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MOMENT AT THE MUSEUM – PI KAPPA PHI'S HISTORY REIMAGINED
MOMENT AT THE MUSEUM
PI KAPPA PHI'S HISTORY REIMAGINED
By: Rachel Greene
What does 120 years of brotherhood look like? You’ll find the answer to that question within the walls of the reimagined Eldred J. Harman Museum. Whether it’s in the shape of a Founder’s pin, the faded ink of coded meeting minutes or the very first issue of The Star & Lamp, Pi Kappa Phi’s history now, after a hiatus while the National Headquarters underwent a move to a new location, is back where it belongs: out of the archives, and on full display.
The reimagined museum takes visitors on a chronological journey, offering an engaging narrative that follows Pi Kappa Phi from its humble beginnings in Charleston to its status today as a national brotherhood that ranks among the best in the nation. Brothers and friends can walk through the Fraternity’s history chronologically, decade by decade, and see how a single decision made by three friends in 1904 set in motion more than a century of leadership, service and lifelong brotherhood.
The chronological structure doesn’t just tell you what happened; it helps you understand why it mattered in the context of both Pi Kappa Phi and world events. As you move through the museum, you will witness Andrew Kroeg’s determination, Simon Fogarty’s intellect and Harry Mixson’s practicality. You discover how the Fraternity survived sub rosa under legal bans, weathered two World Wars and evolved through social change, growing even when the world was in turmoil. You see not only the decisions of leaders but also the everyday moments of brotherhood that have built something that has lasted more than 120 years.
Lining the museum walls like milestones on a well-worn path, the anniversary gift vinyl wall artwork commemorates each 25-year chapter of Pi Kappa Phi’s journey. From the Pi Kappa Phi Memorial Gate dedicated at the Silver Anniversary in 1929 to the Centennial Belltower in 2004, these large-scale displays serve as visual anchors, marking the passage of time and the evolution of the Fraternity’s mission. Together, they create a timeline you can walk beside, each marking a milestone of an unfolding legacy that reminds every visitor that Pi Kappa Phi has never stood still. These milestone gifts, at the time they were gifted and now, symbolize how far the Fraternity has come.
Among the most powerful artifacts in the museum are the original handwritten minutes from Pi Kappa Phi’s earliest meetings, once lost to time, rediscovered in a safe in Mixson’s home in 1962 and written in a secret code that protected their contents for decades. These pages are the first tangible records of the brotherhood’s beginnings.
Visitors can also view:
• Founder pins and membership cards, each representing the earliest bonds of our brotherhood.
• A map tracing the route taken by Theodore Barnwell Kelly from the College of Charleston, where he was a founding member of Pi Kappa Phi, to Berkeley, California, shows the more than 2,700 miles that separated Kelly from his brothers and motivated him to make a local, Southern Fraternity a national brotherhood.
• A side-by-side display of the original and modern Star Shield designs shows our symbolism’s evolution across nearly a century.
• A preserved telegram from Executive Director Durward Owen announcing the death of the last living founder, Simon Fogarty, marking the end of an era.
• Memorabilia from original Journey of Hope cyclists, along with handwritten letters from Bruce Rogers’ 1987 solo cross-country ride, the spark that ignited The Ability Experience’s most iconic tradition.
• And much, much more.
These are more than just objects; they’re links to the men who built this Fraternity, whose stories are now being told, some for the first time ever.
The reimagined museum doesn’t just tell the story of undergraduate chapters; it honors the entities that have shaped the Fraternity’s identity and impact. Each has its own dedicated space, with rich visuals, compelling narratives and carefully curated displays.
THE ABILITY EXPERIENCE
From the first play units built in partnership with Thomas Sayre, Kappa (UNC-Chapel Hill), to the Journey of Hope, The Ability Experience display is filled with stories of selfless service and brotherhood in action. Featured items include:
• The original logo and branding materials from PUSH America.
• The story of SOAR, the service project that was never meant to be and the predecessor to the PUSH project.
• A touching photograph of a Friendship Visit, one brother’s clasped hand with a friend in the disability community, the moment that inspired the current logo.
PI KAPPA PHI PROPERTIES
The story of Pi Kappa Phi Properties begins long before the entity was even an idea, at 2222 Bancroft Way, the first chapter house, established by Gamma Chapter in 1909, and takes visitors through years of history up to today, where they can view the full portfolio of more than 30 homes across the country. This exhibit includes:
• Photos and artwork of early homes alongside photos of essential moments, like the acquisition of Pi Kappa Phi Properties’ first property, the Gamma Gamma house.
• Relics of the Supreme Chapter meeting where Pi Kappa Phi Properties became a reality.
• A tribute to brothers Eric J. Almquist and Stephen P. DePalma, whose legacies helped fund housing initiatives that continue to support brothers today.
THE PI KAPPA PHI FOUNDATION
The Pi Kappa Phi Foundation’s longstanding history of scholarships, fundraising and lifelong impact is highlighted here. Visitors can see:
• Examples of the earliest fundraising campaigns and the very first “Pi Kapp Patron.”
• Campaign materials from the “Common Loyalty Campaign,” which raised more than $9 million for leadership and academic programs.
• A Nu Phi medallion, representing the most dedicated brothers in Pi Kappa Phi, alongside the society’s origin story.
Each wall tells its own story, but together, they tell one unified story: the story of Pi Kappa Phi.
A MUSEUM THAT NEVER STANDS STILL
One of the most exciting additions is the rotating exhibit space, designed to showcase unique artifacts, special chapter contributions and seasonal stories. Whether it’s a tribute to Founders’ Day, an exploration of Pi Kappa Phi veterans or a spotlight on Mr. Pi Kappa Phi recipients, the rotating exhibit aims to keep the museum fresh and ever-evolving, bringing brothers a glimpse of something new with each visit.
Reimagining this museum was no small task. It required the painstaking compilation of more than a century’s worth of history drawn from:
• Bound volumes of The Star & Lamp dating back to 1909.
• Multiple editions of Pi Kappa Phi’s history books, including “The Brotherhood.”
• Artifacts and documents long kept in the Pi Kappa Phi vault.
• Donated items from alumni, chapters and other fraternal organizations.
The efforts behind this project were driven by Pi Kappa Phi’s belief that our history should be seen and shared, not hidden away in a file cabinet.
In a digital world, it’s easy to scroll past stories. But in this space, you don’t scroll; you stand still, taking in and truly connecting with the Fraternity’s past.
The reimagined Eldred J. Harman Museum allows every visitor, whether a new initiate or a 50-year brother, to understand what came before them, appreciate the risks taken by the Founders, see the legacy of leaders who gave everything and feel the weight of tradition and the urgency of carrying it forward.
Here, Pi Kappa Phi isn’t just history; it is a living, breathing story of brotherhood, years in the making.
