Under the stately oaks of LSU’s sprawling campus, thousands of students now proudly wear Greek letters, or are gearing up for a long, hot gameday in a suit and tie. The madness of recruitment has passed, classes have begun and lifelong friendships are forming.

This golden season was especially surreal for the Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Alpha in September 1997, when they celebrated the opening of their new fraternity house on Dalrymple Drive after the previous house, completed in 1948, burned, nearly forcing the fraternity off campus. The strong influence and dedication of alumni played a significant role in the LSU chapter, which was initially founded in 1885. And ultimately, it was alumni that kept the pulse of the fraternity going in the years it could only host meetings in The Union.

“In a sea of 20,000 students, it was an island, a place to fit in, feel at home,” said KA alumnus Regi Mullins in the September 1997 inRegister cover story.

After more than five years, the new KA house was complete and ready to welcome a new cohort of young men. The elaborate gala open house welcoming actives, alumni and guests to tour the mansion was elegantly decorated by former KA Roses, including Becki Abercrombie, who also served as the interior designer for the years-long project.

Today, the same mansion that opened its doors in 1997 still stands, serving as that same island and place to feel at home for the 2025 pledge class.