GROSSE POINTE WOODS, Mich. – Grosse Pointe Woods is grappling with a major loss in the community. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the Lochmoor Country Club to go up in flames on Wednesday.
Residents said the site is more than just a country club. Since 1918, it’s been a staple in Grosse Pointe Woods.
The fire started around 2 p.m. on Sept. 9. When firefighters arrived, the fire initially stayed in the attic, but the flames quickly spread.
Flames began showing around the edges of the roof shortly before 5 p.m., and a portion of the building later collapsed.
Mayor Arthur Bryant said losing the clubhouse is a huge loss for the community.
The mayor said the fire may have started in the kitchen, but fire investigators had not confirmed the cause.
No injuries were reported despite the massive flames, and officials believe the main building is a total loss.
Read more --> Grosse Pointe Woods Mayor Arthur W. Bryant talks major fire at Lochmoor Club
Longtime Lochmoor Club members respond
For longtime Lochmoor Club members, Wednesday’s fire was more than the destruction of a building; it was the loss of a place woven into generations of family memories.
Dale Robinson, a Lochmoor member for three years, said he was heartbroken to see the club’s main building engulfed in flames.
The club recently renovated its restaurant and bar area, which Robinson said members used heavily.
“Very heartbreaking,” Robinson said.
Robinson said he regularly spent time at the club with friends several times a week. He said he was hopeful the fire would not spread to other parts of the property and that golf operations could continue.
Tom Jerger, a Lochmoor member since 1982 and the club’s historian for the past five years, said the fire was particularly difficult to watch because of the club’s long history.
Tom said Lochmoor was founded in 1917 and has had multiple clubhouses over the years. He said the current building was the club’s third clubhouse.
“My understanding is no one’s been hurt,” Tom said. “It was a fast-moving fire from what I understand.”
Tom said his wife, Kathy Jerger, was inside the club having lunch when the fire broke out.
She said members initially thought a false alarm or another routine issue might have triggered the alarms.
Then the club’s manager came in, told everyone there was a fire, and said they needed to leave.
“He was very frantic, and we all took for the parking lot,” Kathy said.
Kathy said she has been connected to Lochmoor since she was six years old and described the club as her “second home.”
Watching it burn was difficult, particularly because she knew her husband’s collection of historical records was stored in another building on the property.
Tom said he has stored about 120 years of club history in roughly 14 large storage tubs, including photographs, trophies and books.
“They can take the water, but they can’t take the heat,” Tom said.
Tom said he was concerned about whether the historical materials and displays could be salvaged.
The fire appeared to be concentrated around the recently renovated area known as the 1917 Grill, Tom said. He also described a pub area, heating facilities, and a breezeway leading toward other buildings on the property.
He said firefighters appeared to be working to keep the flames from spreading.
The club also has a tennis house converted into a practice golf facility, along with storage areas, Tom said. The extent of damage to those areas had not been determined.
The fire also could affect the club’s annual ADIOS fundraiser, a multi-day event that raises money for children’s charities.
Tom said the tournament was scheduled for this weekend, though it was unclear whether it could proceed.
Lochmoor members said the club’s importance extends beyond golf. Kathy described it as a family-oriented place where members come together.
“Everybody comes here to be together,” she said.
She said members gathered outside Wednesday were in disbelief as they watched the fire.
“We will come back,” she said.
Club President Thomasine Marks also told members the club would rebuild.
“We’re going to build stronger and better,” Marks said, according to Kathy.
Related --> ‘We will come back’: Lochmoor Club members heartbroken after historic Grosse Pointe Woods fire
