A Pick of the Week from

University Archives of the UM Libraries

By Koichi Tasa

These appraisal reports from the year 2000 showcase many residences located near or on campus and provide intricate details on their interior and exterior design. One of them features University housing for a one-story, single family house located in a prime real estate area within the village of Pinecrest on 57th Avenue (Red Road). Several plans, photos, and descriptions are included to perfectly illustrate the kind of housing that was purchased for employee use by the University and the kind of renovations and conditions it has undergone after multiple residencies since its original construction in 1968.

Of further interest are the other two reports that show the layout for some of our campus’s old fraternity houses, particularly Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Pi Kappa Alpha. The photographs attached to the report give a rare, if not solemn, glimpse inside these fraternity houses after years of being without use, including views of the dilapidated interior of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, still harboring the fraternity’s emblem on the wall as decoration. Photos document a small indoor swimming pool that was left empty and full of dirt and grime, and even poorer conditions of the bathroom and kitchen. The stories and histories of these houses are well preserved in these reports, presenting a tale of the passage of time and the impact people leave on their environment.

COOLCRAZYBEAUTIFUL is written by Yvette Yurubi and showcases unique items at Special Collections and the University Archives discovered by librarians and staff members while on the job. They gather monthly for “Show and Tell” to present their top finds. You too can experience these items up close, and access other rare and interesting treasures, by visiting Special Collections and the University Archives, located on the 8th floor of the Otto G. Richter Library.