Tour of International Fraternity Headquarters and Museum

International Fraternity Headquarters Exterior

Phi Gamma Delta Headquarters is located at 1201 Red Mile Road in Lexington, Kentucky. The building includes the offices of the International Fraternity and the U.S. Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation. It also has an extensive museum showcasing the rich heritage of the Fraternity, various meeting spaces, and living quarters for the Field Secretaries.

Dedicated in 1985, the Headquarters was custom designed and constructed under the supervision of Phi Gam architects and builders. All brothers are encouraged to visit, and chapters can arrange for retreats and other meetings to be held on-site by contacting the staff.

International Fraternity Headquarters Exterior

An aerial view of the International Headquarters. Across the street is The Red Mile, a historic Kentucky harness horse racing track. The city of Lexington, known as “The Horse Capital of the World,” is the heart of the central Bluegrass region of Kentucky and is the home of the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University.

International Fraternity Headquarters Exterior

An aerial view of the Headquarters. To the left of the building is an open green space owned by the U.S. Educational Foundation, reserved for the future needs of the Fraternity.

Front Lobby

Visitors are welcomed into the Headquarters in this main lobby that showcases several interesting features. The antique grandfather clock originally stood in the Fraternity’s New York Club. On either side of the clock are portraits of the founders of Phi Gamma Delta, fondly known as “The Immortal Six.” In this photograph, you can see Samuel Beatty Wilson, John Templeton McCarty, and Naaman Fletcher.

Front Lobby

To the right of the grandfather clock are the portraits of Founders James Elliott Jr., Ellis Bailey Gregg, and Daniel Webster Crofts. On the far right is the receptionist’s desk where visitors are greeted and incoming calls to Headquarters are answered.

Grandfather Clock in Front Lobby

The antique Tiffany grandfather clock in the center of the lobby was originally in the Fraternity’s New York Club. When the Club closed in 1962, the clock was relocated to the Fraternity’s Headquarters, which was in Washington, D.C. at the time. A beloved piece of Phi Gam history, it still functions, chiming out the hours for everyone in the building.

Front Lobby

Looking to the left of the lobby, you can see into the Museum area and catch your first glimpse of the Calvin Coolidge portrait through a cutout in the wall.

Front Lobby

To the left of the front door is a guest book for visitor signatures. Above is a picture of the Purple Clematis, the official flower of Phi Gamma Delta.

Front Lobby

To the right of the front door are photographs of two brothers that served as Vice President of the United States. The first is Calvin Coolidge (Amherst 1895), who served as Lt. Governor and Governor of Massachusetts from 1916-1921, U.S. Vice President from 1921 to 1923, and U.S. President from 1923 to 1929. The second is Thomas Riley Marshall (Wabash 1873), who served as Governor of Indiana from 1909 to 1913 and U.S. Vice President from 1913 to 1921.

Past the table is a staircase to the lower level of the building where you will find the Field Secretary's workspace, the Archives of the Fraternity, and more history displays.

Donor Plaque

When the Headquarters was built, hundreds of brothers made generous contributions to cover the costs of the Fraternity’s new home. This plaque recognizes some of the most prominent donations. It hangs at the left side of the rectangular hallway that leads around the main level of the building. The inside of the hallway includes administrative offices for graduate services, chapter services, financial services, and media. The outside of the corridor has the upstairs portion of the museum, the library/board room, a kitchen, and executive offices for both the Fraternity and the U.S. Educational Foundation.

Past Archon President Portraits

Portraits of every Archon President are displayed along the hallway, beginning with Lew Wallace (DePauw initiate) elected in 1898 to the current President. You can see each of the portraits and read about these Fraternity leaders here: Past Archon Presidents

Durrance Award Plaque

The Durrance Award Plaque also hangs in the main hallway. It is presented annually to the most effective and outstanding Purple Legionnaire in Phi Gamma Delta. It reads:

“The Durrance Award presented annually by the Fraternity in honor of Francis Marvin Durrance (Washington & Lee 1907) to the most outstanding Purple Legionnaire in the Fraternity judged on the basis of personality, leadership, rapport with chapter, and Fraternity service.

Presented to the Fraternity through the generosity of Thomas D. Durrance (Washington & Lee 1938) and Creel Tinder Durrance in honor of their beloved father.”

Wilkinson Award Plaque

Also on the hallway wall is the plaque for the Wilkinson Award. It reads:

“The Wilkinson Award presented annually by the Fraternity in honor of Cecil J. Wilkinson (Ohio Wesleyan 1917) to the most outstanding senior in the Fraternity judged on the basis of scholarship, personality, fraternity service, and extra-curricular activities.

Presented to the Fraternity through the generosity of the Washington D.C. and Chicago graduate chapters.”

Field Secretary Plaque

These two plaques list the Field Secretaries of the Fraternity, fondly known as the “Riders of the Purple Sage.” Since 1913, over 200 brothers have served in this vital role, traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada during the academic year, serving as the main link between the International Fraternity and each of its chapters.

It is the oldest program of its type in the collegiate Greek world.

