University of Michigan 1930's Postcards: The BIG HOUSE, The Lawyers Club, The New Library, The Michigan League Building, GREETINGS Ann Arbor. Here are four excellent vintage postcards featuring new buildings on the University of Michigan campus in the early part of the 20th century. Offered as a group. Cards are in great shape and have not been used, posted, or marked. The back sides do show some age. The Lawyers Club and the Michigan League are on linen photo paper, the other two are glossy finish. 

1) The BIG HOUSE was enlarged to a stated capacity of 85,752 in 1928.  It is described here as "The New Stadium" with a SRO capacity of 87,000.  This figure would hold steady until the late 1940's when various renovations started the edge up towards 100,000-plus seats.    

2) The New Library was long coming with much politicking and local squabbling during the late 1800's and early 1900's but was finally approved and built during the early 1920's with the help of an endowment from Andrew Carnegie. It also did not hurt that the former library had burnt to the ground in 1904 and one of the squabbling protagonists, Nellie Loving, moved the salvaged books to her place of worship and claimed them: Touche, Nellie!  You can see Carnegie's obvious preferred design touch represented in this building.  

3) The Michigan League Building was completed in 1929 with the help of a million dollar fundraising effort by the Michigan League which was comprised of female students, faculty wives, and alumni.  It was conceived as a counterpoint to the all male Michigan Club: Like they say, if you can't beat 'em, build your own tree house.  

4) The Lawyer's Club was under construction throughout the 1920's and completed in 1933.  It combined a law research library, living quarters, and an exclusive club setting for law students and faculty. It is the imposing center feature of UM's "Law Quad." The overall style of the building is Tudor Gothic, modeled on the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge.  A room (with meals) today costs about $16,000 per year.  

5) Bonus "Welcome to Ann Arbor" Classic Pictorial Style Postcard!  Features all the above buildings plus more! 

WOLVERINES!