Place Your Legacy Brick at the Highland State Recreation Area Historic Haven Hill Gate House

Starting in the fall of 2017, the 501c3 volunteer group “Friends of Highland Recreation Area” will create a commemorative brick circle at the Haven Hill Conversation Ring in Highland State Recreation Area. The site is on the grounds of the Haven Hill Gate House, which was the former entrance to Edsel and Eleanor Ford’s historic estate. The peaceful garden location is ideal for quiet personal reflection and thoughts of loved ones. Consider a brick paver as a tribute to a friend, family member, or a beloved pet.

Your chosen wording will be engraved on a personalized brick that will become a permanent part of Haven Hill’s rich history.

Brick Dedications: For a donation of $60.00 your brick will be a wonderful and unique gift and a lasting legacy. Bricks are 4”x 8” and can be engraved with 3 lines with up to twelve letters and spaces per line (content is subject to approval). If you desire a special symbol on your brick, please call so we can determine if the one you want is possible to produce.

Proceeds: All proceeds from the brick sales will be used to support the continuing efforts of the Friends of Highland Recreation Area to renovate and repurpose the Edsel and Eleanor Ford buildings at Highland Recreation Area and to maintain the commemorative brick circle.

Special Note: The first commemorative bricks will be installed beginning in August of 2017. Subsequent brick orders will be received and processed for two installation sessions each year.

Ordering is Easy: Complete your form from the website and include a check or money order payable to Friends of Highland Recreation Area. Head to our website, www.fohravolunteers.org. "Click on the Brick" and download an order form.

Additional Questions?  Email us at fohravolunteers@gmail.com. Or call 248-494-8919. 

2014 Dine with Edsel and Eleanor Table Settings Event Coming Soon

The 2014 Dine with Edsel and Eleanor Event Coming Soon! Get your tickets to support the Ladies of FOHRA at www.diningwithedsel.com. On October 5th, 2014, from noon to 5 pm, the Ladies of FOHRA will host the second table setting event “Dine with Edsel and Eleanor” at the Historic Highland Station House located at 205 W. Livingston Rd., Highland, MI.

Tables will be set and decorated for 2 or more. Each table will have a theme and will be decorated by individuals or groups in the area.

There will be a small charge to the public to view the tables. We hope to set as many as 12 tables for people to view and enjoy.

Light beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be served at this year’s event.

Some beautiful table settings photos from the 2013 at the historic Hibbard Tavern:

Dine with Edsel or Picnic with Henry Fundraiser This Weekend!

Reminder to everyone that this weekend is our newest fundraiser. Sunday, Sunday, November 3, at the Hibbard Tavern, 115 E. Summit Street,  in Milford. The Ladies of FOHRA (Friends of Highland Recreation Area) are sponsoring a table settings FUNDRAISER entitled Dine with Edsel or Picnic with Henry, in the Historic Hibbard Tavern Sunday Nov. 3 noon-5.  $6 Tickets at the door ($5 seniors) 115 E. Summit St.   Milford.  Special gifts to the first 50 visitors.  Sketches of the Edsel Ford family will be on display, so come meet the local artist.  Help us raise funds for the refurbishing/re-use of the former Edsel Ford buildings in Highland Recreation Area.   Questions call 248-698-2737.

The Ford Model A in the Park!

Did you know that there were two separate production runs of Model A Fords built in the company's history? The 1st was built from 1903 until 1904, and the 2nd was built from 1927 - 1931. The earlier Model A was the 1st car produced by Ford Motor company! Only 1750 of these original Ford automobiles were ever built. They were all made at the factory in the color red, and were responsible for Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company's 1st profit.

The 1927 - 1931 Model A:

Above: A "newer" Model A Ford, a 1930 Town Sedan, owned by Dianna and Tom Mosier of Milford, Michigan.

The 1927 - 1931 Model A was the 2nd huge success story at Ford after the Model T that it replaced after 18 years of production. 4,849,340 (yes 4 million) Model A's were produced during it's production run of 5 years. And one last trivial fact: The Ford Model A was the 1st car to have safety glass! - Info Source: Wikipedia

Come out to Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park on Saturday, August 15th in the Highland Recreation Area to see a collection of these fine automobiles from our nation's past, right here in the present! The event will be the Highland Recreation Area's support group fund raiser. Food items will be sold to raise money for the efforts of the Friends of Highland Recreation Area. FOHRA is making great strides to preserve and rejuvenate Edsel Fords' historic Haven Hill Estate that lies within the boundaries of the rec. area in Oakland County, Michigan.

Go to www.fordsfriendsfun.com for more information.

Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park

Friends of Highland Recreation Area members are readying themselves for a great summer family event: "Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park" will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at Highland State Recreation Area in Highland/White Lake, Michigan.

The big day will be an alternative to the famous "Dream Cruise" which will occur the same weekend on Woodward Avenue. The event will feature vintage Ford automobiles such as Model T's and Model A's. "The old cars don't take kindly to the slow speeds of cruising. These vintage car owners often drive them to locations and gather for picnics, contests, barbeques, and other activities, but they don't cruise much at all", said Jay Fitzgerald, event coordinator.

Activities for families will include the "Kyler's Corral" petting farm, historic displays, park Users Groups displays, educational information about the Haven Hill Estate (once owned by Edsel Ford), and radio controlled model plane flying demonstrations. Children's activities such as kite making, butterfly/bug hunting, frisbee toss, fishing pole casting pools, and more will be available all day. A "Family Horseshoe Challenge" will allow families to throw horseshoes for points to win prizes. Food sales will include hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn, and other summer items. Period music will be played all day to add to the atmosphere.

Fitzgerald said, "A fun item for sale at our food pavilion will be a picnic basket of 4 hot dogs, 4 cookies, and 4 soft drinks of your choice. The whole basket of items will be sold at a discount compared to the individual price of each item. We're hoping to encourage families to come out and enjoy a picnic in the park!"

FOHRA will use the day as a fundraising event for the Recreation Area, and as a membership drive.

The event will be free of charge, except for the normal $6.00 vehicle permit pass for Michigan State Parks, or an existing $24.oo annual vehicle permit sticker which many people already have in their car window. "We've put together a fun time for a whole family in the outdoors where the expenses add up to far less than the price of a single movie ticket and a trip to the snack bar. You can't beat the Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park event for something to do at such a low cost to you for your family".

The fun will be from 10 am until 4 pm Saturday at the Goose meadow picnic site of of Haven Hill Road. Highland Recreation Area is in Oakland County off of M-59 between Bogey Lake and Duck Lake roads.

"Vintage vehicle owners need to contact us at "info@fohra.org" or call 248-787-1750. We also have a website just for the event, www.fordsfriendsfun.com", commented Fitzgerald. "Owners will be let in free for the day, but need to register so that we can get them on a list for free entry into the park."

www.fohra.org