Apostles Club (1900) - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I obtained this photograph from the very neat and new to me Livingston Antique Outlet in Howell, Michigan. Large chunks of matting are severely damaged or missing, but the image itself remains intact.

Here is a cropped version of the image. It shows a group of well dressed men gathered on and around the stairs of a home, flanked by bicycles on both sides.

Here is an antique store photo hunting tip: Be sure to make note of any information written on the price sticker or tag of the photo as stores often take these off to keep track of inventory for specific vendors. I learned this lesson after purchasing this photo.

I was drawn to it because the tag said “Ann Arbor, MI” and the name of some club that I hadn't heard of before.

When I got home I realized the price sticker was missing and the only identifying information I had was what was partially written on the back.

This was enough to jog my memory that the photo was identified as the Apostles Club in Ann Arbor. The writing on the back seemed to be an approximated spelling. The year 1900 fits with the style of clothing the men are wearing.

Sure enough, a quick search for “Apostles Club” in Ann Arbor took me to the following photo and page from the Ann Arbor District Library.

Photo credit: Apostles Club members, 1900 (Ann Arbor District Library)

According to the description:

“The Apostles Club, faculty bachelors who banded together in 1900, first rented a boarding house at 1218 South University, complete with resident landlady as cook. This gave them a position in society without the expense of running a house on a junior faculty salary. Members had great fun at meals around a single table. They hosted large formal dances and lavish ‘at home’ parties. Their bylaws provided for ‘recreating.’ Their baseball teams played against such opponents as the ‘Henpecked Husbands.’"

The photo from the museum clearly matches the photo I purchased. Though it is hard to see in the scanned image, under a magnifying glass you can read the house number “1218” above the doorway. This matches the South University address in the library photo.

“1218” South University

I haven’t studied the photo super closely, but I imagine there might even be some of the same men in the two different photos. What do you think?

Does your family have any connections to the Apostles Club of Ann Arbor, Michigan? I would love to hear your stories.

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