November 2010

School groups choosing the “Live-in” program get hands-on experience in rural 19th century life. Students can assist with seasonal chores in a household without electricity or running water or role-play the lives of students in the 1870s. They may visit the General Store, watch the village blacksmith fashion tools over the forge, or walk through the woods to find a rustic cabin or wigwam.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience. The museum provides exhibitions and programs that explore the diversity of African American history and culture.

The Allen House is on the site of Birmingham's first brick schoolhouse. In fact, some of the bricks from the school were used in constructing the home, which was formerly the residence of the Harry Allen family. Mr. Allen was the first Mayor when Birmingham became a city in 1933. Together, the Allen House and the Hunter House are now known as the Birmingham Historical Museum.

Through research, the museum collects, preserves, and interprets artifacts, specimens, and information concerning the 15 counties in Northeast Michigan. Through programs and exhibits, it promotes understanding and appreciation of the past and present.

Initial efforts aimed at preserving Michigan’s oldest courthouse, built in 1839. From the beginning, however, plans included establishing a county museum. The dual mission of the BCHA remains to preserve the historic structures on the 1839 Courthouse Square and to preserve and interpret the rich heritage of Berrien County for residents and visitors alike. Approximately one-half of the buildings and property on the 1839 Courthouse Square is owned by BCHA, with the other half owned by Berrien County. The historical association also manages historic legal records for the county, making them available to researchers and genealogists.

The Belleville Area Museum first opened at Old Quirk School in 1989, featuring small-scale replicas of historical buildings which once stood in Belleville, Sumpter, and Van Buren Townships. With visitors regularly promenading its “Main Street”, the museum became a popular attraction. In 1995, with Quirk School slated for demolition, Van Buren Township offered the use of its Old Township Hall on Belleville’s Main Street as the new site of the museum. The Old Township Hall was constructed in 1875 and is a State of Michigan Registered Historic Site.

The exhibits throughout the museum strive to portray the history of Rome and the surrounding area. The permanent exhibits travel through time, beginning with the Native Americans and early settlers and continuing through the Civil War and onto developing Rome's culture and industries. Original documents such as maps, photographs, books, and personal letters are displayed in the permanent exhibits. The museum also houses an archives which holds memorabilia pertaining to the Northwest Georgia region.

Built in 1722, the house was once home to William Bull, a stonemason builder, and his wife Sarah Wells, pioneer maiden to the Wawayanda Patent. Strong family roots are still evident as an eighth generation family member resides and proudly welcomes visitors to the ten room colonial dwelling and grounds. Descendants of William and Sarah have continued to meet annually for over 100 years at the site for family reunion picnics. It's not surprising to see over 500 descendants merge for a day of festivities and fun -- and in doing so, keep their ties to the past enduring as they make new memories for generations to come.

The history of Wilderstein begins in 1852 with Thomas Holy Suckley's purchase of the river front site, then a sheep meadow of the adjacent late 18th-century estate, Wildercliff. Suckley's fortune had been secured through the family export trade and real estate investments. He was a descendant of the Beekman and Livingston families whose estate houses were prominent landmarks in this region of the Hudson River Valley from the 17th through the late 19th centuries.

The Main House was built in the 1930s in a Georgian and Greek Revival Architectural structure. The home today is furnished as it once was with prime antiques, Audubon prints, and other exquisite art. Visitors are encouraged to take self-guided tours around the 77 acres open to the public. Main house tours are guided. The plantation home is a place both rich in art and history.