The Archives of Phi Gamma Delta

Archives Home Founders Traditions Today in History Historic Sites Leaders Exhibits/References Contact

______________________________________________________________________

The State of Colorado

Phi Gamma Deltas were involved in the early formation of Colorado. As described below, two have served as governor and several have been legislators and judges on both the state and federal level.

Colorado has boasted five Phi Gam chapters: Colorado College, University of Colorado, Colorado State, University of Denver, and Colorado School of Mines.

William F. McDowell (Ohio Wesleyan 1879) was a chancellor of the University of Denver. He was also the first editor of The Phi Gamma Delta magazine. George F. Norlin (Colorado Faculty) served as president of the University of Colorado from 1919-1939; the library there is named for him.

Back to Historic Sites by State page

Swigert Statue, Denver Airport	Denver, Colorado Denver International Airport Jack Swigert Memorial Statue Swigert was command module pilot on the ill-fated Apollo 13 spaceflight. (In the 1995 movie Apollo 13 Kevin Bacon portrayed him.) He later served as a Congressional aide, and had won election to Congress for his district in Colorado when he fell to cancer in 1980. Jack Swigert (Colorado 1953) is memorialized by two copies of this statue, one located in Concourse B of the Denver Airport, and the other located at the US Capitol building in Washington DC. Each state may honor two of its citizens with statues at the Capitol's National Statuary Hall. Swigert is one of three Phi Gams so honored. Colorado dedicated the statue in 1996; the sculptor was George Lundeen. Swigert was the second Phi Gam in space, the first being Gemini and Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan (Purdue 1956). Concourse B Denver International Airport 8500 Pena Boulevard Denver, Colorado
State Capitol Building Cornerstone Detail	Denver, Colorado State Capitol Building Job A. Cooper (Knox 1867), governor from 1889 to 1891, laid the cornerstone of the state capitol building in 1890. Interestingly, Cooper had run for office against Thomas Patterson (Wabash 1868). Patterson later bought the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Times, and served as a US congressman and senator. Other significant Colorado figures in government have included Governor Julius Gunter (Washington and Lee 1876, Virginia 1879), Senator Gordon Allott (Colorado 1927), and Supreme Court Justice Byron White (Colorado 1938). State Capitol 200 East Colfax Avenue Denver, Colorado Open Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 5:30 PM.
The Antlers, from a psotcard	Colorado Springs, Colorado The Antlers (site only) 1926 Ekklesia The Antlers was built in 1883; here Katherine Lee Bates wrote "American the Beautiful." After a devastating 1898 fire, the rebuilt Antlers opened in 1901 as a luxury destination. In 1908, Colorado College's Chi Sigma Chapter banqueted here after their installation. 18 years later, the 78th Ekklesia convened here. 426 registered for the June 21-23 gathering. The Antlers was demolished for a new hotel in 1964.www.antlers.com 4 South Cascade Avenue Colorado Springs, Colorado
Photo courtesy the Brown Palace Hotel	Denver, Colorado The Brown Palace Hotel 1966 Ekklesia The Brown Palace Hotel has served many presidents, particularly "Ike" Eisenhower, who often spent summer vacations there. The hotel was built in 1892. 582 registered for the "Mile-Hi" Ekklesia, held August 30 to September 3, 1966. www.brownpalace.com 321 Seventeenth Street Denver, Colorado
Marriott City Center, from The Phi Gamma Delta	Denver, Colorado Marriott City Center 1988 Ekklesia 645 attended the "Mile High" Ekklesia, August 10-14, 1988. Built in 1982, the Marriott City Center has over 600 rooms and is twenty stories tall. 1701 California Street Denver, Colorado
White Courthouse	Denver, Colorado Byron White United States Courthouse Originally built in 1916 as a post office building, the courthouse was renovated and renamed in 1994. It received a Presidential Design Award in 1997, among other accolades. Byron R. White (Colorado 1938) served on the Unites States Supreme Court from 1962 until his retirement in 1993. At Colorado he worked his way through school, was the school's first All-American in football, became valedictorian of his class, and received a Rhodes Scholarship. He played pro football with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Lions. He is in the National Football Hall of Fame. Justice White passed away in 2002. 1823 Stout Street Denver, Colorado 80257