Grangers Silver Anniversary a Hit

The sky was blue, the bounces were true and the grass was an emerald hue. Such was the scene at Van Hoosen Farm when the Grangers lately celebrated their 25th season of vintage base ball. To help with the festivities were the Columbus Capitals, who took a group of apprentice Rochester ballists, and taught them the vintage game a quarter century ago. As special guests the Grangers welcomed a number of returning players from that inaugural season. On hand and in uniform were Mike "Cueball" … [Read more...]

The Future of Meadow Brook Hall

The Rochester-Avon Historical Society (RAHS) will present “The Future of Meadow Brook Hall” with Meadow Brook Hall executive director William Matt on Tuesday, December 6, at 12 noon as a part of RAHS’ Brown Bag Afternoon Programs.   The program will take place at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm located at 1005 Van Hoosen Road Rochester Hills, MI.  Meadow Brook Hall was built in 1929 and is a National Historic Landmark. Open to the public for tours, Meadow … [Read more...]

Pedal the Past History Bike Tour June 30

Bike Riders and History Lovers Unite The Rochester Hills Public Library (RHPL) and the Rochester Hills Museum host a bike ride through Rochester's past and visit historical sites around downtown. Each turn and trail will reveal another chapter of Rochester's story. Attendees may register for one of six time slots between 6:00-7:30 p.m. on June 30. Each slot will accommodate up to 12 riders. Tours are approximately three miles long. Helmets are strongly encouraged. Space is limited. Registration … [Read more...]

Rochester Garden Walk Highlights Local Private Gardens

The 22nd annual Rochester Garden Walk will provide an opportunity to spend the day learning about plants and gardens, while being inspired by plantings and landscapes. This event is co-sponsored by the Rochester Garden Club and The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, and it highlights many gardens in the greater Rochester area. This year’s event takes place Thursday, June 16, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The private gardens on the tour – in and around Rochester – show each owner’s … [Read more...]

Drop-in for the Holidays at the Rochester Hills Museum

The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is open for drop-in hours on select dates this winter from 12 noon - 3:00 p.m., with a Guided Tour of the Van Hoosen Farmhouse at 1:00 p.m. They’ll have the 1840 Van Hoosen Farmhouse beautifully decorated with boughs of holly, old Christmas cards, family gifts, community cookbooks, and a 10-foot Christmas tree in the library. Visitors will find seasonal interactive All Aboard: Model Railroad Exhibit! on display in the Calf Barn. Remaining … [Read more...]

Life History Narratives of Detroit Auto Workers in the 1950s

Smart Towns presents “Life History Narratives of Detroit Auto Workers in the 1950s” with Daniel Clark, September 23 Smart Towns host Oakland University history professor Daniel Clark on Thursday, September 23, at 7:00 p.m. at Rochester Hills Public Library. Clark will discuss the lives of 1950s Detroit autoworkers and their resilience during a time of economic and job insecurity.  Clark's first book, Like Night and Day: Unionization in a Southern Mill Town, explored what … [Read more...]

Rochester-Avon Historical Society presents ‘Visiting Michigan Cider Mills’

The Rochester-Avon Historical Society will present “Michigan Cider Mills” as part of its popular lunchtime Brown Bag program series on Tuesday, September 7, at 12 noon at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. Did you know Michigan is home to more than a hundred cider mills? Spread across the state, these independently owned, local businesses celebrate the best the fall harvest provides. Farm fresh produce, honey, baked goods, and old-fashioned candies are just some of the local … [Read more...]

The Woman’s Relief Corps Served Rochester for Generations

A quilt on display in the farmhouse at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is a window to the charitable work of a Rochester women’s organization that served the community for three-quarters of a century. The center panel of the WRC quilt identifies it as the product of Rochester post 227 (From the Archives of the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm). One year after the Civil War ended, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was formed as a veterans’ advocacy and fraternal … [Read more...]

Young Leaders Celebrate Cider Season with Tasting at Fieldstone Winery

Virtual and In Person Options Available Young Leaders Celebrate Cider Season with Tasting Join the Rochester Hills Museum Young Leaders (RHMYL) at Fieldstone Winery for a hard cider tasting and a presentation on the history of cider on October 15 at 7:00 p.m. This hybrid event will have both virtual and limited in person options. Each ticket will include a package of eight hard cider samples and a presentation on the history of cider by Museum Program Coordinator Cathy Fitzpatrick and … [Read more...]

Lost Villages in Oakland and Macomb Counties

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm publishes the history of Lost Villages in Oakland and Macomb Counties Lost Villages in Oakland and Macomb Counties The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm has reprinted a book that discovers the Lost Villages in Oakland and Macomb Counties. If This is Hastings...Then Where is Hog’s Hollow – was originally printed in 1990, but with the explosive residential and commercial growth in Oakland and Macomb Counties over the past thirty years … [Read more...]