YEAR BUILT - 1891 YEAR REMODELED - 2020
ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION -
THE DETROIT CLUB WAS FORMED ON OCTOBER 11, 1882, WHEN LAWYER
SAMUEL DOUGLAS AND BANKER JAMES T. CAMPBELL DECIDED TO RENT A
SMALL HOUSE ON LAFAYETTE STREET.THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND THE CLUB
WAS TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE BUSINESSMEN COULD COME TO
FRATERNIZE AND TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT BUSINESS. THE
FOUNDING MEMBERSHIP OF THE DETROIT CLUB CONSISTED OF TEN
LOCAL BUSINESSMEN, INCLUDING BOTH DOUGLAS AND CAMPBELL.
SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THE CLUB ON LAFAYETTE, THE PRIVATE
SOCIAL CLUB RECRUITED ONE HUNDRED ADDITIONAL BUSINESSMEN TO
JOIN, INCLUDING THE FOUNDER OF THE MICHIGAN TELEPHONE
COMPANY, HUGH MCMILLAN, AND A FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR,
RUSSELL A. ALGER.QUICKLY OUTGROWING ITS CURRENT CLUBHOUSE ON
LAFAYETTE, THE MEMBERS ENLISTED ARCHITECT WILSON EYRE TO
CONSTRUCT THEIR NEW CLUBHOUSE, WHICH WOULD LATER BECOME ONE
OF DETROIT'S MOST ICONIC BUILDINGS. THE CLUBS NEW
‘ROMANESQUE REVIVAL’ STYLED BUILDING SEATED AT THE CORNER OF
CASS AND FORT AVENUES WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 1891.
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