On the Road Again – Part I Perhaps you’ve heard the news: Interstate 75 gets a makeover in Oakland County! Extra lanes, modernized ramps, reconstructed overpasses, new drainage, the works. Michigan’s longest route-numbered...

Why does the history of the 1960s matter to us? Certainly each of us alive today could make a claim to a relative being alive during that decade. What were your ancestors doing 50...

And the Nominee is… As Americans follow the protests, rhetoric, and political processes showcased at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, it is important to remember that there have been many controversial presidential candidates...

  It’s all the rage! Pop culture trends come and go and sometimes come back again (here’s looking at you, Pet Rock!) Though fads may fall quickly into obscurity, it’s fun to look back...

  68.1: The first artifact in our collection I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts about how the village relies on donated artifacts to enhance the village. Now I’d like to take us back 50...

  Barbecue! Image: “A Southern Barbecue”, 1887, by Horace Bradley Summertime in the United States is practically synonymous with barbecue cooking, a tradition that really predates written history. In 2007, Israeli scholars from the...

  “Go straight & be merry; Go crooked & regret it:” How Jail Cell Graffiti Tells a Story.     Let’s go behind the ropes, to the Township Hall jail cell. Located in the...

  Enjoying Art in Great Historic Spaces The front page story in Wednesday’s Free Press highlighted Detroit’s new Moran Bondaroff Gallery. The first installation, which opens this week, is an exhibit of contemporary art...

The ways we are connected to nature. Through History: We live in Oakland County. Surveyors in 1816-17 reported this area had “good oak land.” Thanks to the Twelve Oaks Mall, we can remember how...

  Honoring Troy Historical Society Have you ever wondered how the Troy Historic Village came to be? A few of our founding members in a typical gathering, including (facing camera, from left) Richard Drue,...

THV Adult Programs & Services Director Stephanie Suszek is marathon runner turned triathlete turned ultra runner. Combining a love of challenging athletic endeavors and history, she will attempt to run her first-ever 100-mile trail...

Reflections from an Ultra-Marathon Chain O’ Lakes Park in Indiana is beautiful– rolling terrain carved by glaciers 10,000 years ago and pretty lakes bordered by wetlands. The redbud trees were in full bloom last...

  Picture, if you will, it’s the end of 1862. Oakland County, the State of Michigan, and a divided nation are in the thralls of the conflict happening at the borders of the Union...

Why you can’t find everything online RIGHT NOW. (And a shout out for collections volunteers) A supplemental post by Elizabeth Thornburg Who needs Libraries and Archives? Everything I need is online!  Said no Genealogist...

  Remembering Mary. . . It is a bittersweet day. Mary Cornelius, 91 years young, passed away yesterday. Mary was a spit fire who never withheld her opinion. She stated the facts as she...