It was 146 years ago that Ella Sharp introduced an innovation – an escape from the home. The formation of the Tuesday Club came at a time when women were mostly housebound.  Men went to work, women stayed home.  That had to be a challenge even for the most devoted wives and mothers.

Ella offered a relief valve.  About eight times a year, the group met on a Tuesday at 2 pm (after lunch duties were over) and finished by 4 pm (to be home to prepare dinner for husband and kids).  But the conversation at the meeting would not be about household chores, kids or husbands.  It would be about something outside the home, and include an intellectual reward.  The format called for a member to make a presentation at each meeting based on a theme that was chosen for the year.  Joyce Phelps, retiring president, recalls some that took place over the years – islands, Africa, male authors, foreign authors, world leaders under five feet tall, and the letter “M”.  M?  The topic had to start with the letter M.  That led one member to speak about four infamous murders in Michigan.  Another spoke about Maine.  One year the theme was “lists.”  That’s when, starting with her youth, Laurie LaZebnik came up list of 19 boyfriends.  That translated into an article she wrote on this website.  Read it by clicking here. 

Over the last 30 to 40 years the character of the club changed.  Tending house turned into blossoming careers outside the home.  The membership has included judges, journalists, photographers, educators, and business owners, to name a few vocations.

The last Tuesday Club meeting of the year is President’s Day.  On this annual occasion, the featured speaker is not one of their own.  It typically involves a visit to an interesting location and a talk to go with it.  That’s what brought the Tuesday Club to Clark Lake.  And, the topic was Clark Lake’s history.  The speaker was Clark Lake historian, Dr. Ted Ligibel.  He traced Clark Lake’s origin from glacial ice to agricultural outpost, and to its transformation into the recreational destination it became.  The meeting was held at the Kentucky Point home of one of the members, Laurie LaZebnik’s.  That was especially fitting.  Laurie described how she and her late husband, Bob, bought the Graziani cottage, donated it to become the Community Center, and how the structure was floated down the lake to its new home in the County Park.  Rick Belcher then told how Clark Lakers came together to save the structure twenty years later when its very existence was threatened by deteriorating conditions.

That this topic continues to draw great interest from all who hear of it is no surprise.  After and during each talk, questions and comments filled the room.

Ted Ligibel’s book, Clark Lake – Images of a Michigan Tradition – is highly favored by all who love Clark Lake.  It can be found on living room tables here, and accompanying Clark Lakers wherever they roam.  And it can also be found for sale at Doyle’s Market.  The Community Center has won its way into the heart and soul of Clark Lake as it Preserves Clark Lake’s Past and as a Place to Gather.  To learn about renting the Community Center for events, click here.  Throughout the year, you’ll find birthday parties, family reunions, weddings, neighborhood parties, and life celebrations taking place at this warm and friendly location.

Check out these two videos for more. The first one begins with Laurie LaZebnik’s story of the moving of house, similar to her talk at the Tuesday Club.  The second video tells how part of the house was left behind, but is now reunited.

Completing the movement.