You can see portraits of these men and read about them here: 

  Past Field Secretaries

Director's Office

One of the many Director's offices in the building.  Note the map of the US and Canada showing all current undergraduate chapters of Phi Gamma Delta.

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Assistant Executive Director's Office

The office of the Assistant Executive Director of Phi Gamma Delta, Todd Rotgers (Minnesota 2011).

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Executive Director's Office

The office of the Executive Director of Phi Gamma Delta, Rob Caudill (Akron 2004).

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Library/Board Room

This view of the library / board room shows the large central table for various meetings and research. The video screen is used for educational sessions and allows for remote participation in meetings. The wall bookcase stores the only known complete set of Phi Gamma Delta magazines, as well as books about other Greek organizations, various colleges and universities, and higher education.

The portraits are of past Executive Directors William A. Martin (Mississippi State 1975) on the left and William S. Zerman (Michigan 1949) on the right.

Library/Board Room

This view of the library / board room shows a portrait on the right of the first Executive Director (Executive Secretary as the position was then known) Cecil J. Wilkinson (Ohio Wesleyan 1917). The bookcases include titles on all manner of subjects written by or about members of Phi Gamma Delta.

Main Floor Museum - The Beginnings

This section of the Museum tells the story of the beginning of Phi Gamma Delta. Reproductions of the minutes of the first two meetings of the Founders and the Constitution are on display. 

The glass case includes artifacts from the Founders.

The sign above the glass case describes early Jefferson College, the Log Cabin, and Fort Armstrong. Also shown are pictures of the Immortal Six with brief biographies.

Main Floor Museum

Another view of the glass case containing relics of the Immortal Six.

Coolidge Portrait

This original portrait of Calvin Coolidge (Amherst College 1895), 30th President of the United States, was commissioned by and for display in the Fraternity’s New York Club in 1929. The artist is Ercole Cartotto.

After the New York Club closed in 1962, the portrait came into the care of the International Fraternity. Phi Gam artist Joseph Burgess (Syracuse 1914) painted a copy of this original; Burgess’ painting can be seen in the Smithsonian Institute’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Main Floor Museum

View into the rest of the main floor section of the museum.

The First Fifty Years (1848-1898)

This part of the Museum depicts the first fifty years of the Fraternity. During this time, the Fraternity operated under the Grand Chapter form of government.

Along the top of the walls is a timeline that depicts milestone events.

This period included the Civil War. In the lower right, notice the photo of the two members of the DePauw chapter, only two years apart. One served in the Union and one for the Confederacy.

The Second Fifty Years (1899-1948)

During this time, the Fraternity as we recognize it today began to take shape. A professional administrative staff was established, the Fraternity expanded to Canada, and traditions such as the Pig Dinner and our awards program were established. However, future problems can trace their roots back to this period with the adoption of pledge periods and membership restrictions based on race and religion.

The Next Seventy-Five Years (1948 to Today)

Phi Gamma Delta continued to grow in both membership size and chapter numbers during this time. Significant challenges faced the Fraternity including membership restrictions, the Civil Rights movement, alcohol and drugs, hazing, and other risk management issues.

As some chapters put themselves out of business because of poor behavior, most of the Fraternity realized the need to focus on our founding values and the mission to build courageous leaders. By doing so, the organization began to grow and thrive again.

This section of the Museum illustrates some of the risk management and membership issues faced in recent decades.

Our Past Leaders

This section of the Museum recognizes past and present leaders of Phi Gamma Delta.  The glass case includes artifacts from some of these men.

William A. Martin Distinguished Fijis

This section of the Museum recognizes the leaders of today.  The six framed photographs are the current William A. Martin Distinguished Fiji Award recipients.  There is a section beside these pictures (not pictured here) where current undergraduate visitors can leave a message using a sticky note.  This wall represents our future leaders.

Lower Level Museum Displays

The lower level of the Headquarters building includes a continuation of the Museum, the Archives of the Fraternity, the workspace of the Field Secretaries, various storage areas, and an apartment for the Field Secretaries.

This picture shows a display in the corner containing various souvenir items from Fraternity events such as Ekklesiai, Leadership Academies, and Grand and Section Conventions. The display case in the foreground is a favorite of visiting brothers; it contains a tremendous variety of badges dating back to the establishment of the Fraternity, including the badges of Founders James Elliott and Naaman Fletcher.

Chapter Events and Traditions

This section of the Museum illustrates special traditions, including the longest-running alumni event in the Greek world: The Frank Norris Pig Dinner. In the display on the right is a reproduction of Norris’ original “Exile’s Toast” script, as well as his banjo, on the back of which he penciled a playlist of songs.

History Meets Technology

One of the favorite parts of the Museum is this interactive touch table which allows brothers to navigate to their chapter, graduate chapters and historic sites.  There they can see pictures and read a short history of these places.

Cannot make it to Lexington?  Try it yourself here: fijihistory.phigam.org/

End of the Tour

This final image of the Headquarters Building is also in the lower level Museum.  These pictures are more modern images from our chaters and are mounted in a manner that allows them to be switched out.

Perhaps your chapter has pictures to submit to this history site?  Click here to do so.

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