Early Meeting Locations

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The first meeting of the Lansing Woman's Club was held in the home of member Celia Longyear.  When membership became too large for her home, the Lansing Woman's Club rented rooms from the Lansing Library and Literary Association.

In 1889, the Lansing Woman's Club began taking steps to have a permanent location when Amanda Barnes, Henry Sleeper, and Arthur T. Davis purchased a lot for $800 in downtown Lansing, less than a block away from the Michigan State Capitol.

Constructed by James Appleyard, the wife of club member Augusta Appleyard, the two story brick building cost $5000 and had a seating capacity of 200 in the club rooms on the second floor.  The first floor was rented out as office and retail space.  The building was formally dedicated on April 25, 1890.

In 1911, a third floor, elevator, and fire escapes were added to the building.  A brief three years later a fire broke out badly damaging the first floor, fortunately the upper floors were largely unaffected.

The Lansing Woman's Club moved out of their first clubhouse in 1949 when the third floor was deemed unsafe for more than 70 occupants.  LWC rented the building out until they sold it in 1979.

In 1952, the Lansing Woman's Club purchased the Driscoll home located at 624 W. Ottawa Street for a new clubhouse.  This red brick Colonial Revival home was built in 1914 by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Driscoll and was purchased from the estate of Mr. Driscoll.

In 1980 the house was renovated, removing a wall to make a larger meeting space and modernizing the kitchen.  In 1996, a fire at the clubhouse led to further renovation and repairs.

Today the first floor is used as meeting space and the upper floor is rented out.