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Nottingham Cooperative (or Nottingham as referred to by its residents) is a 21-room housing cooperative located at 146 Langdon St. in Madison, Wisconsin, on the shore of Lake Mendota. The house was incorporated in February 1971 by a group of lawyers and students from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Currently, the membership is composed of a mix of about 20 students and non-students. Unlike many other housing cooperatives near the campus area, Nottingham is not part of the Madison Community Cooperative. Former and current residents of Nottingham sometimes refer to themselves as "Hamsters."
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History
The house was originally built in 1927 for the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity by Kansas architect Clarence E. Shepard (1869 - 1949.) Shepard was the premier architect of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School in Kansas City, although 146 was built in the Mediterranean Revival Style. At that time, this Spanish style of architecture was popular on the west coast, especially in Hollywood, but rare in the Midwest. Nottingham's tile roof is one of the more obvious features of Mediterranean Revival. Past owners include the fraternities Sigma Phi Epsilon (1927–1939) and Phi Sigma Delta (1940–1942), an all-girls dormitory called Shoreland House (1943–1951), and the fraternity Pi Lambda Phi (1952–1970). Having officially begun in February 1971, Nottingham celebrated its 40th year of cooperation in 2011.
Events
Over the years Nottingham has hosted many events, usually held in the ballroom. Nottingham collects no money for these shows.