The Thursday Bridge Club: A century of cards and camaraderie

In the heart of Socorro, tucked quietly within the rhythm of everyday life, exists one of the state’s oldest ongoing traditions — a bridge club that has been gathering since the early 1900s. Though officially organized in 1911, members trace its origins to 1906, making it the oldest in the state. Over the past century, the club has continued to thrive, passing from grandmother to mother to daughter like an heirloom.

“Back in those days, all the women played bridge, and they were very formal. They dressed up and they had luncheons at their homes,” said current club archivist and third-generation member Judy Oliver Lovelace, who keeps the delicate, pencil-written records from 1911, along with scrapbooks and vintage yearbooks her mother, Eleanor Oliver, handmade that document the club’s history.

A yearbook from 1994 states that “once a member, always a member”, and that membership is “traditionally offered to daughters and daughters-in-law” but others may be elected if a vacancy occurs.

At its peak, the club was a who’s who of local women, complete with detailed logs documenting hostesses, guest lists, and menus for each gathering. One such record, dating back to 1976, lists an elaborate party with seven tables of bridge and a full brunch with cocktails — all for just $158.

Bridge, a once-ubiquitous card game, served as both pastime and lifeline for women in the early 20th century. Today the club’s members still view it as a way to stay connected to friends and keep their brains sharp, albeit without the white gloves and hats.

“It’s a brain game. No two hands are ever the same,” Oliver Lovelace said. “It’s complicated, but it’s great for keeping Alzheimer’s away.”

The club of 12 women meets every second and fourth Thursday at a local restaurant where they have lunch, play bridge, and enjoy one another’s company.

Club member Janine Morgan was invited into the club by her mother Hazel Morgan. She said the club dedicates time to see people you don’t get to see everyday.

“And you find out what’s happening in their lives, and you know, are they traveling, or where have they been?” Janine Morgan said. “If it wasn’t for bridge, I think I would be going bananas, because we all live busy lives, but when I’m at the bridge table, I just leave my worries behind. It’s relaxing and it’s fun. We laugh a lot.”

A club yearbook showed 16 original members in 1911, and 16 active members in 1994, including Morgan and Oliver Lovelace’s mothers. Today, the group faces challenges familiar to many traditions: how to stay relevant in a fast-paced, screen-centric world where few people under 50 know how to play. Bridge is played with four players per table, so having the correct number of players is important.

“It’s a ladies’ card club, but we know a lot of men that play bridge as substitutes (for an absent club member),” Oliver Lovelace said. “We will invite anybody. If you’re a purple goat and you can play bridge, come on in.”

For those who miss the days of calling cards and conversation, or for anyone looking to sharpen their mind and make a few lifelong friends, the Socorro Bridge Club is proof that some traditions — like a perfectly dealt hand — are worth keeping. Anyone interested in learning more can contact Judy Oliver Lovelace at 505-269-6558.