National History
Founding and early years at Norwich
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Theta Chi Fraternity was founded on Thursday, April 10, 1856 at 9:00 p.m. in the Old South Barracks on the campus of Norwich University in Norwich, Vermont, by two military cadets, Frederick Norton Freeman and Arthur Chase. The first initiates after the founders were Edward Bancroft Williston and Lorenzo Potter. The early history of Theta Chi Fraternity is closely connected with the history of Norwich University. In 1866 a massive fire devastated the university, completely destroying the Old South Barracks. This disaster prompted the university to move from Norwich, Vermont to its present location in Northfield, Vermont. During fall quarter in 1881, Norwich University was reduced to only 15 students and Theta Chi membership was reduced to one undergraduate member, James M. Holland. In November of that year, Phil S. Randall and Henry Hersey approached Holland and insisted that they be allowed to join Theta Chi; Holland agreed, thus saving the Fraternity from extinction. |
Theta Chi Fraternity Founders
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Arthur Chase, A '56 This picture shows Chase as an alumnus and was taken from the original oil painting by Paul B. King which hangs in the Executive Office. |
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Fredrick Norton Freeman, A '57 This picture shows Freeman as an alumnus and was taken from the original oil painting by Paul B. King which hangs in the Executive Office. |
Growth
The Fraternity was incorporated in Vermont in 1888, and acquired its first chapter house two years later. However, it remained a single entity for forty-six years until the Beta Chapter was installed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1902. A Grand Chapter was organized in 1908 to direct the fraternity and promote its growth. In 1942, Beta Kappa Fraternity joined Theta Chi Fraternity, bringing 16 undergraduate chapters and approximately 6,000 undergraduate and alumnus members into the ranks. The Foundation Chapter was established in 1953 as a charity to provide educational scholarships and assistance. In 1965, the Zeta Gamma Chapter was installed at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, making Theta Chi an International Fraternity.
Headquarters
| Initially, the Alpha Chapter and Grand Chapter volunteered to maintain all records of the Fraternity until 1923, when the first Executive Office was established in New York City. In 1928, the headquarters was moved to Huntington, West Virginia. In 1932, the third headquarters moved to Trenton, New Jersey. Today, Theta Chi Fraternity's international headquarters is currently located at 3330 Founders Rd, Indianapolis, Indiana since 1990. |  |
For more information about the national chapter please visit www.thetachi.org
