Ladies' Literary Club Building facts for kids
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Ladies' Literary Club Building
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Front elevation, 1936
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 218 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1843 |
| Built by | Arden Ballard |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000666 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
The Ladies' Literary Club Building is a very old house in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It was built a long time ago, around 1843, as a home for a family. Today, it is used as a meeting place for a special group called the Ladies' Literary Club.
This building is important because it has been recognized as a historic place. It became a Michigan State Historic Site in 1965. Later, in 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a building that is important to the history of the United States.
History of the Building
The Ladies' Literary Club Building was first built around 1843. It was meant to be the home of a man named William M. Davis. It is thought that Arden H. Ballard helped design and build the house.
Later, the house was sold to Elijah Grant. He owned a store in the town. When Mr. Grant passed away in 1851, his wife Mary and son Edward continued to live there. Edward lived in the house for many years. Over time, he lost a lot of his money. He eventually had to sell the furniture. In 1913, he sold the house itself.
The Ladies' Literary Club
The Ladies' Literary Club of Ypsilanti started in 1878. Sarah Smith Putnam founded the club with 17 members. This club was a place for women to learn and study. In those days, there were not many chances for women to get an education.
The club members created their own study programs. They learned about many different historical topics. These included things like the French Revolution and ancient Greek and Roman societies. The club quickly grew, and more women joined.
They used to meet twice a month. These meetings were held at members' homes or in the local library. By 1910, the club had become very large. They needed more space and started renting rooms in the Masonic temple.
When the Davis House went up for sale in 1913, the Club decided to buy it. They paid $3,000 for the building. The very first meeting held in their new club house was in October 1914.
Over the years, the building was updated. An architect named Emil Lorch helped with some of the changes. In the 1930s, the building was chosen to be part of a special survey. This survey looked at old and interesting buildings. It was important to save the building for future generations. More updates were done in 1955. A new part was added to the back of the building in 1971-72.
Building Design
The Ladies' Literary Club Building is a brick house with a special design. It is built in the Greek Revival style. This style looks a lot like ancient Greek temples.
The front of the house has a large wooden porch. This porch has four columns, like a temple. Above the columns is a triangular shape called a pediment. There is also a smaller wooden section on one side of the house.
Images for kids
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Detail of portico and south wing, 1936
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Detail of front portico, 1936
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Main stairway, 1936
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Detail of chandelier medallion, 1936
