Sigma Phi

The Sigma Phi Society (ΣΦ) is the second Greek fraternal organization founded in the United States and the first to establish a chapter at another college, making it the first national Greek organization.^[1]

Sigma Phi
ΣΦ
Founded	March 4, 1827; 197 years ago (March 4, 1827) Union College
Type	Secret
Affiliation	NIC
Status	Active
Scope	National
Motto	Esto Perpetua ("Let it be perpetual")
Colors	Azure and   Argent
Publication	The Flame
Chapters	7
Headquarters	P.O. Box 57417 Tucson, Arizona 85732-7417 United States
Website	sigmaphi.org

History

The Sigma Phi Society (ΣΦ) was founded on March 4, 1827, on the campus of Union College as a part of the Union Triad in Schenectady, New York. Its founders were:

• Samuel W. Beall
• Thomas Fielder Bowie
• Rev. R. H. Chapman
• Hon. Charles T. Cromwell
• George N. Porter
• Hon. Charles N. Rowley.^[2]

The Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi at Union College has been in continuous operation since its founding, making it the oldest continuously running fraternity chapter in the United States.^[3]

In 1831, Beta of New York was established at Hamilton College, making the society the first Greek fraternal organization in the United States to establish a chapter at another college. Thus, Sigma Phi Society is the first National Greek Organization in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Sigma Phi is a founding member of the North American Interfraternity Conference.^{[citation needed]}

Symbols

The practices and rituals of the Sigma Phi Society are relatively unknown due to its establishment, and continued consideration, as a secret society.^[1]

The Sigma Phi badge is a monogram with a jeweled Σ directly over a Φ that is either plain or chased.^[2] It was designed by Charles N. Rowley, founder of the Beta of New York chapter.^[4] In 1879, Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities stated that the badge was royal purple.^[2] Since 1879, the badge has been produced mainly in gold.

The society's colors are azure and argent. Its motto is Esto Perpetua or "Let it be perpetual". Its publication is The Flame.

Chapters

In the following list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.^[5]

Chapter	Letter	Charter date and range	Institution	Location	Status	Reference
Alpha of New York	U	March 4, 1827	Union College	Schenectady, New York	Active
Beta of New York	H	1831–2019	Hamilton College	Clinton, New York	Inactive	[a]
Alpha of Massachusetts	W	1834–1968	Williams College	Williamstown, Massachusetts	Inactive
Gamma of New York	N	March 4, 1836–March 4, 1848	New York University	New York City, New York	Inactive	[2]
Delta of New York	G	August 4, 1840	Hobart College	Geneva, New York	Active
Alpha of Vermont	V	March 4, 1845	University of Vermont	Burlington, Vermont	Active
Alpha of New Jersey	P	1853–1858	Princeton University	Princeton, New Jersey	Inactive	[2][b]
Alpha of Michigan	M	1858–2022	University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Inactive	[2][c][a]
Alpha of Pennsylvania	L	February 4, 1887–2002	Lehigh University	Bethlehem, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Epsilon of New York	C	October 4, 1890	Cornell University	Ithaca, New York	Active
Alpha of Wisconsin	F	October 31, 1908	University of Wisconsin–Madison	Madison, Wisconsin	Active
Alpha of California	I	September 7, 1912	University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, California	Active	[a][d]
Alpha of Virginia	S	1953	University of Virginia	Charlottesville, Virginia	Active
Alpha of North Carolina	T	2008–2019	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Chapel Hill, North Carolina	Inactive

Notes

1. Attempted, with little success, to include women in the chapter's membership.
2. Charter returned to the Convention of 1860 after the college banned fraternities.
3. Charter revoked.
4. Formed from the local social group La Junta Club.

Sigma Phi house at the University of Michigan, circa 1900 (now an inactive chapter, house no longer occupied by Sigma Phi)

Chapter houses

Some chapters own buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Thorsen House, owned by the Alpha of California chapter in Berkeley and designed by Greene and Greene.^[1] The Alpha of Wisconsin chapter house is the Harold C. Bradley House, a National Historic Landmark designed in 1908 by Louis Sullivan.^[6]

Sigma Phi Place, University of Vermont, 2022

Alpha of Vermont

The Alpha of Vermont chapter house, known as Sigma Phi Place, is a list contributing building to the National Register of Historic Places' University Green Historic District.^[7] It was designed in 1903 by architect Marcus T. Reynolds of Albany, New York, who was a member of the Alpha of Massachusetts chapter.^[7] Located at 420 College Street, Sigma Phi Place was the first purpose-built fraternity house at the University of Vermont.^[7] It is a three-story, Colonial Revival style brick house.^[7] Its main entrance has a gable pedimented portico with four columns that have Corinthian capitals.^[7]

Notable members

Main article: List of Sigma Phi members

See also

• Triad (fraternities)
• List of social fraternities and sororities

References

1. "Home". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
2. Baird, William Raimond (1879). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities.
3. "What's The Oldest Continually-Running Fraternity Chapter In America?". Total Frat Move. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
4. "Rowley, Charles N." 1829. January 1829 – via Union College.
5. Catalogue of the Sigma Phi: E.P.V. at Google Books
6. "Our house - Wisc". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
7. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for University Green Historic District. Revision, 2021.