Ladies Literary Club Clubhouse

The Ladies Literary Club Clubhouse, at 850 East South Temple St. in Salt Lake City, Utah, was built in 1913. It was designed by architects Treganza & Ware in Prairie School style.[1]

For the building in Ypsilanti, Michigan, see Ladies' Literary Club Building. For the building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, see Ladies' Literary Club.
Ladies Literary Club Clubhouse
Location850 E. South Temple St., Salt Lake City, Utah
Coordinates40°46′10″N 111°51′58″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1913
ArchitectTreganza & Ware
Architectural stylePrairie School
NRHP reference No.78002675[1]
Added to NRHPOctober 11, 1978

The club was founded in 1877 and is the oldest women's club in the United States west of the Mississippi River.[2] It is the successor to the Blue Tea literary club founded in 1876 by Jennie Anderson Froiseth.

Its first president was Mrs. Eliza Kirtley Royle, whose 1875-built home is also NRHP-listed.[2][3]

The Clubhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[1]

In 2013, the 'Ladies' donated the building to the Utah Heritage Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to preserve, protect and promote Utah's historic built environment. UHF accepted the stewardship with plans to renovate the property and use it as a community event center. The foundation ran the Ladies Literary Club for public use for two years before listing it for sale or lease last January, 2015 hosting hundreds of cultural, performing, and private events that exposed several thousand new people to this architectural landmark.[4]

On April 22, 2016, that cultural legacy continued as the Utah Heritage Foundation sold the property to Photo Collective Studios, of Salt Lake City-a group of millennial visual artists and entrepreneurs. Terms of the sale were not disclosed, but a Preservation Easement, was recorded to protect the historic character of the building's unique interior and exterior.

Utah Heritage Foundation's Board of Trustees decided to seek a new steward for the building and it was listed for lease or sale in January 2015. Several proposals for reusing the building were made but the Board of Trustees is pleased that the proposal by Photo Collective Studios was the one that ultimately succeeded. “Photo Collective Studios presented us with an inspiring story and have a passion for preserving the arts and creativity of Salt Lake City,” stated Janis Bennion, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We believe their passion extends to the preservation of architecture and the stories that lay in these places as well,” said Kirk Huffaker, Executive Director for Utah Heritage Foundation. “Given their business focus and connection with the creative community, their stewardship of the Ladies’ Literary Club presented a unique opportunity to foster an ongoing collaboration that allows the building to be utilized and accessed by the public, and to continue the legacy and ideals of the Ladies’ Literary Club for cultural enrichment.”

After renovations to the Ladies Literary Club, the directors pay tribute to its past by renaming the historic venue the "Clubhouse".

April-Oct 2016, ClubhouseSLC underwent minor and major renovations including refinishing original hardwood floors throughout.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Lois Harris (February 29, 1928). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Ladies Literary Club Clubhouse". National Park Service. and accompanying two photos from 1978
  3. Roger V. Roper (May 25, 1982). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Jonathan C. and Eliza K. Royle House". National Park Service. and accompanying photos
  4. "Ladies Literary Club Building". Utah Heritage Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
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