House History

The Office of Alumni Relations is located in Alumni House at 95 Talbot Avenue on the Somerville/Medford Campus. The Cape-style house was built as a private residence in 1933 by Clarence P. Houston, A1914, affectionately known as "Pop" to generations of Tufts men and women. It was donated to Tufts in 1965 upon his death, to be called Alumni House.

This house stands alone as the only home to be built in Somerville in 1933, during the depths of the Depression. Architecturally, it is a gem of fine detailing and quality workmanship, a small house with elegant bones. The house was designed by Andrews, Jones, Biscoe, and Whitmore, architects of many buildings on the Somerville/Medford campus, including Gifford House, (1938) Blakeley Hall, (1926), Braker Hall, (1926), 11 Talbot Avenue (Art History, 1940), and Goddard Gymnasium (1931).

A star football player at Tufts, Houston returned to his alma mater to serve the college with a versatility not common today: alumni secretary, faculty member, chair of the physical education department, athletic director, director of the Second Century Fund (Tufts' first major capital fund-raising effort) and Tufts' first vice president for development. He retired in 1957.

Houston had a strong presence in several organizations aside from Tufts. He served as president of the New England Conference of Athletics and was elected national president of the NCAA from 1955 to 1957. As a member of the United States Olympics Committee, he accompanied the 1956 Olympics team to Australia. Houston Hall (1962) was named in his honor.