One of Preservation Farmington’s initiatives is helping history-lovers and historic house owners and enthusiasts learn more about preservation topics. To that end, we’re planning to hold both hands-on workshops and an ongoing lecture series throughout the year.
Have something you’d love to see featured? We welcome your suggestions. Drop us a line at preservationfarmington@gmail.com.
WORKSHOPS
Our September 2017 wood window repair workshop was a sellout! We partnered with the Farmington Hills Historic District Commission, City of Farmington Hills, and Michigan Historic Preservation Network for a hands-on program with specialist Jim Turner of Turner Restoration.
LECTURE SERIES
Researching Your Historic House: Focus on Farmington and the Hills – February 27, 2018 at 7pm at the historic Oakewood Cottage in Farmington Hills
Our very popular presentation on historic house research has been updated and will be held at the historic Oakewood Cottage aka the Edward Beals House. Although the focus is on resources in the Farmington/Farmington Hills area, the research techniques presented can be used in any locale. Following our presentation, you’ll be given a tour of Oakewood Cottage!
How Farmington & Farmington Hills Got Their Shapes – March 27, 2018 at 7pm at the Farmington Heritage and History Museum located within Heritage Park
Paul Sewick writes about Metro Detroit land development history at the Detroit Urbanism blog. In this talk, Sewick explores the history of how the borders of Farmington and Farmington Hills came to be. You will learn about the 1817 government survey that led to our “mile road” system, annexation battles between city and township, proposed cities that never came to be, and the possibility of future consolidation.
Kit House Hunters Wendy and Andrew Mutch – April 27, 2018 at 7pm – located to be determined
Wendy and Andrew Mutch are back to talk kit houses! Our last lecture from our favorite kit house hunters was so popular that we knew we had to have them back. Since that last lecture, Wendy and Andrew have been featured on the NBC Nightly News. Learn more about them at their website, www.KitHouseHunters.com.
The Contributions of Emily Butterfield to the Architectural Landscape – September 20, 2018, Oakwoode Cottage, an Emily Butterfield design
Delve into the life of Emily Butterfield, graduate of the Syracuse University school of architecture and the first female architect of Michigan. Butterfield was a dynamic woman with an artistic bent who was an early activist of the women’s movement. Join Ken Klemmer and Jena Stacey as we explore this fascinating woman and her architecture.
More details at www.facebook.com/events/2068196033494158.
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PRIOR LECTURES
All lectures will be held at the Heritage and History Center in Heritage Park (24725 Farmington Road). Admission is $5, payable at the door.
A
rchitectural styles of Farmington and the Hills (September 21, 2017: 7 p.m.)
You enjoy walking or driving through historic neighborhoods, taking in the ambiance and atmosphere of hundreds of years of collective history. Delve a little deeper into the realm of historic home building, see how styles evolved over the years, and learn how to distinguish a Queen Anne from a Foursquare or Storybook.
Speaker Jena Stacey holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Eastern Michigan University. She is a co-founder of Preservation Farmington and former member of the Farmington Historical Commission.
Kit Houses in Metro Detroit (October 6, 2017: 7 p.m.)
They came in the mail: thousands of individual, marked parts… and a set of instructions. Then, it was up to the homeowners to put it together themselves. These ready-made houses came in many different styles from manufacturers such as Sears, Roebuck and Co. and local manufacturers such as Aladdin Homes in Bay City. Michigan, shipping pre-cut parts across the United States, was the epicenter of kit home manufacturing.
Speakers Wendy and Andrew Mutch are local kit-house historians.
Researching Your Historic Home (December 7, 2017: 7 p.m.)
You love your historic home, and you want to find out who lived there before you did. Or maybe you’re researching the home of one of your ancestors or relatives. Deed research, directories, maps, historic photos, and more will set you well on the path to discovery.
Speaker Jena Stacey holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Eastern Michigan University. She is a co-founder of Preservation Farmington and former member of the Farmington Historical Commission.
PRESERVATION FARMINGTON 