Ladies' Literary Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ladies' Literary Club
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| Location | 61 Sheldon St., SE., Grand Rapids, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | W.G. Robinson |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000400 |
| Added to NRHP | October 26, 1971 |
The Ladies' Literary Club is a historic building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was once home to a special club for women. This club was also known as the Wednesday Literary Club. It helped open the city's first public library. Today, the building is being updated to become a place for events called The Lit. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
The Story of the Club
In 1869, a group of women in Grand Rapids started a small history class. This class quickly grew into something bigger. By 1870, they officially formed the Ladies' Literary Association.
This group was very important for the city. They played a big part in helping to open a public library. In 1882, the group changed its name to the Ladies' Literary Club. Their goal was to learn more about books, science, and other interesting subjects.
The club became very popular and grew larger. In 1887, the members decided they needed their own building. They bought a piece of land and hired an architect named W.G. Robinson. He designed their new clubhouse. Construction began in 1887 and was finished by December of that same year.
Over the years, the building was updated. Major changes and additions were made in 1931. The club hosted many famous speakers. These included former U.S. Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.
In 2005, the club unfortunately closed down. This happened because fewer people were joining. The remaining members gave the building to Calvin College in 2006. The college spent about $1 million to improve the building. They used it for music, theater, and other fun events.
However, in 2014, Calvin College decided to sell the building. In 2018, a group of investors bought it. They plan to make it a modern event space called The Lit.
What the Building Looks Like
The Ladies' Literary Club building has two stories. It is made of brick. At the back, there is a tall, one-story section that holds an auditorium.
The building has special blue stone around its doors and windows. The roof is made of slate. Even though it's mostly brick, the building shows the strong and grand style called Richardsonian Romanesque.
The windows are also very special. Some are French plane glass, and others are beautiful stained glass. One of these is a Tiffany glass window. It is a very valuable piece of art.
