Brief History of Sigma Chi:

In the fall of 1854, a disagreement among the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, inspired seven determined young men to found their own fraternity.  These seven men initially founded Sigma Phi (soon changed to Sigma Chi) in 1855.  Since then Sigma Chi has become one of the oldest and largest fraternities in the nation with over 260,000 initiated members and 218 active undergraduate chapters.

History of the Gamma Sigma Chapter:

The Gamma Sigma Chapter of Sigma Chi was founded on March 24, 1934, at Auburn University (then Alabama Polytechnic Institute). The local fraternity that preceded the Gamma Sigma Chapter was Phi Kappa Delta.  Phi Kappa Delta was founded on October 12, 1919 by nine members of Auburn's class of 1920 and two members of the class of 1921.  Phi Kappa Delta was the eleventh social fraternity established at Auburn.  There were 22 active members of Phi Kappa Delta who were initiated on March 24, 1934, when Gamma Sigma received its charter.  Hugh L. Cottle, class of 1934, from Montgomery, was the chapter's first president.

The first Gamma Sigma chapter house was located much closer to main campus, next to where the current Lambda Chi Alpha house is located.  Phi Kappa Delta's written application to Sigma Chi Fraternity described teh first house as "a steam-heated, brick structure, situated across the street from the beautiful new Textile Engineering Building, which is the finest school of its kind the the South. The house is on a corner lot, well terraced, well drained, and has 120 feet frontage, which is large enough for contemplated future expansion."

The Chapter moved to its current address, 737 West Magnolia, in the fall of 1955.  The "new" house was a modern contemporary house that featured beautiful hard wood paneling and slate floor in the entry way.  In 1984, the "party barn" was built and dedicated in honor of Gamma Sigma Alumnus, Herb Drake ('41).  The Chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary that year.

In 1995, the chapter house received a substantial renovation including a new outdoor appearance with columns, the addition of a formal library to the front of the house, a new House Mother's suite, an expanded dining and living room areas, and renovations to the dorm wing of the house.

Since the early 1990s, the Sigma Chi Foundation at Auburn University, Inc., was founded to support scholastic achievement of the members of the Gamma Sigma chapter.  The Foundation annually awards four scholarships in honor of Gamma Sigma alumni.  Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships to deserving undergraduates. 

As of the Fall 2006 initiation, the Gamma Sigma Chapter has initiated 2,216 brothers in Sigma Chi.  Current active membership stands above 135 brothers.

Eight Gamma Sigma alumni have received Significant Sig Awards from the Grand Chapter. including past Grand Consul Arthur H. "Buddy" Metcalf ('70) and Auburn University President Dr. Jay Gogue ('69).  Four Gamma Sigmas have been awarded the Order of Constantine.