Gamma Pi Delta Tau Delta is an organization based on tradition. Since 1858, the fraternity and its members have committed their lives to the following principles: truth, courage, faith, and power. Our motto is “Committed to lives of excellence” because we recognize that the impact of this fraternity goes far beyond the four years in college.

Originally called the Omega chapter, Delta Tau Delta was founded at Iowa State on July 17, 1875 at a time when most students detested any form of Greek life. Despite this, eleven members from Simpson College started a chapter at Iowa State University, and became the first house on campus.

Delta Tau Delta faced a lot of adversity in its early years, when a mob of students invaded a social gathering between Delta Tau Delta and Pi Beta Phi in 1888. The vicious mob used cyanogen gas and carbon disulfide. The mob barricaded the doors of the building shut and members of both organizations had to escape by breaking windows, only to be met with rotten eggs thrown by the mob.

Due to a Greek ban in 1892, the fraternity gave up their charter and went underground known as “The Hawkeye Club”. The Omega chapter of Delta Tau Delta agreed to give up its chapter in 1894.

With the death of Rev. Beardshear in 1904, Albert Storms became Iowa State’s president. Storms was a fraternity member, and he lifted the Greek life ban the same year he gained presidency. The Hawkeye Club existed as a local fraternity until it was installed as the Gamma Pi chapter of Delta Tau Delta on November 4, 1911.

Delta Tau Delta moved into a fraternity house at 101 Hyland Ave and lived there until 1954 when the new house was completed at 2121 Sunset Drive. The house was two stories and cost approximately $125,000. In 1969, another story was added to the house. 

Due to generous alumni donations, the chapter decided to demolish the old house and build a new one in the same spot in 2014. Currently, the 30,000 sq.ft house resides at 2121 Sunset Dr, Ames, IA 50014.

Gamma Pi History