County of fraternity: Callaway County
Location of house: 500 Westminster College & W. 5th St., Westminster College, Fulton
Founded: 1880
Architect: Austin H. Welch, St. Louis
Built: 1927
Contractor: W.J. Cochran & Son, Boonville
"During the inactivity of the Beta Theta Pi chapter Miami University, Robert Morrison with five friends founded the Phi Delta Theta fraternity there on December 26, 1848. It was entirely natural and appropriate that Morrison, financial agent of Westminster College, and its adopted son, should desire to establish a chapter of his own fraternity there. Walter B. Palmer, in his “History of Phi Delta Theta” tells the story of the entrance of the fraternity into the college.
"The charter, which entitled the chapter Missouri Beta, was secured largely through the influence of Robert Morrison, who was present at the convention, and C. B. Sebastian, the delegate from Missouri Alpha. However, only three members returned in the fall, Brown, McCoy and Yantis. They made no additions until January 8, 1881, when J. T. Montgomery, Floyd McChesney and W. Y. McChesney were initiated, after which there was an election of officers. January 17, S. B. Holmes and Zachariah Lilliard were initiated. By the end of March seven more students had been initiated and another was added in May. Meetings were held sometimes in the rooms of the members, but more frequently in the hall of one of the literary societies.” ~ Missouri Beta Chapter, Phi Delta Theta
"Phi Delta Theta was built on three pillars that haven’t budged an inch since the Fraternity was founded by “The Immortal Six” way back in 1848 at Miami University. The pillars are: The cultivation of friendship among its members, the acquirement individually of a high degree of mental culture, and the attainment personally of a high standard of morality. Shortened, we refer to the principles as friendship, sound learning and rectitude." ~ Phi Delta Theta
"The Phi Delta Theta House is situated in a row of fraternity houses facing the academic campus, across the street.
"The basement was formerly a coal bin, it has since been remodeled for a recreation room and chapter room. A back stairway along the south wall of the north wing has been sealed off. A room was added to the corner of the south and east walls. French doors were removed at the entrance hall and the north doorway off the entrance to dining room.
Details: The building has a portico on the south wall, with French doors. The front (west) entrance hall has four doric columns inside and a large LU-shaped stairway. The first floor consists of an entrance hall, two living rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, a pantry and
the housemother's quarters. The second and third floors are bedrooms for the chapter members.
"For a better understanding of the history of Phi Delta Theta and its chapter house on the Westminster College campus, this surrey includes a history of all three fraternities
combined into an overall view of the system's history.
"The first fraternity arrived on campus on March 5, 1868, with the installation
of Beta Theta Pi. In 1830, a second fraternity was established at Westminster,
Phi Delta Theta. Throughout the next ten yews, the fraternities
"came more into the open in their activities and began to fill a larger place
in campus life."
On February 5, 1890, a local organization, Chi Beta Delta, was initiated
into Kappa Alpha Order, and became the third. fraternity on campus.
"With the three national fraternities firmly established, the 'system' had
definitely arrived at Westminster. A friendly rivalry naturally sprang up
among these groups; and increasingly overshadowed the literary societies
as tie focal point of social interest for their members. . . . each rented
a hall in town where it might put up its paraphernalia and hold its meetings." At this time, the chapter members had their own housing, on a singular basis.
"The fraternities had become an increasingly important part of Westminster life, and their parties were a regular part of the Fulton social scene reported
in the local press. Each group continued to rent chapter rooms in some downtown hall where they could hold meetings and an occasional social gathering."
"Phi Delta Theta was the first fraternity to have an official chapter house. In the fall of 1901, they obtained a house on Main Street (northwest comer of Court and Ninth streets) from J.E. Watson. In the winter of 1907-08, Beta
Theta Pi bought permanent living quarters at 915 Court Street.
In the 1920s, "the literary societies went into serious decline attracting
largely underclassmen, but the social fraternities were in their heyday. All of then had their om houses in the main part of town by this tine, and in
1926 Phi Delta Theta led the way to Westminster Avenue. Back in 1920, E.M.
Tuttle had offered the college a generous bargain on six lots facing the campus
at the bottom of the hill between Fifth and Seventh streets." Phi Delta Theta bought two of the lots in 1923 began construction of a house. They first occupied their new residence in January 1927. Beta Theta PI built its
house on the adjoining north lot a year later. Kappa Alpha erected a house adjacent (north) of the Beta Theta Pi house in 1928-29."
~ Historic Inventory Fulton, MO - Missouri Department of Natural Resources, PDF page 1253