Kappa Sigma Fraternity House
Also known as: Alpha Gamma Chapter of Kappa Sigma
Why it's listed
Built in 1911 at 212 East Daniel Street in Champaign, this T-shaped, three-story brick fraternity house was home to the Alpha Gamma Chapter of Kappa Sigma, the first fraternity established at the University of Illinois after anti-fraternity restrictions were lifted. Local architect Archie H. Hubbard, a fraternity alumnus, designed it in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, and contractor A. W. Stoolman built it for $25,000. Features include a low hipped roof with wide overhangs, rusticated brick on the lower story, diamond-patterned brickwork, terra cotta star and crescent emblems, and one-story arched loggias with limestone Doric columns. Inside are panelled public rooms and a plaster frieze given by Marshall Field. The house was one of the first large fraternity houses on campus, set in a newly platted area that was once the county fairgrounds. It is recognized for its role in campus Greek life and for its architecture, with significance through 1939.
Significance in brief: It is presented as one of the earliest facilities showing how the Greek Letter Society movement shaped higher education at the Urbana-Champaign campus (Criterion A). It is also a representative example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture by a local architect (Criterion C). Its significance runs through 1939.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 89001109, listed August 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 212 E. Daniel St., Champaign |
|---|---|
| County | Champaign County |
| Listed | August 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001109 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Hubbard, Archie H.; Stoolman, Almon W. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals/Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as education-related housing (a fraternity house). Alterations include a dining room extension, replacement windows and changes after fire damage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.10797, -88.23684 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 89001109.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20639298
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.