833 - Alpha Delta Phi
1839 - Beta Theta Pi
1848 - Phi Delta Theta
1855 - Sigma Chi
1902 - Delta Zeta
1906 - Phi Kappa Tau

DU was chartered at Miami of Ohio in 1868, went inactive when school closed in 1873, revived in 1908.
DKE is also very old at Miami, in fact Sigma Chi formed over a dispute in DKE chapter any Sig's want to tell the story ?

I am not sure of the actual dates but I know Alpha Phi Delta is the oldest of the active fraternity at Brooklyn College.

I don't think she's replied to this thread yet, but lyrica9 is our resident Greek Guru who would know all about who chartered first, etc. :)

paging lyrica9!

Beloit College:

Beta in 1860 and they were continious until 1988.
But then Phi Psi was founded in 1881 (closed from 71-77, but active again)when then then spawned Sig Chi (or so the story goes they purged a inner 'socieity') and Sig Chi chartered in 1882 and has continued until the present day.

Sororities are much more complicated.

Theta Pi Gamma (local) was founded, underground, in 1896, but then became DG from 22-62 when they reverted to Theta Pi again. They closed for a couple of years, and then reactivated.

NPC wise...Pi Phi cam in 1919 then quickly followed by KD in 1920, both groups left in 1970.

this is the webpage with the info, its interesting. ie. Sigma Pi was local, went Sigma Pi, then reverted to a co-ed before closing.
http://www.beloit.edu/~libhome/Archi...oit/greek.html

Delta Kappa Epsilon--Chi Chapter--1850
Delta Psi--Pi Chapter--1855
Phi Kappa Psi--Mississippi Alpha Chapter--1857
Chi Psi--Gamma Chapter--1858
Phi Delta Theta--Mississippi Alpha Chapter--1877
Beta Theta Pi--Beta Beta Chapter--1879
Delta Tau Delta--Pi Chapter--1848 est. as Rainbow Fraternity and consolidated with DTD in 1886, no longer on campus
Kappa Alpha Order--Alpha Upsilon Chapter--1900
Kappa Sigma--Delta Xi Chapter--1926
Alpha Tau Omega--Delta Psi Chapter--1927
Pi Kappa Phi--Apha Lambda Chapter--1927, no longer here
Sigma Nu--Epsilon Xi Chapter--1927
Pi Kappa Alpha--Gamma Iota Chapter--1927
Phi Pi Phi--Omicron Chapter--1927, no longer here
Sigma Phi Epsilon--Mississippi Alpha Chapter--1928
Sigma Alpha Epsilon--Mississippi Gamma
Phi Kappa Tau--Delta Gamma Chapter--1969

The Beta Chapter of Delta Tau Delta was established on the Ohio University Campus in 1862 and has been in continuous operation ever since, making it the longest/oldest continuous Chapter in the Fraternity.

However, it was not the first fraternity on the Ohio campus. I believe that honor goes to Beta Theta Pi, although I don't know when they were founded or whether they have operated continuously since then.

i'll do some more digging when i get a minute. i didn't have too much time really when i found those.

The Delta Chapter of Omega Tau Sigma (Professional Veterinary fraternity...co-ed) is the oldest fraternity on our campus. They were charted in 1914.

Next is Delta Upsilon and I believe they were chartered in 1989.

Im not sure how old these fraternities/sororities are on our campus, but their all Alpha chapters, so maybe you guys can tell me.


Alpha of Sigma Chi
Alpha of Beta Theta Pi
Alpha of Phi Delta Theta
Alpha of Phi Kappa Tau

Delta Zelta (or at least the HQ is here)??


edit: someone else from Miami beat me to it.

Ok... our websites aren't updated so I can't find accurate information. Matt (CSUSigEp), if you are lurking, maybe you can help me out.

From what I found, Sig Ep seems to be the oldest fraternity on our campus now. They were founded as a local in the 1950s and became a chapter in the 1960s. My only other guess of anything older would be Sigma Chi's chapter (but it doesn't say on their website when they were founded at CSUS.) We also have had Delta Chi and SAE on our campus but their chapters are no longer in IFC. Everyone else is relatively new. (I didn't realize the TKE chapter here is only about 10 years old.)

And I believe AXO is the first NPC sorority on our campus. Quite a few others started off as locals as well... but I don't know when.

another miamian on the boards?

yeah, I know a couple AGDs... Katie Wright and her big, Amy?

i pm'd you.

Sigma Chi--Eta Chapter--1857