East Side Members Club

Historical Perspective

The East Side Members (ESM) was established in 1970 originally chartered though the AU as the Farmers Members Club. At that time the land was still considered rural located in Roseville, Michigan a Northeast suburb of Detroit. Many fanciers moved from various Detroit enclaves to this area with about 100 members strong. Land was purchased by Lloyd Lozon from Al Gordon, a generous member, on what is now the present location. In the beginning the birds were shipped out of a barn. Many original flyers and founding fathers, sons and grandsons of European immigrants put their skills to work to build the club. The area where the bar is, was the first to be built, followed by the hall area. For a long time the birds were shipped in the back of the building under a tent-like canopy. In subsequent years the shipping garage was also built as an attachment. The name was changed to the East Side Members in 1976 and Chartered to the AU. At that time there were many local clubs in the Southeastern Michigan area, these included Detroit Pigeon Flyers (DPF), Royal Members Club (RMC), North-End Club (NEC), Cadillac Club, (CDC), Sportsman Flyers (SPF), West Side Members (WSM), Northwest Flyers (NWF), Oakland Wayne Club (OWL), Taylor Pigeon Flyers (TPF),Macomb-Oakland Club (MOC) and Wayne Oakland Club (WOC). The combine easily exceeded 400 members at that time. Shipping night on large races was an event to behold, with baskets of pigeons lined up sometimes the length of a football field. Unfortunately, all but four metro area clubs remain: ESM, WSM, SMCC and newly formed TAF club. Despite declining membership, the East Side Members is still one of the best clubs in the Midwest with about forty active members. ESM is proud to sponsor the Motor City Race a prestigious race held annually.