Horace and Jennie Prettyman’s sprawling manse on North University was Ann Arbor’s best-known boarding house, serving more than a million meals to students from 1875 to 1914 — including Fielding Yost’s varsity football players, who ate there nightly.

Originally conceived as a ‘clubhouse’ to centralize campus life, the Michigan Union opened its doors to students in 1907 – with one key caveat. For decades, women were barred from entering through the front door.

As with most things in life, there is more to the Michigan Union than meets the eye. Its architectural style and embellishments, recently remodeled for a 21st-century community, represent the physical remnant of an early-1900s movement to forge a new ethos for the – ahem — “Michigan Man.”

The Michigan Union button, a tiny symbol of loyalty pinned to the lapel, once held tremendous power for alumni. One 1904 graduate traveled around the world to replace the button he lost in World War II.

The Michigan Union reopened Jan. 13, 2020, after 18 months of renovation and restoration. Upgrades speak to the 21st-century student while honoring the building’s architectural and historic integrity. Listen in, as we take a tour, chat up the workers, and learn about the special details that make the place so awesome.

In this episode, we chat with Susan Pile, the University of Michigan’s senior director of university unions and auxiliary services. She is managing the 20-month renovation of the beloved Michigan Union, but fear not: She is fiercely protective of its legacy.

The iconic Michigan Union will close April 30 for a major, 20-month renovation.