A Century of Community: The History and Services of the Michigan Union
The Michigan Union stands as a landmark and a central hub for student life at the University of Michigan. From its humble beginnings as a student organization seeking to foster unity among men to its current status as a comprehensive resource center, the Union has evolved alongside the university, mirroring its growth and adapting to the changing needs of its diverse student body. This article explores the rich history of the Michigan Union, its architectural evolution, and the wide array of services it offers to the university community.
The Genesis of Unity: Forming the Michigan Union
The story of the Michigan Union begins in 1904, not with a building, but with an idea. Recognizing the need for a unifying force on campus, a group of students came together to form the Michigan Union, "an 'all-inclusive organization' focused on providing feelings of unity for men on campus." The inaugural meeting, held in Waterman Gymnasium, drew an impressive crowd of over 1,100 male students, signaling the strong desire for such an organization.
Prior to the formation of the Michigan Union, a group of college women organized to develop the Women’s League of the University of Michigan in 1890. In response to a call to provide physical activity options for women from the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, the Waterman Gym was designated women-only in the mornings beginning in 1894.
From Clubhouse to Collegiate Gothic: The Architectural Evolution
The burgeoning Michigan Union quickly outgrew its initial framework as a student group and sought a physical space to call home. In 1907, the organization acquired the former residence of Judge Thomas M. Cooley, a prominent figure who had served as the dean of the University of Michigan Law School until 1884. This Gothic Revival house, designed by architect Gordon Lloyd, provided a temporary haven for the Union's activities.
However, the Cooley house soon proved inadequate for the Union's expanding needs. By 1916, with over 4,000 members each paying $2.50 in yearly dues, the decision was made to demolish the original structure and embark on the construction of a new, purpose-built Michigan Union. According to the 1914 Sears Catalog, $2.50 could also buy 36 pairs of socks, two bedspreads or a wooden chair.
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The architectural firm of Pond and Pond, led by brothers Allen B. and Irving K. Pond - both University of Michigan graduates - were commissioned to design the new Union building. The Pond house was moved to the rear of the lot, and, with a rough frame building which had been erected in 1912 for student social affairs and dances, served as temporary headquarters while the new building was under construction, according to the university. The University Buildings and Grounds Department as contractors were responsible for its construction.
Construction began in 1916, with President Harry Hutchins turning the first shovelful of earth at commencement that year. However, the project faced significant financial hurdles due to the outbreak of World War I in the spring of 1917, which made it difficult to collect on pledges. Construction estimates grew from $300,000 to $1 million. In 1918, the Board of Regents approved a $3 membership fee for all students, according to the university. The fee was increased to $5 later that year, with all male students automatically becoming members of the union.
Despite these challenges, the Michigan Union, a four-story building built in the Collegiate Gothic style, finally opened its doors in 1919. The building featured a basement and sub-basement. The basement held a cafeteria, bowling alley and swimming pool as well as banks and a bookstore. The original Michigan Union contained a bowling alley in the basement and a barbershop and student eatery on the ground floor. It also included lounges, reading rooms, committee rooms, dining rooms, a billiard and games room, an assembly room and accommodations for returning alumni. The bowling alley was later moved to a new addition to make way for the expansion of the union’s tap room.
A Hub of Activity: Amenities and Services Through the Years
From its inception, the Michigan Union was designed to be a multifaceted hub of activity for students. The original building boasted a wide array of amenities, including a bowling alley, barbershop, billiards room, swimming pool, and lodging for visiting alumni. It also housed a student eatery, dining rooms, an assembly room, and committee rooms.
One of the most enduring amenities inside the Michigan Union was its Billiards Room, which was a popular attraction for students and the public alike. Prior to 1945, pool as it is known today, was not the game of choice for cuesport enthusiasts, according to the university. It was billiards and all the tables in the Billiards Room were 3-cushion billiards tables, which have no pockets. As pool grew in popularity, though, most of the 3-cushion tables were eventually replaced with Brunswick Anniversary 9-foot pocketed pool tables. While the Billiards Room was one of most noted features of the Union, use of it had been in significant decline in recent years, leading to the university not including it in plans for the renovated Union.
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Although a pool was included in Pond and Pond's initial plans, the pool was completed in 1925, six years after the Union opened, when funds finally became available. Located in the floor above the Union’s sub-basement, the pool could be found in the basement proper, near the building’s locker rooms.
The Union's commitment to providing a comprehensive range of services has continued to this day. Today, the Michigan Union houses restaurants, student organization office space, conference rooms, study areas, and other student resources. The basement of the Michigan Union has long been a hot spot for students to grab a bite to eat in between classes. When the Union reopens, it will include seven restaurants, including Taco Bell, Panera Bread, Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, MI Burger, Mama DeLuca’s and Blue Market. Prior vendors Panda Express and Subway also are returning.
The Union offers a Ticket Office, which allows for the purchase of tickets to hundreds of Ann Arbor events each year. In the 1970s and 80s it was the home of radical student bookstore known as the University Cellar. Today Barnes and Noble still occupy this area.
Breaking Barriers: The Integration of Women
For nearly 40 years, women were only allowed to enter the Michigan Union through its north entrance and they needed to be accompanied by a male escort, according to the university. In 1921, the Women’s League committed $12-14,000 to seed a building project. Mary B. Henderson, Secretary of the Alumnae Council, furthered the project by submitting a request for approval to the Regents to raise $1,000,000 for a woman’s building-$750,000 for construction and $250,000 for an endowment. Fundraising began and the women sold handkerchiefs, Betty Bead chains, pleated lampshades, baked goods, soap, and even bricks. They held rummage sales, card parties, bazaars and concerts, and they offered life memberships to the League for $50.
