Ypsilanti Historical Society facts for kids
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| Established | 1961 |
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| Location | 220 N Huron St, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 |
The Ypsilanti Historical Society is a group that helps people learn about the history of Ypsilanti, Michigan. It was started in 1961. The Society runs the Ypsilanti Historical Museum and the Rudisill-Fletcher-White Archives. Both are located in a beautiful old house called the Historic 1860 Dow House. This house is at 220 North Huron Street in Ypsilanti.
The Dow House is a large, fancy home built in 1860. It was made for Asa and Minerva Dow. Asa Dow was the first president of the Ypsilanti Savings Bank. The Ypsilanti Historical Society took over the house in 1970. Before that, the City of Ypsilanti owned it. The city had bought the house and others nearby, planning to build a shopping area. However, local people protested, and this led to the creation of the Ypsilanti Historic District, which helps protect old buildings.
Contents
What is the Ypsilanti Historical Museum?
The Ypsilanti Historical Museum is set up like a traditional house museum. This means you can see how people lived in different time periods.
Exploring the Dow House Rooms
- Parlor: This room looks like it did in the 1880s. It was a formal living room where guests were entertained.
- Sitting Room: This room shows what a sitting room looked like in the late 1920s. It was a more relaxed space for family.
- Dining Room: You can see a dining room set up for meals.
- Kitchen: There's a kitchen from the early 1900s, showing how cooking was done back then.
- Bedroom: A bedroom on the second floor is also displayed.
- Solarium: This special room was built with the house. It has a slatted floor for watering plants and a roof vent to control the temperature.
- Library: The library features a beautiful stained glass window. This window was made by Tiffany Studios in New York City. It originally came from another old building nearby called the Starweather Ladies Library.
What are the Rudisill-Fletcher-White Archives?
The Rudisill-Fletcher-White Archives are a special collection of historical items. They are located in the renovated basement of the Dow House. The Archives have a meeting space, a reading room, and special storage areas. These storage rooms control temperature and humidity to protect old documents and photos.
What You Can Find in the Archives
The Archives hold many important historical items about Ypsilanti and the surrounding areas.
- Local History: Collections cover the history of Ypsilanti City and Township.
- Schools and Universities: You can find information about Eastern Michigan University, Lincoln Consolidated Schools, and Ypsilanti Community Schools.
- Willow Run Bomber Plant: There are records related to the famous Willow Run Bomber Plant, which was very important during World War II.
- Documents and Photos: The Archives have family Bibles, old maps, city directories, postcards, and yearbooks. They also keep many obituaries, news clippings, and Ypsilanti newspapers on microfilm.
- Legal Records: You can even find old tax records and court documents.
Much of the collection was put together by former Ypsilanti City Historians, Louis S. White and Foster Fletcher. The Ypsilanti Historical Society continues to add to this collection.
Online Photo Collection
The Ypsilanti Historical Society has worked with the University of Michigan Library to make history easier to access. They have put over 17,500 digitized photos related to Ypsilanti online. This means you can explore many old pictures from home!
Publications and Awards
The Ypsilanti Historical Society publishes a quarterly magazine called Ypsilanti Gleanings. This magazine has been published since 1973. It shares interesting stories and facts about Ypsilanti's past. In 2009, the magazine won a State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan. You can find digital versions of Ypsilanti Gleanings online on the Internet Archive and the Society's website.
The Ypsilanti Historical Museum is also a member of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. This group helps preserve the history of the automobile industry in Michigan.
See also
- List of historical societies in Michigan
