The historic President’s Cottage on the Arizona State University Tempe Campus is the home of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Located on the corner of Palm Walk and Tyler Mall, the house was constructed in 1907 and served as the home of the university’s president until 1959. Since that time, it has been used by the ASU Alumni Association for administrative offices (1961–1972) and as the home of the University Archives (1972–1995). The house, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is especially fitting as a home for the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, as Robert Frost visited there twice as the guest of then-President Grady Gammage.
The house and grounds serve as a vibrant, nurturing environment in which writers, faculty, students, and community members can exchange ideas and share an appreciation for literature and writing. This unique facility provides essential space for classes, seminars, two formal reception areas, administrative offices, a library, as well as an outdoor performance area and writers garden. While the Piper Writers House evokes the particular warm atmosphere, deep historical roots, and imaginative energy that characterize the ASU Creative Writing Program, it is also the launching ground for new initiatives that connect diverse communities.