Open: 2nd & 4th/5th Sundays and 1st/3rd Fridays 1-4 pm
Closed: Holiday weekends and when a GWBHS program is elsewhere.
** Please note: Please check event locations carefully and check this page for the latest updates. **
**GWBHS has a new Open House schedule May-August 2024!**
Open: 2nd & 4th/5th Sundays and 1st & 3rd Fridays 1-4 pm
E. LeRoy Pelletier Open House
Sunday, July 14, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Rick Bartus, former subdivision resident, shares facets of E. LeRoy Pelletier’s life, 1868-1939. Pelletier was Henry Ford’s first “PR man” and a West Bloomfield resident.
Celebration Appreciation Reception
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 6-8 pm
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Members, supporters, and volunteers are invited for refreshments with one complimentary ticket per person for a raffle with terrific prizes. A celebratory toast for 50 years of volunteers! RSVP appreciated but not required by July 10 to anna@gwbhs.org or (248) 757-2451.
Open House
Friday, July 19, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Open House
Friday, August 2, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Car Show & Poker Rally: Things You Auto Know About Local History
Sunday, August 11, 2024, 9 am-3 pm
Start and end at West Bloomfield High School, 4925 Orchard Lake Road
Car Show: 9 am-12 pm, free to attend, $20 to compete, presented by WBHS Robotics Club. Poker Rally: 12-3 pm, free for vehicles with a GWBHS membership ($25) or $30 per vehicle. Drive to historic locations and get a playing card. Best poker hand wins an awesome trophy! Details at www.gwbhs.org/pokerrally/.
Pine Lake Marina Tour
Thursday, August 15, 2024, 7-8 pm
Pine Lake Marina, 3599 Orchard Lake Road
($8 for residents / $10 for non-residents)
Gather at Pine Lake Marina for historical information about the longtime marina, water taxis, the camp on Pine Lake, and trolley transportation with Ron Hodess, Ron Gay, and Brian Golden. We’ll walk to the nearby Interurban railway bed. Register through www.wbparks.org.
Open House
Friday, August 16, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Open House
Sunday, August 25, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Open House: Celebrating 50 Years
Sunday, September 8, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Enjoy soda and cupcakes, 1974 fun facts and music, and old-fashioned fun for all ages. Free admission, donations appreciated. Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Presentation: Mapping Local History
Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 7 pm
West Bloomfield Library 4600 Walnut Lake Road
Learn about the project to update our 49 year old map of area historic sites. Receive free copies of the 1975 and 2024 maps. Free admission, donations appreciated.
Open House
Friday, September 20, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Open House: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Sunday, October 13, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Indigenous people are known to have lived in West Bloomfield at the time of the first official survey in 1817. Come learn more about the history of Indigenous people in the area. Free admission, donations appreciated. Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Open House
Friday, October 18, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Autumn Nature Walk
Sunday, October 20, 2024, 7-8 pm
Orchard Lake Nature Sanctuary 4700 Pontiac Trail
Join naturalist Carol Fink to explore the seasonal autumn beauty of the rolling terrain of Orchard Lake Nature Sanctuary (event co-sponsor).
Open House: Military Collection
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
See our military gear, newspaper articles, photos, uniforms from WWI, WWII, and Korean War. Share or donate your family military memories and objects. Free admission, donations appreciated.
Open House
Friday, November 15, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Presentation: 50 Years of GWBHS History
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 7 pm
West Bloomfield Library 4600 Walnut Lake Road
Join us for a look back at the timeline of 50 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of our communities. Free admission, donations appreciated.
Open House: Vintage Wooden Toys
Sunday, December 8, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Enjoy our vintage wooden toy collection, along with other vintage toys, this holiday season! Hands-on activities. Engaging permanent exhibits interpret local area culture and history. Free admission, donations appreciated.
Volunteer Opportunities Meeting
Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 7 pm
Orchard Lake Nature Sanctuary 4700 Pontiac Trail
Are you looking for flexible, interesting volunteer opportunities? Come learn our needs, from one-time to long-term commitments. We need volunteers looking to make a difference in our community and help keep our unique local history alive! RSVP by Tuesday, December 10 to contact@gwbhs.org.
Open House
Friday, December 20, 2024, 1-4 pm
(Free admission, donations appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Permanent exhibits interpret local area history and culture.
Monthly Open Houses
2nd & 4th/5th Sundays and 1st & 3rd Fridays, 1-4 pm
(Free Admission, Donations Appreciated)
Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road
Enjoy temporary and permanent exhibits interpreting area history and culture. Occasionally guest presenters share their interests.