University Green Area Heritage Study

Historic Burlington Research Project - HP 206

Historic Preservation Program - University of Vermont

Lambda Iota Fraternity

440 Pearl Street

View of Lambda Iota Fraternity looking northwest

The Lambda Iota fraternity, called the Owl’s Nest by society members, sits at the corner of Pearl Street and North Prospect Street.  The house was built in 1913. According to the history, An Owl’s View, by alumnus John Thomas, constructing a house for the Owls was never seriously considered until Sigma Phi, a rival fraternity, built their own house in 1897.(1)  The major issue with constructing a chapter house was funding and financial issues would turn out to be a constant struggle throughout Lambda Iota’s history.  In order to rally interest and donations, a plan for an Ionian temple style build was developed and presented at the 1902 annual meeting, but momentum for the project was lost after that.(2) It was revitalized a couple of years later when young alums and active members took initiative and a plan for fundraising was developed soon developed.(3)  It included selling a catalogue of all Lambda Iota members, asking alumni to donate, asking recent graduates to donate a percentage of their income over the next five years, and asking active members to contribute $1.(4)  In the words of one alumnus, these efforts were just to “get the ball rolling until some rich man plunks down a big sum.”(5) 

The building project finally took flight and $25,000 was raised from alumni donations to purchase a plot and begin construction.(6)  The lot at the corner of Pearl Street and Williams Street was purchased by alumni Elihu B. Taft for the house in 1907 for $6,500.(7)  The new house was officially opened on 25 June 1913.(8)  A short while after, the Minervan Club was formed out of alumni.  It was their responsibility to manage the property, establish rules and regulations for member conduct and room rental.(9)

World War One was a major social force and also impacted life at Lambda Iota.  Nearly all of the junior and senior members left for service and the Minervan Club decided to close the house in May of 1917.(10)  It reopened on 4 January 1919 for a chapter meeting.(11) 

Less than ten years later on 28 June 1928, a massive fire engulfed the north end of the house burning all the interior furnishings and causing substantial damage.(12)  The fire department responded to the call– even though they were in the middle of the annual gathering of fire chiefs and had reportedly been ignoring calls all week– they decided to chop two large holes in the roof to ventilate the building.(13)  They then completely soaked the building in water.(14)  Some believe that this was done to prove the might of the Burlington Fire Department and their new pressure water service technology and impress the visiting fire chiefs.(15) 

Financial stress from the fire damage was further exacerbated by the fast approaching centennial celebration in 1935.  To prepare, the house needed major repairs including replacing the plumbing, furnace, and rotting columns.(16)  The repairs were made and money was scraped together to keep Lambda Iota afloat.  In 1940, there was another fire in the house.  This time, damage was minimal and put out by members who had just returned from winter break.(17)

WWII brought many pilot trainees to the University of Vermont who rented rooms in fraternities during their stay.(18)  50 trainees moved into Lambda Iota which required the installation of extra toilets and showers and double bunks and coating the floors with protective wax.(19)  While this took its toll on the house itself, it did alleviate the financial woes of the fraternity as they were paid $160 per month by the university.(20)  However, rationing during WWII meant that the house was not able to burn coal for heat.(21)  This left the house freezing to the point of inhabitability and it was eventually closed and left to decline.(22)  Because no heat was circulating through the house, it became incredibly damp and the plaster began to weaken and the paint began to peal.(23)

By 1954, the house was in the worst condition it had ever been.  40 years of wear and tear with minimal maintenance and updating meant that it needed a complete renovation.  Lyman Rowell, an alumnus, described the house’s condition as “top floor dirty, second floor dirty, first floor dirty, basement partly clean and partly dirty.  The fact is the place if barely fit to live in…floors are dark with stain intended to hide the patches.  The floor is so worn it cannot be sanded again.”(24)  It was determined that the house needed $12,800 in repairs.(25)  This put Lambda Iota in a difficult financial situation which was remedied by levying multiple fees on active members and selling stock in Lambda Iota Society Inc.(26) 

The project list for the 1954 renovations included interior and exterior repairs.  The chimneys needed to by repaired and broken windows needed to be replaced. Damage from the 1928 fire still needed to be repaired.(27)  The entire house needed to be rewired for modern electrical fixtures and cracked walls needed to be replastered and painted.(28)  Many of the fixtures and furnishings in the house dated back to 1913, so everything from mattresses and beds to showers and urinals needed to be replaced.(29)  There was also a new bathroom and water heater installed in the basement.(30)

In the early 2000s, the history of Lambda Iota takes a darker turn.  Members of the society were found to be selling illegal substances and as a result, the house was under threat of seizure by the federal government.(31)  Since the house was being used for felony activities, it was part of the ongoing investigation and was therefore taken as evidence.(32) 

Major renovations were again undertaken in the summer and fall of 2011 including the installation of sprinkler and alarm systems, increasing bedrooms and bathrooms on the third floor, handicap accessible entrances on the rear of the structure and the replacement of four rotted, wood pillars on the front façade with ones made of fiberglass.(33)

Text by Rachel J. Peterson