1802 Broadway: Home to Texas Beta from 1970 to 1981

      For over eleven years Texas Beta called the large home at 1802 Broadway "home". Moving there in the Summer of 1970 the house was to be a place of many memories for our brothers. 

     The house was constructed in 1905 by one of the pioneer families of Lubbock. The Bacon family had traveled to Lubbock during those formative years of the community and the house was one of the first to be constructed. Grand in scale, the home features large pillars along the impressive front porch and a green ceramic tile roof. 

     During the tenure of Phi Psi the house was gradually worn down through the presence of the energetic brotherhood. The house electrical system was one of the old style screw in fuses and pledges were required to carry spares at the party due to the regularity of the system overloading and the entire house being thrown into darkness. The roof featured a front porch that was reached by a ladder in the second floor closet leading to "Mount Phi Psi". Many romantic moments took place in that moonlit corner of the house. 

     In 1981 the house was sold by the Bacon family to the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas who spent over $400,000 restoring the house to its former glory. It is rumored that a special panel of priests had to be brought in to remove all the party spirits from the building. 

     What follows are a series of photos taken in the Fall of 2002 as the home was used by the chapter for initiation and other rituals while the new chapter house was being constructed. Look closely and you might see a smiling ghost!

     To see a larger version of the photo simply click on it.

Looking North from Broadway Avenue

The front door is new but otherwise the front part of the building remains unchanged.

The historical plaque was placed there after we moved out.

Front foyer. Many brothers remember shining that brass for days.

Slightly different angle...looking into front room that at one time held the large pool table. This pool table was restored in 1999 and is now in the new chapter house.

Chapter room. The stain glass window was covered during the chapter time. The fireplace likely had 200 coats of paint which had to be stripped off. The floor heater was removed and the structure now has a central heat/air unit.

Chapter room looking north.

In the kitchen the cabinets have been re-worked with new glass paneled doors. The closet no longer holds a pay telephone (which required all pledges to carry change) and the sink and marble bar was removed.

Looking to the West one sees the door to the basement and the back door.

The stain glass window casts a pleasant glow in the chapter room.

Looking down from the kitchen into the basement. Can anyone yell "PLEDGES"!

Going from the kitchen around to the stairs.

The downstairs bathroom, less the bathtub and long line of girls.

Looking up the stairs. It always seemed to be longer in the dark.

The second floor landing.

These upper rooms could tell lots of secrets. Notice how the bathroom has been completely redone.

Mike Foerster discovered the law of gravity here but likely he landed on his thickest bone...his skull.

Back side of house.

East side of the house.

How many pledges can you stick in the oil pit in the garage?

After an initiation the chapter gathers in front of their old chapter lodge.

Texas Beta Chapter History, By Year