Ladies' Literary Club

In 1869, a group of Grand Rapids women organized a small history class. In 1870, this grew into the Ladies' Literary Association, which was formally organized as an association that year. The Association was influential in opening a public library in the city. In 1882, the group was re-incorporated at the Ladies' Literary Club to promote literary and scientific subjects. The club grew, and in 1887 they decided to construct their own building. The Club purchased a lot and hired local architect William G. Robinson to design a clubhouse. Ground was broken in 1887, and construction was completed by December of that year. Major additions and renovations were completed in 1931.[4]

Major additions and renovations were completed in 1931.[4] In 2005, the club disbanded due to declining membership. In 2006, the remaining members transferred ownership of the building to Calvin College, which made $1 million worth of improvements to the building. The College used the building as a music, theater and entertainment venue. However, in 2014, they decided to sell the building.[5] In 2018, a group of investors purchased the building with the intention of renovating it to become The Lit event space.[3]

Over the years, the club has hosted speeches by Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.[4]

The Ladies' Literary Club is a two-story brick structure with a tall single-story wing attached to the rear housing an auditorium. Bluestone trim is used around the doors and windows, and it has a slate roof. Although the building is substantially brick rather than stone, the design exhibits the massive Richardsonian Romanesque style. The building has French plane and stained glass windows.[4] This includes a Tiffany glass window appraised at $225,000.[5]

• Loraine Immen, president, Ladies' Literary Club (1890)[6]

• History of the Ladies' Literary Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Hogue Stinchcomb (1910)

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