Dacie Moses House 2021

“Kindness, hope and hospitality is what Dacie was all about,” longtime house “grandmother” and recently retired Dacie Moses house coordinator Julia Uleberg Swanson said. “Dacie’s is one of the heartbeats of Carleton.”

That same energy is what she hopes comes through in the renovations to the beloved Dacie Moses house. The famous “cookie house” on the west side of campus will undergo major renovations in the summer of 2023 due to wear and tear over the years. The house was willed to the Carleton Alumni Association after Dacie’s death in 1981 and then donated to the college. 

“These renovations are really essential in keeping the house and its mission going for generations of Carls to come,” Steve Spehn, director of facilities and capital planning, said. “It’s a strong commitment to the program.”

The house, and its spirit, will stay intact, and receive much needed updates including air conditioning; a larger kitchen; renovations to the basement, including storage; and electrical, plumbing and foundational updates. The house will also be made accessible. The footprint of the house will be increased overall, and the porch and original rooms such as the living room and music room will be preserved and updated. 

Visit the Dacie Moses House website to learn more about Dacie, the house and its traditions. Renovations for the Dacie Moses House are funded by Carleton and an anonymous donor.