In 1929, the Michigan League was constructed and opened on North University Avenue. The League was created as a center for women’s social, cultural and recreational campus activities. The Michigan League Building was designed by the same architects as the Union, the Pond Brothers, and opened to the public ten years later in 1929. The League is known for its historic architecture, brilliant stained glass windows, and the charming Inn at the League offering comfortable accommodations for visitors. Inside are beautiful oak paneled walls, slate floors and colorful Pewabic tiles of stylized flowers. High above the main entry off the Ingalls Mall are statues of ‘Character” and “Friendship.” The League includes many meeting rooms, study areas, a cafeteria, a ballroom, the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, and a gift shop. In 1965, the Union and the League merged administratively.
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In 1956, for the first time in its history, women were allowed to enter the Michigan Union without an escort, through the front doors. The Billiards Room, however, held to the old traditions and it was not until 1968 that women were granted equal access to the entire building.
A Stage for History: Notable Events and Figures
Throughout its history, the Michigan Union has served as a stage for significant events and has hosted numerous notable figures. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments occurred in the early hours of October 14, 1960, when then-presidential candidate John F. Kennedy visited the Union.
According to author and historian James Tobin, students got word of Kennedy’s visit to the Union and packed the steps and sidewalk on the corner of State Street and South University. Since early in the campaign year, there had been scattered proposals for a volunteer corps of young Americans who would go abroad to help nations emerging from colonialism in Africa, Asia and South America, according to Tobin. Kennedy had asked for studies of the idea, including from Samuel Hayes, a UM professor of economics and director of the Center for Research on Economic Development.
While Kennedy did not explicitly describe the Peace Corps in his speech, he asked the following question:"How many of you who are going to be doctors are willing to spend your days in Ghana? Technicians or engineers: how many of you are willing to work in the Foreign Service and spend your lives traveling around the world? On your willingness to do that, not merely to serve one year or two years in the service, but on your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country, I think will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can. And I think Americans are willing to contribute. But the effort must be far greater than we've ever made in the past." The Michigan Union is also the place where, on October 14, 1960, John F. Kennedy presented an idea that would later become the Peace Corps.
The Michigan Union also received a visit from the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke at UM on Nov. 5, 1962. Dr. King gave two speeches to students at Hill Auditorium. Dr. King’s first speech was called “Moral Issues in Discrimination” and his second speech was “The Future of Integration.” In between the two speeches, Dr. King attended a luncheon in the Michigan Union Anderson Room and met with students to discuss his thoughts.
While the ticket office provides access to events taking place throughout Ann Arbor and beyond, the Michigan Union is also a place where noted speakers and politicians, such as former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, come to be seen and heard.
A Place for Protest: Student Activism at the Union
For decades, the Michigan Union has served as a focal point for student protests and sit-ins surrounding issues of race, inequality and anti-war movements. Michigan students and members of the Coalition for Tuition Equality sat on the floor with red tape covering their mouths in protest during a board of regents meeting at the Michigan Union in December 2012. The sit-in, organized by Students 4 Justice, demands that racial and sexual identity is addressed with humanity, solidarity with marginalized students and students of color, to create a space on campus for social work and others.
Preserving the Legacy: Recent Renovations
Recognizing the need to modernize the aging facility and enhance its services, the University of Michigan undertook an extensive renovation of the Michigan Union in recent years.
In July 2016, UM's Board of Regents approved the $85-million "deep renovation" of the Michigan Union. Funding is being provided from the Student Life Student Fee for Facility Renewal and investment proceeds. The renovation of the 250,000-square-foot space includes creating a social space on the main level of the building by enclosing the courtyard; expanding and improving lounge and study spaces; creating a state-of-the-art student organizations and student involvement space; creating appropriate spaces for counseling and student support services, and creating enhanced meeting space near the main ballroom.
The Michigan Union closed for renovation in April 2018. “This renovation enables the Michigan Union to inspire future generations of Michigan students who will challenge the present and enrich the future,” noted Susan Pile senior director of University Unions and Auxiliary Services. Following the 20-month project, which aimed to restore and reactivate the building while maintaining its historic fabric, hundreds of students, faculty, staff and guests walked through the doors of the updated landmark for a reopening celebration. Today, new spaces include the collaborative IdeaHub, year-round courtyard, South Lounge and Willis Ward Lounge.
The Michigan Union previously experienced issues with varied temperatures from floor to floor. It will be more energy efficient when it reopens, with around 700 storm windows being added to the interior of the iconic stained glass exterior windows to help keep the elements out.
Pierpont Commons: Serving the North Campus Community
While the Michigan Union has traditionally served the central campus, Pierpont Commons provides a similar function for the North Campus community. Pierpont Commons opened in 1965, with limited resources, and began primarily as a place for the growing North Campus community to eat. The project was guided by Wilber K.
In 2013, the Board of Regents approved the renovation of approximately 10,500 gross square feet within the Pierpont Commons Cafe. The space was renovated to create a new dining experience on North Campus. In addition to many infrastructure changes, the renovations included an expanded floor plan designed to provide more seating and study space for students, faculty and staff. In September, 2014, the Fireside Café, located within Pierpont Commons, celebrated its grand opening. The Fireside was the result of a six-month renovation project that transformed the 10,500-square-foot space from a 1960s diner into a state-of-the-art eating and common area. The renovation was made with sustainability in mind and included using recycled materials, installing low VOC flooring, and maximizing energy and maintenance efficiencies.
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