The Ark was established in 1965 as an outreach ministry—a coffeehouse—by five local churches: Northside Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Calvary Presbyterian Church, Campus Chapel, and Presbyterian Campus Center.  Though the Ark began as a partnership between religious organizations, the purpose of the Ark was not evangelism.  Rather, the Ark founders wanted to provide university students with a safe, substance-free space where music, discussion, and artistic expression could thrive, and a respite from the turbulent campus climate of the mid 1960s.

After the Presbyterians dropped the lease (and later destroyed the house) The Ark was forced to find a new home. It opened its doors for a second time on September 7, 1984, occupying the third floor of the old brick factory building on S. Main and Mosley.

Read this article published in the 1990 Ann Arbor Observer for a great read about The Ark’s early history.