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Pi Beta Phi was founded on April 28, 1867 at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Originally named I.C. Sorosis, it was the first women's fraternal organization modeled from the Greek letter fraternities of men. Just a year later, a second chapter of I.C. Sorosis was installed at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
In April of 1867, the twelve founders wrote the constitution and formulated goals for what would become Pi Beta Phi in the upstairs southwest bedroom of the Holt House that two of the Fraternity Founders rented. Emma Brownlee was selected as the first president, the grip was developed, and the Arrow chosen as the symbol for the organization.
At the 1938 Asheville Convention, the women decided to purchase the Holt House for conservation as a memorial to the twelve Mothers of Pi Beta Phi.
On April 26, 1941, the Hold House officially opened when the Illinois Alpha chapter and Monmouth Alumnae Club entertained the attendants of the Eta Province Convention.
The colors Wine and Silver-Blue were adopted at the 1882 convention followed by the name change to Pi Beta Phi at the 1888 convention.
In 1902, Pi Beta Phi along with 6 other women's fraternities (Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Delta Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma,) formed the National Panhellenic Conference.
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