Lambda Chi Alpha was founded at Boston University by Warren A. Cole in 1909. Sigma Zeta was established as the eighth chapter of the fledgling Fraternity at The University of Michigan March 31, 1913. We were the fist chapter founded after the adoption of the ritual at the 1913 General Assembly.

Originally, we lived in a house located at 1511 Washtenaw. The house no longer stands. We sold that house to buy the land at 1601 Washtenaw. Bonds were sold by the actives to raise money to build our house, which was completed in 1927.

During World War II, we donated the chapter house to the Red Cross to use. Throughout the time, many of the brothers lived in an apartment on State Street.

Lambda Chi Alpha has had some particularly prosperous times in its history. As a hundred plus man chapter in the 1950s, we dominated many interfraternity competitions and intramural games. In the years 1976 and 1979, Sigma Zeta was awarded the Grand High Alpha award, Lambda Chi Alphas award for the best chapters in the past three years.

After the chapter was closed in 1994, Sigma Zeta was re-colonized in 1998. We first had no house. In 1999, we moved into the old Delta Zeta Sorority at 1547 Washtenaw house. After a year we moved into the old Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) house at 707 Oxford. After three years, we moved into the old Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) house at 800 Oxford for a year. In 2004, we returned to 1601 Washtenaw and are here to stay.

From 1927 until the chapters' closing in 1994, brothers living in the house slept in either the Cold or Warm Dorm. In the early days, the Cold Dorm was cold because its windows had no glass. Glass in the windows made the Warm Dorm warm. Later heat was installed to the third floor, and windows to the Cold Dorm, but the brothers kept the tradition alive by keeping those windows open. Personal rooms were used for study and storage. We now sleep in our rooms.

Each year, we host an Alumni-Active work day at the house, kicking off our tradition of coming back to Ann Arbor a week early to improve our house. We also have a brunch for all alumni and their families before the Homecoming Game. A dinner to Celebrate Lambda Chi Alpha's Founder's Day is held each year around March 24th.

The Brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Michigan boast some prominent alumni. George Pomey was the starting center for the second place in the nation UM men's basket ball team in 1965. Michigan Chief Justice Clifford W. Taylor is a member of the Fraternity. A giant in the inter-Fraternal world and especially in the Lambda Chi Alpha history is George Spasyk, one of our most loyal alumni.

Since its construction, there have been two major renovations done to this house. In the late 1970s, an addition to house was made on the northern side. This saw the expansion of the Cold Dorm and the addition of a bedroom on the second floor. In 1991, a major project began. The two industrial style stairwells were put in, making some of the rooms on both ends shorter. A bedroom was added over the foyer, where a spiral staircase was removed. Also, the Warm Dorm was changed into separate rooms on the third floor. The Cold Dorm still remains.

Like many fraternities, our house was originally owned by the Alumni of the chapter in the form of a Housing Corporation. In 1994, they turned it over to the General Fraternity to manage, since Lambda Chis would not be living in it. In the late 90s, the Fraternity created a company called Lambda Chi Alpha Properties (LCAP) to manage all the property it owned. LCAP currently manages our house.