The Delta Pi chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon was chartered at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign on December 17, 1904.[2] Initially, the chapter occupied temporary quarters near campus.[3] Marion F. Tackett, a local real estate developer, convinced the chapter to build its own house.[3]
The Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter house was at 313 East John Street in Champaign in 1906.[3] By September, the fraternity had occupied some of their new house's rooms.[3] Its construction was finished in early November.[3]
Delta Kappa Epsilon occupied the house until 1921 when the Eta chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity purchased the building.[4][3] The Eta chapter was chartered in 1908.[3] The Pi chapter of Tau Delta Phi purchased the building in 1929 and occupied the house until 1940.[4][3] The Pi chapter was chartered in 1924.[3]
In 1941, the former fraternity house became a private dormitory, the Minor House, operated by Mrs. Florence Minor.[4] In 1946, it was called the R & W Club dormitory.[3] In 1947, it was called the Menomee Manor student house.[3] The next year, in 1948, it became the Sherwood Lodge Dormintory, continuing to operate under this name through 1982.[3]
In 1994, National Real Estate Inc. of Champaign purchased Sherwood Lodge, the former Chi Phi chapter house.[6] it planned to renovate the house "to retain the historic integrity of the area."[6] Plans were to redevelop the fraternity house into ten apartments with a common area, featuring the original fireplace.[7]
After years of being used as student apartments, the building was empty with a condemnation notice in early 2019.[8] The house was part of a group of University of Illinois fraternity and sorority houses that made the Landmarks Illinois "12 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois" in May 2019.[8]
It was demolished in 2020 to make way for a new apartment building.[9]
Architecture
Architect E. G. Oldefest, a 1906 member of the chapter, designed the Tudor Revival building.[4][3] It was built by local developer Marion F. Tackett.[4][3] It was a 2 1/2 story brick structure with five uneven bays and a gabel roof with shouldered parapets[3] Its casement windows had sandstonesills and lintels.[3] It had a one-story entry porch that covered three of the bays.[3] The porch had a gable roof supported by cambered beams and brick columns with sandstone caps, and a brick balustrade with stone coping.[3] The entry door had a transom and one sidelight.[3]
The first floor had oak woodwork throughout its entry vestibule, an anteroom, dining room, kitchen, an enclosed glass porch, a library, and a living room with massive paneled beams.[3] An oak staircase led to the second floor's nine bedrooms and a bathroom.[3] The third floor had eleven bedrooms and a bathroom.[3] Its basement included a pool room, a laundry room, food storage, and added bedrooms.[3]
