Lenoir-Rhyne College Alumni House
625 7th Street, NE
Hickory, North Carolina 29601
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 The L-RC Alumni House is located one-half block behind St. Andrew's Lutheran Church and was purchased  in the early 1990s by the college from Dr. Coke Gunter and his wife, Susanne, once worked as the director of the Lenoir-Rhyne Career Center. The Queen Anne-style house did, at one time, house not only the alumni staff, but also served as the office for planned giving and church relations, in addition to the office of Jeff Norris '50, who served as the administrative assistant to the Board of Trustees. The former L-RC Alumni House was a craftsman-style bungalow located on 8th Street in northeast Hickory, but was razed after the alumni staff moved to make way for a street project.

   The structure is believed to have been originally built by the late Rev. Robert Henry Cline, younger brother of the late Rev. William P. Cline, one of L-R's four founders. At the time the 7th Street (northeast) area was called "Hope Avenue," and Wm Cline and his family lived across the street (this structure was moved and renovated by Theta Chi Fraternity in the mid 1990s.).
    Land records indicate the current Alumni House was built about 1905 with a lot valued at $250. According to local historian Albert Keiser, of Hickory, Robert Cline served Lutheran congregations outside Hickory most of the time. Although he owned the 1905 structure, it was believed to have been rented out occasionally. During that time, the Ruburtus Rhyne family resided in the house, later followed by the Harlan Creech family (Creech was a bookkeeper for L-RC, or Lenoir College at the time, and also taught business).
    Dr. R.L. Fritz, second president of the college, once lived in the house, and his son, Bill, was born there years before Bill's future wife (Elaine Maness Fritz) would move to the house with her parents (James and Gaye Maness). The magnolia tree that stands in front of the house today was planted by none other than Elaine's father. During that time the Maness family lived in the house from 1938 until 1966. James was the manager of the Singer Sewing Machine franchise in Hickory, and Gaye was a sewing instructor who later owned a children's clothing shop.
    When the Maness family moved in to the house in 1938, a grown-up Elaine wed Bill Fritz and they held their wedding reception on the grounds. Even Elaine's sister, Rachel, had her wedding reception there during the early 1940s, when she wed Thomas Williams. (Both Bill and Thomas once served as physicians for the college.)
    Dean Sox approached Elaine's mother sometime in the early 1950s and inquired about taking in college students as boarders in the basement apartment and the second floor rooms. Elaine has said her mother always preferred the male students because they were easier to deal with. But not all boarders were students of the college. Ralph Lyerly, an English professor, once lived in the house (1951- 1952). And Russ Benton, retired history professor, lived in what was then the second-floor apartment. Everett T. Gibson and his wife, Doris, lived in the house in the late 1940s, followed by many others, including George Kahl '50; Jack and Hugh Ketner '42; Allan La Torre '59; Frances Litaker Boyd '59; and Ed Byrd, and brothers Steve and Tony Jackson (all class of '69). - Just to name a few.
    Much refurbishing has been done to the house since boarders roamed the halls. Before the Gunter's purchased the house in 1980, Tom Guthrie '62 and his wife, Ann Suggs Guthrie '62, owned the house in the 1960s, eventually transferring it to his parents in 1978. A lot of renovation was done over the period of the Gunter's ownership, including an addition of two raised decks, a greenhouse, brick patio and driveway, expansion of an eat-in kitchen and overall refurbishment to all the bedrooms.

    Today, the Alumni House is an excellent representation of the college's support for alumni relations. In addition to this area, other departments housed inside are Annual Fund Giving; Corporate and Foundation Relations; (Alumni and) Parent Relations; Stewardship; and President's Society. Many events, including welcome parties for alumni, teas, and other campus get-togethers are hosted in the house from time-to-time.

    For more information about what the Alumni House has to offer, contact Diane Arbour at 828/328-7171, or stop by anytime Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. (please follow the campus calendar for holiday schedules).

Source: "At Home in This Old House," by Tammy Wilson. Revised in 2007 by Suzanne T. Jackson.