REMINDER: Guided Fall Hike at Highland State Recreation Area - Saturday at 2:00 pm

Come and enjoy a free guided nature hike in the Haven Hill Natural Area on Saturday, October 7th. Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteers will take you on a journey through a portion of the park to see the waters, wildlife, and forests of this special natural preserve. The hike will be slow-paced to enjoy nature and the fall colors, with plenty of opportunities for taking photos.

The trail traverses through woods and hills and alongside Haven Hill Lake. Interesting information will be shared such as some history of the park, the importance of controlled burns, and why leaves turn color in the fall. Look for turtles, frogs and possibly a water snake or two as the group crosses the Haven Hill Lake dam!

The October 7 hike is scheduled from 2:00 - 5:00 pm that Saturday, and will start from the Goose Meadow parking lot. Children and dogs welcome. Be sure to bring plenty of water (even if it's not warm outside) and wear shoes with good tread - they will keep you and your feet happy.

Cost: The Hike is free and a Recreation Passport is required for the State park entry. No RSVP required, just show up and have fun! These enjoyable hikes are planned to be held quarterly, so watch for future opportunities to enjoy a guided hike at Haven Hill.

Highland State Recreation Area, 5200 E. Highland Rd, White Lake, Michigan. 

Highland State Recreation Area is located east of Hartland and west of Pontiac on Highland Road (M-59) between Duck Lake and Bogie Lake Roads and is open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm every day of the year, including holidays.

http://www.michigan.org/property/highland-recreation-area

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=455&type=SPRK

http://www.fohravolunteers.org/abouthsra/

Friends of Highland Recreation Area
PO Box 800, Highland, Michigan, 48357
info@fohravolunteers.org

Www.Fohravolunteers.Org
 

Free Guided Nature Hike at Haven Hill - Saturday, October 7

Come and enjoy a free guided nature hike in the Haven Hill Natural Area on Saturday, October 7th. Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteers will take you on a journey through a portion of the park to see the waters, wildlife, and forests of this special natural preserve. The hike will be slow-paced to enjoy nature and the fall colors, with plenty of opportunities for taking photos.

The trail traverses through woods and hills and alongside Haven Hill Lake. Interesting information will be shared such as some history of the park, the importance of controlled burns, and why leaves turn color in the fall. Look for turtles, frogs and possibly a water snake or two as the group crosses the Haven Hill Lake dam!

ABOVE: A beautiful trail view at Haven Hill in Highland State Recreation Area, White Lake, Michigan.

The October 7 hike is scheduled from 2:00 - 5:00 pm that Saturday, and will start from the Goose Meadow parking lot. Children and dogs welcome. Be sure to bring plenty of water (even if it's not warm outside) and wear shoes with good tread - they will keep you and your feet happy.

Cost: The Hike is free and a Recreation Passport is required for the State park entry. No RSVP required, just show up and have fun! These enjoyable hikes are planned to be held quarterly, so watch for future opportunities to enjoy a guided hike at Haven Hill.

Highland State Recreation Area, 5200 E. Highland Rd, White Lake, Michigan. 

Highland State Recreation Area is located east of Hartland and west of Pontiac on Highland Road (M-59) between Duck Lake and Bogie Lake Roads and is open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm every day of the year, including holidays.

http://www.michigan.org/property/highland-recreation-area

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=455&type=SPRK

http://www.fohravolunteers.org/abouthsra/

Friends of Highland Recreation Area
PO Box 800, Highland, Michigan, 48357
info@fohravolunteers.org

www.fohravolunteers.org

"Within one of the most picturesque, fascinating, and historically significant state parks in southeast lower Michigan, our goal is to combine the former Haven Hill estate history with Highland Recreation Area’s existing amenities, wilderness, and recreation."

Copyright © FOHRAVolunteers.org

All text and images on this email are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Haven Hill Festival Saturday - GREAT Weather in the Forecast! Come on Out!

Vintage Base Ball Game and Model A Ford Cars at 10:00 am Saturday

Live brass band music, vintage baseball, history, great weather, Model A Ford cars, summer foods and beverages, and more. The Haven Hill Festival is a celebration of Edsel and Eleanor Fords’ historic Haven Hill Estate and the natural beauty and historic wonders of the Highland State Recreation Area in the townships of Highland and White Lake, Michigan. This year’s family event on Saturday, August 26 will be held between 10 am and 3 pm. The event will feature vintage Model A Ford cars from the members of the Livingston A's driving club, an Antiques and Collectibles Sale at the Edsel Ford Barn, an 1860’s exhibition Vintage Base Ball Game, guided short hikes, summer foods and beverages, Haven Hill art and history displays, and children’s activities in Goose Meadow. Baseball fan? Bring along a picnic blanket, sun umbrellas, and folding chairs and watch the historic Vintage Base Ball Game at 10:00 am played the way the American sport of "base ball" originated in the 1860's. A live brass band will accompany the Ball Game.

