The Brighton Area Historical Society is your connection to local history. Our goal is to discover and learn about our history because we believe our past is worth preserving. If you share our passion for history, then you are in the right place. The BAHS is focused on the history of the greater Brighton Area and the surrounding townships of Livingston County, Michigan. We also operate the historic Lyon School house which has been fully restored and features an elementary school curriculum. Please take a moment and look around. Your history is here waiting to be discovered.
Up Coming Events and Latest News:
Current CoBACH Exhibit:
“Canopy Restaurant”
March – April 2024
CoBACH Hours Thursday — Fri: 5—8pm
Saturday 11—5pm
Sunday 2—5pm
Closed Monday – Wednesday
Vintage Used Jewelry Sale — Annual BAHS Fundraiser
April 25—May 4
CoBACH Center
Weekdays: 5—9pm; Weekend: 1—9pm
Did you know a major bling sale is about to start in downtown Brighton next to the Millpond? Over 5000 pieces of packaged jewelry are ready for your special tastes. Average price for 90% of the selections are about $5.
The Vintage Used Jewelry Sales at the CoBACH Center is the major fundraiser for the Brighton Area Historical Society. There is no broken jewelry! Earrings, pins, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and watches are ready to wear for your special events. Can’t beat these prices and shopping the choices will be a lot of fun! Bring your neighbors and friends. This costume jewelry is priced to sell!
Jim Vichich
BAHS President
info@BrightonAreaHistorical.com
810-250-7276
Thank You Members for 2023,
Help Needed for 2024!
As 2023 rolls to a close, a hearty thank you is shared with all members and donors! Memberships continue to be steady. Volunteers have been awesome. Donations and memberships need an increase.
The Board of Directors recently was forced to act with the never popular task of raising membership dues. Dues have been held constant for over 20 years. The dues seen on page three reflect these increases. The society has been blessed with increasing membership over this period of time. Likewise, more historical programming has also evolved. Today, we see (15) colorful life size silhouettes sharing Brighton’s history in the downtown; (163) restored headstones now stand tall in the Old Village Cemetery, having been freed from the sod that clutched them toward their broken demise. A recent 2023 award from the Michigan Historic Preservation Network for the outstanding volunteer effort in the Old Village Cemetery restoration is validation to the quality of work and programming provided. The Lyon Schoolhouse has been updated in the classroom and museum room. Displays have been refreshed. The archive room is in the early stages of total revitalization due to the new software that will catalog all collections and identify their specific location. CoBACH Center displays and exhibits showcase multiple aspects of our community and its proud history. We count our blessings with our dedicated and involved volunteers that keep the continuing, informative exhibits, along with archiving and restorations in motion. The awesome deck of downtown historical playing cards required extensive research from the society and significant amounts of time from partner, Denise Murray of the Brighton DDA, who implemented the funding, printing and the free card give-away with the merchants. These complete decks of historical cards will now be sold for a very reasonable $10 a pack, starting in November by the BAHS.
The historical society knows the enjoyment that community members receive in seeing old photos and learning about Brighton’s early days. The Facebook postings from Brighton Area Historical Society have over 4700 followers and is proof to the value and interest in local history.
Annual operational expenses have seen large increases. Monthly newsletter printing and postage rates have seen the same significant upward increase as the rates for the society’s electric and gas utilities. Insurance rates covering both the schoolhouse and CoBACH Center have more than doubled in the last (15) years.
But what has not changed until now is the increase in annual membership dues. The society is so very thankful for the many individuals and businesses that have paid upfront to become lifetime members. These onetime monies funded many capital improvements over the years at the schoolhouse. These im-provements in some cases need updating every decade or sooner. What is the current source for these maintenance funds?
This brings us back to the issue of operational expenses. More memberships, increased annual dues, and donations from our friends and lifetime members are needed. Will you please consider an increase in your donation or membership for 2024? Remember all officers and directors receive no salaries or funds of any type for the work we love to share with the community. The Brighton Area Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and your membership dues and donations may be tax deductible.
Thank you for your consideration!
Jim Vichich
BAHS President
info@BrightonAreaHistorical.com
810.250.7276
We are please to announce that you may now purchase or renew a membership and make a donation online! Please go to the Membership/Donation page here:
or BAHS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL-2024 / Sponsorship form download
*** BRIGHTON AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY ***
LARRY LAWRENCE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEE, 2023
The Brighton Area Historical Society is proud to announce that for 2023, we are awarding Maximilian Eric Anderson the Larry Lawrence Memorial Scholarship.
Max graduated from Cheryl Stockwell Academy on June 4 and will be attending Washtenaw Community College. Max is interested in Engine Dynamometer operation.
This is the fourth year for the scholarship program, Max is the eighth trade school student from the Brighton Area to be awarded a scholarship. The Larry Lawrence Scholarship Committee is sure Larry would be very pleased with this year’s selection.
Scholarship awardees can be viewed here:
*** BRIGHTON AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY ***
LARRY LAWRENCE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The Larry Lawrence Memorial scholarship will be given yearly to a graduating senior from the Brighton Area that is going to a Vocational School. The scholarship will be for $2000.00 to support the awardee in his or her education.
For more information, please refer to the Larry Lawrence Memorial Scholarship Program by clicking here:
Archiving at Lyon School on Buno Road is also OPEN at this time.
Lyon Schoolhouse: Lyon School is has reopen for archiving Thursday, June 3 from 9-12noon.
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