Raft Hill Co-op
420 Evergreen
(517) 333-3695

Members: 12
Rooms: 8 singles, 2 doubles
Meal Plan: Yes, vegan and vegetarian
Facilities: Limited parking, recycling, composting.
Common Areas: Large dining area, bike room with rack.  Living Room: hardwood floors, bay window, fireplace.  Kitchen: newer stove and oven; blender, food processor, and other appliances; 2 refrigerators.  Bath: Newly remodeled community bathroom with 2 toilets, three sinks and two showers.  Main floor lavatory and also a private bath for one of the double rooms.
Amenities: washer / dryer, cable TV, wireless internet, phone line, sun deck.
Other perks: 1 block from Abbot Road bus line, across street from Valley Court Park, 1 block from downtown.
Blocks from campus: 2

This beautiful Tudor Revival home at 420 Evergreen was built in 1916 by Edward H. Ryder, an East Lansing mayor for seven years, dean at MSU, member of the board of the Peoples Church, and vice-president of the bank. In 1956, it was sold to the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, with the stipulation that it be named the Ryder House in perpetuity. Motts Co-op, established in 1947, bought the house in 1964. George Motts had been an early co-op supporter and long-time faculty advisor to Elsworth House. It folded in 1970 and for two years served as a runaway shelter, called The Raft.

The Green Earth Food Co-op operated out of the house's basement, until it merged with Wolfmoon Food Co-op in 1972. At that time, a group of students from the Brody dormitory at MSU moved in and named it Knight House Co-op and later Narnia, after the Chronicles of Narnia books by C. S. Lewis. In 1974, it was renamed Major Raoul J. Lufberry House after a W.W.I fighter pilot whose picture was found in the attic of one of the co-ops. Lufberry failed in 1980 and SHC reopened the house in 1981 as Raft Hill, in honor of the days as a shelter for runaways. Mrs. Ruth Ryder St. John later chastised SHC for forgetting to keep the name Ryder House.

The three-story house has twelve members. Only two blocks from campus, Raft Hill has a family-style living room with a fireplace and hardwood floors. It also has a large modern kitchen and sun deck.

Raft Hill has 8 singles, 2 doubles & a vegetarian pantry with vegan meals.