The first Schoolhouse in Brighton was built on the Grand River Trail in 1837. The building was used for about ten years and during that time the Brighton-Genoa Fractional District No. 5 was formed. The village grew, the citizens became dissatisfied with the old building and it was sold. A house on what is now […]
To commemorate the recent progress in the restoration of the old building, it was felt that a summary of the work of the Society’s Old Town Hall Restoration Committee and a short review of the building’s history was appropriate. The Society has been conducting fund raising projects to restore the Hall for future use as […]
Ben Cushing built the Brighton Hotel on the NE corner of Grand River and Main Street, in 1850, at the time of the completion of the planked toll road connecting Detroit with the newly built capital at Lansing. A continual procession of teams and vehicles traversed the road in both directions. Brighton at the half […]
A walk north on the east side of Grand River, in 1870, brought one past the Brighton Hotel (lots 47-48), noting the large barn to the east along East Fitch Street. The M.L. Case store (lot 49) is adjacent, bordering the Martin Wickes store (lot 50) and DuBois blacksmith shop (lot 51). After crossing Mill Street […]
The 1915 map of Brighton village indicates an A.C. Stewart elevator on the west side of the railroad tracks, across from the depot. Why would one find an elevator in such a location? In 2008 parlance an elevator moves between floors of a multi-story building. In 1915, an elevator also moved items between floors; beans […]
Further research will be necessary to determine who built the Western House Hotel, Livery and Carriage Barn in 1873. In 1879, P. D. Skillbeck owned the building and R.M. Filmore was the proprietor. Prior to the arrival of the railroad to Brighton in 1871, travelers had arrived by stage coach on the planked toll road […]
Upcoming planned changes to the built landscape of Nobles 1837 Plat of Brighton, which includes new construction on both sides of Grand River north of St. Paul Street, encourage a study of previous uses of lots 40-43 on the west side.
In 1871, Grant S. Burgess had been working for William McPherson & Sons in their general merchandise store in Howell. In partnership with McPherson he opened a dry goods, household, general store in Brighton, 1874. This was one of the very early businesses built west of Ore Creek at 334 W. Main. Originally the building […]
Occasionally, history is revealed by chance. In early 1983, I happened upon the Anderson family of Glen Echo, Maryland, walking along one of our nature trails. Mrs. Carlotta Anderson was searching for the former site of her grandfathers summer home, called Bulling Waters. Her grandfather was Jo Labadie (1850-1933).
According to available documents and letters from early immigrants, the nucleus of a Roman Catholic Church was in existence upon their arrival in 1832. Children were instructed and services held in private homes until completion of a log church, built in the center of Green Oak Township in 1838. Rev. Father Partrick OKelley for many […]
