Chapter History

The University of Minnesota was founded in 1851. In the late 1880s, when Delta Gamma had its eyes on the university, there were only 277 students enrolled and only 76 women.

In the fall of 1882, Max Vanderhoock, a Minnesota Phi Delta Theta, received a letter from Eloise Johnson MacArthur, Omega Wisconsin. She asked him for the address of a capable young woman who might be interested in establishing a chapter of Delta Gamma at the University of Minnesota. He turned the letter over to Louise Cady, a sophomore who then requested information and instructions from Mrs. MacArthur to petition the Fraternity for a charter.

Louise Cady sought out a friend, Amelia Moulton, and by the spring, there were seven more enthusiastic women ready to be Delta Gammas: Louise Hollister, Bessie Laythe, Harriet Johnson, Jennie Alden, Mary Irving, Adelaide Keihle, and Mattie Green. These nine women are the charter members of Lambda chapter. The chapter was officially established on June 5th, 1882. As a result of Louise Cady’s determination and enthusiasm, Lambda chapter received its formal charter on December 18, 1883, exactly 10 years after Delta Gamma was founded in Oxford, Mississippi in December of 1873. With a total of nine members, Delta Gamma became the second National Panhellenic Conference chapter to be established on campus.

Lambda was the 13th chapter installed by the Fraternity and is the 4th oldest chapter in continued existence; only Eta-Akron, Omega-Wisconsin, and Sigma-Northwestern are older than Lambda.

Lambda initially rented their chapter house. In 1917, the Lambda Chapter house was built on Lot 1, Block 1, St Anthony Falls – the cornerstone of the community and the first sorority house on campus. When it was built, the chapter house was half the size it is today. In 1962, the “new wing” was constructed, adding a large chapter room, a dining room, seven bedrooms, and a bathroom. In 1999, the entire third floor was gutted and redesigned to better use the area for living space. Today, 33 women live in the Lambda chapter house along with a house director.

The Lambda chapter house proudly displays a large anchor on its front lawn. The anchor, which was once used on the USS Wagner, a United States Navy battleship, is dedicated to Barbara Griswold Laederach, Lambda-Minnesota, former NPC Delegate for Delta Gamma. Each year, Lambda’s president wrote a letter to the Navy with an update on the chapter’s year and the status of the anchor. This letter, along with the payment of $1 per year, was required for Lambda to keep the anchor. Unfortunately, the USS Wagner was destroyed during training maneuvers. Now, the Lambda chapter owns the anchor.

Lambda celebrated its 125th anniversary in the University Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel on campus on October 20, 2007.