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Sigma Chi Foundation
/ Cole + Russell Architects, Inc.
In 1855, seven Miami University students founded Sigma Chi Fraternity
on the second floor of a building in downtown Oxford. One of three national
fraternities founded in Oxford that are collectively known as the Miami Triad
- the others are Beta Theta Pi and Phi Delta Theta - Sigma Chi grew to become
one of the nation's largest college fraternities. Through a generous donation,
the building where Sigma Chi was founded came into the ownership of the Sigma
Chi Foundation in 1973. Since then, the Foundation has restored the room where
Sigma Chi was founded, which is now a museum where brothers can explore the
fraternity's roots, and recently rehabilitated the 180-year-old building with
an eye to preserving it for future generations. Tony Rawe, preservation specialist
with Cole + Russell Architects of Cincinnati, served as project architect, researching
the building's history through written materials, historic photographs, and
physical evidence.  Working
with Hummel Restoration Company of Cincinnati and Triad Construction of Oxford,
the Sigma Chi Foundation has returned the building to its 19th century appearance
by removing stucco, repointing brickwork, re-establishing windows in their original
locations, and recreating working shutters using an original found in the attic
as a model. The Sigma Chi Founding Site was re-dedicated on June 26, 2005, during
the Fraternity's sesquicentennial celebration.
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