The arrival of the Model A Ford cars and the 1860's Base Ball game will begin in Goose Meadow at 10:00 am. Several locations throughout the park will provide other exhibitions and activities during the Festival such as an art display at the Gate House, self-guided tours of the Haven Hill Lodge grounds, and the Edsel Ford Barn. Volunteers will be dressed in period costumes.

Sale at the Edsel Ford Barn all day.

The food and beverages available for purchase in Goose Meadow will be a fund raiser for the efforts of the volunteer group Friends of Highland Recreation Area. The park can be entered on 5200 Highland Road, M-59 between Duck Lake and Bogey Lake roads. Parking is at the Goose Meadow picnic shelter area, the 1st right turn on Haven Hill Road after you enter the park off of M-59 between Duck Lake and Bogie Lake roads. The Festival is provided to the public at no charge, and yet entry into the state park is now via the Recreation Passport on your license plate. If you do not have this great State Park feature on your license plate, you will be asked to buy one. It's a great deal!

The Friends of Highland Recreation Area (FOHRA), is a non-profit organization supporting the Highland State Recreation Area in Highland/White Lake, Michigan, and the historic Edsel Ford Haven Hill Estate structures within its boundaries. The Haven Hill Festival is an alcohol-free, family-oriented event in its' 8th year at Highland State Recreation Area.  The celebration has grown yearly, and will continue to positively benefit all of those who attend as well as the surrounding communities now and into the future.

SPECIAL EVENT at 1:00 pm Saturday in Goose Meadow

Read about the Girl Scout 1956 Roundup sign dedication and some great little-known Highland Recreation Area history.

1956 Girl Scout Roundup to Be Commemorated at Haven Hill Festival

Lots of folks have heard of Boy Scout "Jamborees" but few have heard of Girl Scout "Roundups". The 1st ever Girl Scout Senior Roundup was held at Highland State Recreation Area in 1956. The Park was transformed into a small "tent city", and thousands of Scouts and their Leaders attended. The following are excerpts from the official  Friends of Highland Recreation Area Press Release:

On Saturday, August 26, 2017, at 1:00 pm EST, a special commemorative informational sign created with the assistance of the MotorCities organization of the National Park Service, will be unveiled at the Park during the 2017 Haven Hill Festival. Girl Scouts young and old are encouraged to attend the Festival to learn of and recall the memories of one of the organizations’ most significant outdoor gatherings. The ceremony is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend.

ABOVE: An amazing aerial photograph of the 1956 Girl Scout Senior Roundup in Highland State Recreation Area. This giant daily Flag Ceremony was held in front of what its now the park's maintenance buildings complex. Photo Property FOHRA.

The Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteers are pleased to announce the commemoration of the first-ever Girl Scout Senior Roundup which was held at Michigan’s Highland State Recreation Area in 1956. Scouts and their Leaders from all 48 states and the territories of Alaska and Hawaii traveled by plane, train, bus, and automobile to attend the 12-day gathering from June 29 to July 10, 1956.  Ten other countries from around the world were also represented at the giant multi-day campout.

In preparation for the 1956 Roundup, an enormous one square mile encampment was created on the land of the former Edsel and Eleanor Ford Haven Hill Estate within the Highland State Recreation Area with the help of the United States 5th Army. The military troops built roads, assembled large tents, installed shower facilities, and even erected a press tent. The hundreds of large and small tents and other US Army-constructed facilities resembled a small city with water pipes and electrical power, telephone lines, food facilities, and even a small hospital for the over 6,000 Girl Scouts, their Leadership, guests, and visiting dignitaries.

An informative display of re-printed original photographs telling the story of the 1956 Roundup event will be on display at this years’ Haven Hill Festival on Saturday, August 26 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm in the Goose Meadow festival tent.

The Haven Hill Festival is an alcohol-free outdoor family event held yearly at Highland State Recreation Area in White Lake, Michigan. In addition to the Scouts Ceremony, this year’s Festival will include summer foods and beverages, live brass band music, a barbershop quartet, a vintage base ball exhibition game, a fundraising Commemorative Brick Sale at the Gate House and an Antiques and Collectibles Sale at the Edsel Ford Barn. Proceeds from the food, beverage, and fundraising sales provide funding for the Friends group to continue their renovations of the remaining Edsel and Eleanor Ford Haven Hill structures and properties.

The Highland State Recreation Area is located at 5200 Highland Road (M-59) White Lake, Michigan, 48383. (248) 889-3750. Admission is with your Michigan Recreation Passport status on your vehicle license plate.

For more information go to www.fohravolunteers.org.

Article Contact: Jay Fitzgerald, Secretary, Friends of Highland Recreation Area. Ph.: (248) 494-8919

Signs Are Up: Festival is Coming!

Hello Everyone,

The 2017 Haven Hill Festival begins next Saturday at 10:00 am at Highland State Recreation Area. This year's Festival lasts until 3:00 pm and will include the following activities:

• Summer Foods, Music, and Fun for All Ages! 

