Chi Omega Chapter House

The Chi Omega Chapter House is a building built in 1927 on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Chi Omega Chapter House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Chi Omega House, 2011
Location	940 Maple Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Coordinates	36°4′13″N 94°10′24″W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1927
Built by	Wages Brothers & James Dinwiddie
Architect	Charles L. Ellis
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	95000456[1]
Added to NRHP	April 20, 1995

History

The University of Arkansas became Arkansas' land-grant university in 1871 when Old Main was constructed atop McIlroy Hill. Kappa Sigma was founded as the first fraternity at the university in 1890, and in 1895 the Chi Omega fraternity for women (today called sorority) was created.[a 1] The group bought Lot 12, Block 3 in the Oakland Place Addition in 1928, becoming the first Greek house to own campus property.

University building superintendent Charles L. Ellis was contacted to draw up plans for the house, and construction began in 1928. The contract was awarded to the Wages Brothers who worked with architect/Fayetteville building inspector James Dinwiddie.

Architecture

The building has distinct Colonial Revival architecture details such as the large front porch, dentil course along the cornice line, and a pediment over the front entrance. The chapter house also includes a suspended roof supported by four Roman doric columns.

Additions

Chi Omega has expanded onto the chapter house twice, first in 1941 and again in 1958. The first addition made it possible to house 75 members and a housemother. The 1958 construction consisted of an expanded kitchen and dining room, more bathrooms, more closets, and more bedrooms. Amenities added in 1958 were a sun porch, porte-cochère, study room, office, recreation room, and a men's room.[2]

See also

• Chi Omega
• Chi Omega Greek Theater, replica Greek architecture theater donated by Chi Omega in 1930
• University of Arkansas Campus Historic District
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Arkansas

Notes

1. Chi Omega was founded as a "fraternity for women" because the word sorority had not yet become popular. It was coined by Gamma Phi Beta in 1882 but had not yet gained wide usage by 1895.

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "Chi Omega Chapter House, Washington County, Arkansas". Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.