Stories from Elmwood: Exploring the Past in a Detroit Cemetery

Rochester Hill Museum at Van Hoosen Farm 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester HIlls, MI

The park-like grounds of Detroit’s Elmwood Cemetery provide a unique glimpse into the city’s fascinating past. Join us as we meet the politicians, generals, abolitionists, explorers, businessmen, and everyday figures who repose in this hallowed part of Detroit. Elmwood’s “residents” include numerous “conductors” of the Underground Railroad, a 19th century baseball hall-of-famer, the author of […]

Free

The Witch of Delray

Rochester Hill Museum at Van Hoosen Farm 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester HIlls, MI

Detroit was full of stark contrasts in 1931. Political scandals, rum runners and mobs lurked in the shadows of the city's soaring architecture and industrious population. As the Great Depression began to take hold, tensions grew, spilling over into the investigation of a mysterious murder at the boardinghouse of Hungarian immigrant Rose Veres. Amid accusations […]

Free

Avon at Andersonville

Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester, MI

Join RAHS member Chris Brown who will discuss the local connection to the notorious Confederate prison. In February of 1864, as the Civil War dragged on into its fourth year, a small patch of rural Georgia countryside was turned into the Confederate Prisoner-of-War Camp known as Andersonville. Overcrowding, inadequate water and food supplies, unsanitary conditions, […]

Free

The Future of Meadow Brook Hall

Rochester Hill Museum at Van Hoosen Farm 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester HIlls, MI

Meadow Brook Hall executive director William Matt shares recent updates and developments related to the construction, renovation, and interpretive focus happening at MBH in 2023. This program is free and open to the public. Bring a lunch and a friend! Registration required.

Free

Citizens of the American Colonies: The Patriots

Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester, MI

Meet three Patriot Players from America's Colonial past - Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, and Sybil Ludington. Hear each tell their story of the roles they played in helping America to become America. Larissa Fleishman has been a living historian for about 20 years and has worked at Greenfield Village as a historic costumed presenter for […]

Free

Life & Times of Eliza Seaman Leggett

Rochester Hill Museum at Van Hoosen Farm 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester HIlls, MI

To highlight Women's History Month, Lori Miller of the Oakland History Center will discuss the life and times of Eliza Seaman Leggett (1815 – 1900). Leggett was an American suffragist and abolitionist who is buried in Pontiac’s Oak Hill Cemetery. The abolition of slavery was one of Mrs. Leggett's passions. She worked with noted abolitionists, […]

Free

Gettysburg the Movie: Behind the Scenes

Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester, MI

** Due to the presenter's scheduling conflict, this program has been rescheduled from Nov. 3 to April 6** Brian Egen joins RAHS to present on his experiences in making the movie, Gettysburg, in which he had a speaking role alongside actor Jeff Daniels. The movie was made on the actual Gettysburg battlefield and in and […]

Free

How Hamtramck Became a Major League City

Rochester Hill Museum at Van Hoosen Farm 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester HIlls, MI

Gary Gillette of the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium will discuss the history of the Negro baseball leagues in Detroit and Hamtramck, as well as the story of Hamtramck Stadium. This program is free and open to the public. Please register for this program.

Free

Oak Hill Cemetery Guided Tour

oak hill cemetery 216 University Dr., Pontiace, MI

Oakland Township Historical Society and the Rochester-Avon Historical Society invite you to join us on our annual joint field trip! Let's all meet at Trini & Carmen's, O, Waterford, for lunch on your own at 11:30 am, then on to Oak Hill Cemetery for a 1:30 p.m. tour with Mike McGuiness, executive director of the […]