• Haven Hill Art and History Displays

• 1860’s Vintage Base Ball Game -10:00 am

• Antiques and Collectibles Sale

• 1956 Girl Scouts USA Senior Roundup Commemorative Sign Dedication -1:00 pm

• Novi Brass Band Live During Ball Game

• The Jesters Barbershop Quartet from 12 Noon until 1:00 pm

• Brick Paver Sale at Haven Hill Gate House

Above: The authors's son Jack Fitzgerald helping to put out this year's Haven Hill Festival signs at Highland State Recreation Area. 

The Haven Hill Festival is a celebration of Edsel and Eleanor Fords’ historic Haven Hill Estate and the natural beauty and historic wonders of the Highland State Recreation Area in the townships of Highland and White Lake, Michigan. 

Admission to the Park is via your Recreation Passport on your license plate.

Antiques and Collectibles Sale Next Saturday

Hi Folks just a Reminder: Antiques and Collectibles Sale will be held next Saturday, August 26 during Haven Hill Festival...

Check out the Craig's List post...

CRAIG'S LIST SALE LINK

Haven Hill Festival to Feature Live Novi Brass Band and The Jesters Barbershop Quartet

This years' Haven Hill Festival at the Highland State Recreation Area will feature some special entertainment in addition to the Vintage Baseball Game, Antiques and Collectibles Sale, Commemorative Brick Paver Fundraiser, and Girl Scouts USA 1956 Roundup Sign Dedication. The Novi Brass will play live brass band music starting at 10:00 am during the Ball game, and the Jesters Barbershop Quartet will also sing in Goose Meadow. Come out and enjoy the Festival this summer. 10 am - 3 pm, Saturday, August 26.

Recreation Passport required for state park entry.

Vintage Base Ball at Haven Hill: Ball Players Wanted

Everyone in your family can attend the free Haven Hill Festival on Saturday, August 26, and enjoy the Vintage Base Ball game at 10:00 am at the Goose Meadow Ball Field. We love ball players and fans of the game and also want to welcome anyone interested in playing Vintage Base Ball with the Haven Hill Barnstormers or the Gate House Nine. 

• Play as a volunteer in an 1860’s Vintage Base Ball Game at Highland State Recreation Area.

• No glove required. White long sleeve shirt, black pants, and suspenders.

• Free 1860’s style base ball hat for playing ball.

• Learn the history and rules of 1860’s base ball - enjoy the way the game was originally played.

• Free digitally-aged "Vintage" photo of you and the Team.

Game day is Saturday, August 26, 2017. 9:00 am report at Haven Hill Festival at the Goose Meadow ball field at Highland State Recreation Area. Match starts at 10:00 am.

Men and women welcome. Age 13 and older please.

Children also welcome as dressed bat boys/girls/mascots! Swing the bat and run the bases at an inning break.

Please call ahead at the number below if interested in playing.

Call for more information: (248) 494-8919

...or email fohravolunteer@gmail.com.

Recreation Passport required for state park entry.

Highland State Recreation Area
5200 Highland Road (M-59), White Lake/Highland, Michigan.

Sponsored by the Friends of Highland Recreation Area.

www.fohravolunteers.org

Haven Hill Gate House Commemorative Bricks: Order Deadline Approaching

Dear Friends of Highland Recreation Area Supporters,

We are reaching the first engraving and installation of the commemorative Bricks at the Gate House, so we wanted to let you know that if you were planning to purchase a brick to honor or memorialize a loved one that you need to get your order placed by July 8th for our August installation.

If you did not save the form we mailed to you in February you can access and print one from our website www.fohravolunteers.org. Follow the links to the Bricks web page. "Click on the Brick".

If you do not have easy computer access, call the number on the form and we will be glad to mail you a hard copy.

To those of you who have already placed your orders, thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

The Ladies of FOHRA Fundraising Committee

Haven Hill Redbud Reveal Season Opening Event to Feature Brick Paver Fundraiser and Antiques and Collectibles Sale

Saturday, May 6, 10 am until 3:00 pm

The season opening “Redbud Reveal” event is this Saturday May 6 at Haven Hill in Highland State Recreation Area. Come out and enjoy the historic Haven Hill structures in a beautiful Spring setting. And it’s perfect timing – the redbud trees are in bloom!

Also enjoy an Antiques and Collectibles Sale fundraiser at the Edsel Ford barn. During the sale, see the developments that the Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteers have completed to rebuild this historic structure - and take home a few items for your home, family, and friends. All sale proceeds benefit the friends group and their efforts at the state park.

This year’s event day will feature a special fundraiser at Edsel and Eleanor Ford’s former Haven Hill Gate House. A Brick Pavers sale will allow you to donate to the friends group and place a permanent brick paver on the historic Gate House grounds in memory of your love ones or special pets. The pavers will be installed later this year, and you will be able to enjoy them forever on the beautiful grounds of Edsel and Eleanor Fords’ former Haven Hill Gate House. A display table with brochures and information, as well as friends group volunteers, will be there to answer questions during the event on Saturday.

Visit the website at www.fohravolunteers.org for more information. See you Saturday at the Park!