DU’s First House and the Great Fire

As Designed and Built

DU’s original house, built in 1891, was considered English Tudor.  The design by a young DU architect, Allyn Packard ’86 of Chicago, was based on the great hunting lodges of the Adirondacks and Northwest. 

Great Fire of 1909

“Fraternity House Burns,” New York Times Reports

On Christmas Eve 1909 fire almost destroyed DU. According to the Cornell Alumni Magazine, the fire was discovered about 5:30 o’clock in the morning by two brothers, who were the only persons in the house at the time. The loss was estimated at $20,000. The house was insured for $16,000 and there was $3,000 insurance on the furniture. The first floor and basement were almost uninjured except by water. While the fire was burning in the upper stories all the books in the library and practically all the furniture on the first floor were carried out of the house and saved.

“The cause of the fire is not known; members of the chapter said that it might have been started by rats gnawing matches,” CAM reported. Stoddart and Bennett were sleeping in a room known as “the harem,” on the second floor at the west side of the house. They were awakened by smoke, and went into the hallway, where they found a little flame on the west wall. After attempting to extinguish the flames with an extinguisher, they telephoned the Huestis street hose company. Several of the downtown companies were also called. The roof fell in about 7:20 o’clock, but it was after 8 before the fire was under control.

The house was built in 1891 at a cost of about $25,000. Plans for rebuilding have not yet been completed. Up to the height of the second story the structural walls are probably sound, and the house may be rebuilt practically on the former lines. It will possibly be enlarged by the addition of a wing on the northeast corner.