Resources

Local History Resources

Online Walking Tours of Rochester/Rochester Hills: Use this service to walk a tour on your own or from the comfort of home.

Michigan Memories: Michigan Memories provides access to collections from cultural institutions throughout the state of Michigan. These collections are created and maintained by archivists, librarians, and curators who are dedicated to the preservation of Michigan’s history and heritage.

Michigan’s American Indian Heritage: Research guides and links from Michigan State University

Oakland County Bicentennial: Oakland County Executive David Coulter, the Board of Commissioners and the county’s Bicentennial Committee are coordinating activities, celebrations and interactive online presentations with communities, historical societies, educators and educational institutions, service organizations and new collaborations to showcase the county’s rich and colorful history and make it relevant – and interesting – to you, your family, your friend and your life. We’re even passing out 20,000 oak tree seedlings and every community will get an oak tree to plant to commemorate our 200th birthday.

Oakland County Historical Resources: Oakland County Historical Resources, a 501(c)3 consortium of libraries, genealogical and historical societies, seeks historical materials pertaining to the Oakland County, Michigan area to make them searchable and accessible to the public. We digitize local history materials and make them available to the world.

Oakland County Pioneer & Historical Society: We are the oldest county-based historical society in Michigan, and are open to all with an interest in history. We’re an independent, self-sustaining non-profit organization, founded in 1874 by the area’s pioneers.

Rochester Historical Commission: Historical Commission Meetings are open to the public and scheduled on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 pm. Meeting dates and times are subject to change. Please check the City Calendar (tab next to the “News and Announcements” tab on the home page of the City’s website) for the latest updates. Meetings take place at Rochester City Hall Council Chambers, 400 Sixth Street, Rochester.

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm: Located in Stoney Creek Village, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the sixteen-acre museum complex was home to the Taylor and Van Hoosen families back to 1823. It features structures original to the property from 1840 to the early twentieth century. The museum provides local history exhibits, along with educational and cultural programs throughout the year. The museum serves as a repository for artifacts and archives related to the greater Rochester area and offers access for research.

Rod & Sue Wilson Historical Collection: See an online exhibit of the Wilson’s collection at Oakland University.

Remembering Rochester Blog: This blog is written by RAHS member Deborah Larsen.

1825 Territory Map of Michigan: From the archives of Michigan State University

State of Michigan History Resources