Women were first admitted to Allegheny College in 1870. Flora Tingley, one of the members of the Alpha chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, contacted her uncle who was a professor at Allegheny College. Through her uncle, Flora began to correspond with four Allegheny women. In 1876, one of these women, Augusta Densmore, traveled to the Alpha chapter in Greencastle, Indiana and was initiated into Kappa Alpha Theta. Upon her return to Allegheny College, she initiated three other women, Margaret Hartmon, Carrie Wythe, and Alma Albertson. Augusta attended the third annual Theta convention in Greencastle on March 2, 1876. However, all of the women except Carrie Wythe were seniors. Carrie tried to continue the chapter, but became discouraged when she was unable to interest Ida M. Tarbell and a few others. The Allegheny chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, then called Pennsylvania Alpha Chapter, died.

In June of 1881, four seniors at Allegheny College, who were the remaining members of a small club of seven women known as the "Pleiades," chose four underclassmen and decided to establish a Greek letter chapter. Kappa Alpha Theta was chosen because of close friends the women had at Wooster. The women, Iris Barr, Alice Gardner, and Ida Joe Henderson, among others, petitioned for a charter and constitution. Their pleas were successful, for a charter was received in late spring of 1881. Cora Staples was chosen as the first pledge.

In the fall of 1881, the chapters of Kappa Alpha Theta was renamed, and the Allegheny chapter became Mu. At this time, nothing was known of the existence of the earlier Pennsylvania Alpha Chapter. The founders of the Pennsylvania Alpha Chapter were later recognized as the original founders of Allegheny's chapter.

The new chapter grew secretly and quite successfully throughout 1881 and in early 1882 publicly announced its existence. There was much disapproval of this organization, but the administration allowed it to continue. The women also received much support from Allegheny men's fraternities. Kappa Alpha Theta was the first women's fraternity on Allegheny's campus. Surprisingly, even though Ida Tarbell didn't want to pledge the Pennsylvania Alpha chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, she was a member of the Pleiades club - which became Mu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta only one year after she graduated.

In 1885, Mu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta was allotted chapter rooms on the fourth floor of the women's dormitory, Brooks Hall. The other three sororities at Allegheny College occupy three other suites on the fourth floor of Brooks Hall. Allegheny College's Panhellenic Council also has a suite where the Panhellenic council meets. The Theta suite has been redecorated often in the past years including this year. Come back soon to see photos of the new suite!

Since our refounding in 1881, Thetas have been a very visible group at Allegheny. Early Theta scrapbooks are filled with invitations to Theta dinner parties, balls, and excursions. Scrapbooks from the 40's, 50's, and 60's show pictures of Thetas tanning on Brooks lawn, as Homecoming Queens, hanging out in the suite, and having fun at the old Theta beach house.