Delta Upsilon Fraternity, 1903

1331 Hill Street

Delta Upsilon Fraternity, 1903
Creator: Kahn, Albert, 1869-1942

Albert Kahn designed this building in 1903 for the men of Delta Upsilon fraternity, and it is significant for two reasons. It is the oldest fraternity house in Ann Arbor still being used by the organization that built it and it is one of the earlier surviving examples of non-industrial, non-commercial designs by Kahn.

It is built in a Tudor Revival style, in an "E" shape, with half timbering and stucco on the projecting gable portion in the center exemplifying the most distinctive elements of the style. Adding to the "English" effect are the slate roof, shingled accents, carved verge boards, and casement windows grouped in units of two, three and four. The interior also has features derived from late 16th and early 17th century English architecture including ornamental woodwork and plasterwork, a fine panelled recess framed by Tuscan columns with built in seats, a Pewabic tile fireplace with an elaborately carved mantel, and overmantel with an inset of the fraternity logo.

Delta Upsilon was founded as a non-secret fraternity at Williams College in 1834 and its University of Michigan chapter was chartered in 1876. In the October 1, 1902, issue of their magazine, it was reported that "the crisis in the struggle for a new chapter house is past, and thanks to the generous aid of loyal alumni, the finest fraternity building in Ann Arbor is in the process of construction. "Albert Kahn's specifications were executed by the local construction firm of Koch Brothers, well known for their many campus projects and other major public buildings.

A 1909 postcard as well as photographs taken in 1916 by University of Michigan photographer George Swain show that the house has changed little through the years. On September 29, 1991, the fraternity celebrated the listing of the building on the State Register of Historic Sites and the public was able to see firsthand why this building warrants its many distinctive honors.

National Register of Historic Places