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Updated: Sep 9, 2021
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Past Events
Thursday, August 13, 2015 History of Corvette Design with Author and Corvette Historian Jerry BurtonLocal Corvette Historian Jerry Burton returned to the Baldwin Public Library just in time for the 2015 Woodward Dream Cruise. Mr. Burton discussed his insight on Corvette design from his 2008 book, Corvette: America's Sports Car Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. This program was presentation is conjunction with our current exhibition, “History’s Highway: The Story of Woodward Avenue,” It drew attendees from classic car collectors to Corvette buffs to Dream Cruise enthusiasts, and participants came back to the museum to check out the exhibit and chat further with Mr. Burton.
Sunday, July 26, 2015 “Indian Trail Marker Trees of Michigan,” Eric Hemenway, Director of Repatriation, Archives, and Records, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Woodward Avenue, aka The Saginaw Trail, was once a heavily traveled footpath that stretched from Detroit to Saginaw and beyond. Changes in the trail were marked by native peoples with trees that were trained into bent shapes, called marker trees or crooked trees. These now-ancient trees are largely gone and forgotten, but a few still survive in Michigan. Come hear Eric Hemenway speak about the cultural and historic importance of these remarkable trees, which are featured in the current exhibition, “History’s Highway: The Story of Wood-ward Avenue,” now on display at the Birmingham Historical Museum & Park. Presentation is free to the public. Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at the Baldwin Public Library
“A Hidden Treasure: The William E. Scripps Mansion.” This program by Museum Director Leslie Pielack will take you inside this now privately-owned monument to pre-Depression American architecture built in 1927 by William E. Scripps. Scripps was heir to James E. Scripps' (Detroit News) fortune. He was also an early aviator, automobile manufacturer, engineer, and patron of American architectural art and craftsmanship. Working with architect and brother-in-law Clarence E. Day, and famous landscape architect Bryant Fleming, Scripps incorporated some of the most innovative concepts and fine craftsmanship in the house and 60-acre designed grounds. At an enormous 2.5 million dollars, it cost more per square foot to build than other well-known estates of its time, and this program will show why it is one of the greatest architectural treasures in America. This program is part of the Friends of Birmingham Historical Museum & Park's lecture series. Free. Saturday, November 1, 2015
Get CREEMed at the Museum! The museum recently received the most significant collection of CREEM artifacts and documents held by any public institution. To celebrate its new Charlie Auringer CREEM Collection, we created a two-part event that included a presentation by former CREEM editor/writer Susan Whitall, followed by a CREEM party at the museum. Ms. Whitall's presentation entitled, "CREEM Magazine in Birmingham: Pop Cultural Mayhem, Rock Stars, and Lester Bangs," was co-sponsored by the Baldwin Public Library. It was standing room only, and the museum was packed with visitors, including a couple of younger generation folks who experimented with the mock CREEM office's IBM Selectric typewriter interactive display. Event photos by Birmingham photographer Sam Sefton can be viewed here, and the presentation by Ms. Whitall can be viewed online here. Monday, June 16, 2014
Afternoon Backstage with Chad Smith — This ticketed special event reception on June 21 brought participants an opportunity to meet Chad Smith, famous drummer from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, see the museum's display of his personal artifacts and awards, and gave them the exclusive chance to bid on autographed silent auction items to take home their own memorabilia of this local musician and rock star. Only a very limited number of people were able to participate in order to keep the experience personal. Excellent food and beverages were provided, and the museum raised needed funds for the Hill School Bell Project. Chad was also presented with the key to the City of Birmingham by Mayor Scott Moore.
Later that same evening, Chad performed with students from Axis Music Academy and the winner of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Community Coalition's Battle of the Bands--the band Shock Wave. The event was called, Evening with Chad Smith, which featured the young artists performing their own works as well as coming on stage at different points to jam together and with Chad. A notable moment was when Chad played a drum duo with the drummer from Shock Wave, rocking unbelievably to Kiss' "Detroit Rock City." The evening, which was hosted by Axis and the BBCC, took place at the Berman Center in West Bloomfield. The museum received a portion of the proceeds, and Axis created a "Curt and Joan Smith Scholarship" to recognize Chad's parents. (Photo by Carroll DeWeese)