Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, Alpha Nu Chapter, Iowa State University

PKT CEO Search: Position Profile Released

Phi Kappa Tau - CEO - Position Profile.pdf

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences BBQ

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences BBQ Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences BBQ Sep 5, 2026 - 8:30 AM to Sep 5, 2026 - 10:30 AM Add to Google Calendar Outlook/iCalendar Prior to the Iowa State vs. Southeast Missouri State football gameSaturday, Sept. 5, 20268:30-10:30 a.m.Program featuring ISU President David Co...

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For Iowa State University President David Cook, his new role is about listening, learning, and building on the university’s success to help shape the future. Read about his early priorities, what’s stood out most in his first few months on campus, and what it means to him to return to his alma mater as president: https://isu.foundation/3Sa3155

Steve Martin: In pursuit of nearly perfect battery materials, performance (ISU News Service)

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I got to wondering about the style of architecture of our old fraternity house on 307 Ash in Ames (before it burned down in 1992), so I asked Grok about it. I’ve seen similar architecture in Chicago and Kansas City, but not another one in Ames or anywhere else in Iowa. This was Grok’s response:

This is a distinctive 1920s–1930s tan/buff brick building with Art Deco (or Moderne) influences, executed in a more geometric, blocky, and less revival-oriented way than most Iowa State Greek houses.

Most Ames fraternity and sorority houses from that era used Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, French Norman/Renaissance, or Collegiate Gothic details (steep gables, half-timbering, stone accents, arches). This one stands apart with its relatively flat-roofed massing, prominent central entrance, decorative brick patterning, and overall fortress-like or stepped quality. The light-colored “tapestry” brick and geometric ornament were popular in the Midwest during the interwar period.

That uniqueness in Ames matches what you described. Chicago and Kansas City both have strong collections of similar brick Art Deco and Moderne buildings from the same era—apartment blocks, commercial structures, and institutional work that used patterned brick, strong vertical/horizontal emphasis, and simplified ornament rather than historical revival motifs.

The house at 307 Ash Avenue (the former Phi Kappa Tau / Alpha Nu chapter house, later converted and now used by Alpha Phi) fits this description and location in the historic Greek neighborhood. The vintage photo shows typical period details: the mounted Greek letters, the “Welcome Tau to ISU” sign, ivy, and the mix of residents on the steps.

These buildings were often designed by regional architects working in the popular commercial and institutional styles of the time rather than the more picturesque revival modes used for many neighboring chapter houses. The result is a more urban, Midwestern-modern look that feels at home in larger cities but was uncommon on a smaller campus like Iowa State’s.

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Why Iowa dominates the Smithsonian's inspiring State Fair art exhibit Iowa has more pieces in the Smithsonian's State Fairs exhibit than any other state. Here are the backstories behind these Iowa-made treasures: