The Brighton Area Historical Society, in proud partnership with the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce and Trinity Health, invites you to a heartfelt celebration: Mellus Hospital Heritage Day! We will walk through time, chat with historians, guided tours, learn about the rich history of Mellus. Light refreshments, personalized gift included in the registration fee. Join us as […]
The Brighton community owes a debt of gratitude to Marieanna Bair for her leadership and ex-hausting research of old community and family documents over the past 36 years. This intensive work has led to numerous written articles detailing the history of people, businesses, farms and churches of the Brighton Area.At the May Brighton Area Historical […]
Artist: Lawrence S. Falardeau, Lifestrands ArtworkBio: Brightons 150th Anniversary Project, Lifestrandart.com
The first schoolhouse in Brighton was built in the Grand River Trail in 1837, east of Hope Street. The small log cabin was built prior to the organization of a school district, which seems to have not caused any problem to the residents, altho it seems to put the cart before the horse. (Another source […]
Valet parking has been around for a long time. Leo J. McQuade was doing it around the turn of the century. In an article written for The Good Old Days (Brighton Argus?) in 1975, he reminisced about his Saturday job as a youngster in Brighton. He worked at the Eastern House, N. E. corner Grand […]
The history of St. Pauls Episcopal Church dates from the 1830s when the Rev. Wm. A. Clark, D.D., rector of All Saints Church of New York City journeyed to the West and visited this part of the territory of Michigan. Being pleased with the area, he took up land in Brighton Township and moved his […]
Stephen Lee arrived in Green Oak Township from New York State in the fall of 1830. Benjamin Curtis and his family also arrived about the same time. In June, 1831, the Curtis family joined with the Lees at the Lee home (just south of town) and were led in a worship service by Rev. Moses […]
One of this countrys earliest ski jumping meets was held at Ishpeming, MI in 1892; the origin of the National Ski Association, 1904. A Norwegian immigrant, Mikkel Hall was living in Ishpeming when the first of six sons was born; Henry, February 27, 1893. At a very early age, on home-made barrel staves, he and […]
The first settlers in this area lived in a primitive manner. Any tools they used were brought with them. When axes became dull, plows would break or a horse had thrown a shoe, the need for a blacksmith was acutely obvious.
The advent of gristmills eliminated the tedious hand grinding of grain which had been necessary to have flour, or the labor and expenses of several days travel to bring it from Detroit or Ann Arbor. Today it is difficult to decide which cake mix or which of dozens of types of bread to select. Following […]
