Ferndale Historical Society/Museum

05/16/2026

Ferndale's Historical Museum will be closed Saturday May 23 to prepare for our annual Memorial Day Open House - please join us then!

04/29/2026

Kulick Update: This is what community advocacy looks like.

On Friday afternoon, a community member sent us a photo of someone poking around the Kulick property. They were testing doors, looking in windows, and they walked off/measured the entire property at 1201 Livernois. Councilmember Eddie Sabatini saw the picture and went to chat with the individuals.

The gentlemen, representatives of a local salvage company, shared the following when Sabatini asked if they were there to assess the property for costs associated with rehabilitation.

“Nope. It’s going to be knocked down. It’s a done deal. The permits have already been pulled,” they said.
“Really?! What are they gonna do with it?” Sabatini asked.
“Turn it into a big field.”
“That’s a big field!”
“Yup. Great for building houses. Make millions.”

No such plan had been communicated to Ferndale City Council, this raised some red flags, to say the least. Sabatini reached out to the City Manager’s Office, and an inquiry was set in motion to Ferndale Schools. The City Manager, Colleen O’Toole, researched and confirmed that no permits have been pulled with the State, a fact we’ll continue to monitor.

Ferndale Schools Deputy Superintendent Felicia Wright was also quick to reply, for which we are deeply thankful. This company was not there to their knowledge, and no plans to demo Kulick have been discussed since 2023, under prior FPS leadership. Ms. Wright expressed concern, and steps by FPS and Ferndale have been taken to monitor the property.

“Through their sustained efforts, FPS and the City of Ferndale are showing their commitment to working together, alongside the community, to find an equitable solution for Kulick. While this was surprising, I am hopeful it was a one-off incident. I’m also grateful to the resident who brought it to our attention.” Sabatini said when asked to speculate about the incident. “It could be developers circling, speculating demo costs, optimizing profits prior to making a bid on the property. Regardless of the motives behind this event, it serves to highlight the importance of prioritizing a solution for this incredibly valuable community asset.”

We are not only working to protect this building, we are advocating for the possibility of a community center. We believe decisions about this property should happen in the open, with real resident input and a shared vision for what our community needs.

That is exactly why this coalition matters. Thank you for being a part of it and thank you to the community member who noticed something and reached out! That’s how we stay informed and connected. This is what grassroots advocacy looks like.

Together, we are powerful. 🌿

04/10/2026

Good week to learn about Ferndale's Moon Tree!

Did you know about Ferndale's "Moon Tree"?
In the late 80's, students at Wilson Elementary School responded to a request from NASA for unique seeds for trees and shrubs. The objective was to see if or how seeds germinated in space! SCIENCE!
Students from the school sourced Gingko Biloba seeds, which went into space ultimately became a 2' tall tree that NASA donated to the city upon return to Earth.
It's been scooted around the park several times during updates to the area, but it remains strong and steady.
🌱Sprouted in space 🌙
As always, a GIANT thanks to the Ferndale Historical Society/Museum for such cool information - link to full story in comments!

03/30/2026

The Ferndale Historical Museum will be closed Saturday April 4th - Hoppy Easter!

03/27/2026

To celebrate and honor Women's History Month, we are highlighting Orma McCormick, a Ferndale resident from the 1950s who was the first Michigan poet ever to be elected to the American Poets' Fellowship Society. She was also named the Poet Laureate of the National Fantasy Fan Federation in 1951. Her first publishing endeavor (pictured below) was the science fiction poetry publication 'Starlanes' subtitled "The International Quarterly of Science Fiction Poetry", co-edited with Nan Gerding.

Credit to Ferndale Historical Society/Museum and Worthpoint.com for the education on this groundbreaking woman from our own Ferndale!

03/27/2026

Thank you!

Knowledge is power! Big thanks to the Ferndale Historical Society/Museum for some really cool history about our city! Stay tuned for more!

03/23/2026

Good opportunity to share design opinions about signage, including some historical markers around Ferndale! Be sure to take the survey linked in the original post......

03/16/2026

The Hazel Park Historical Museum is open every 3rd Sunday at 45 E Pearl Ave, Hazel Park, MI 48030. Follow their page for updates....

Dearest Gentle Readers,

It has come to this author’s most delightful attention that the doors of the **Hazel Park Historical Museum** shall be open today from **11:00 until 3:00**. Within those charming walls await curious tales, treasured artifacts, and the quiet whispers of Hazel Park’s past, all ready to greet visitors of discerning taste.

Should one find themselves wandering about town this afternoon, it would be most fashionable indeed to step inside and indulge in a bit of local history. One never knows what fascinating stories may reveal themselves.

Pray do not keep history waiting.

Yours most faithfully,
A devoted observer of all things Hazel Park

02/22/2026

Looking for lost Ferndale area friends or family? Here are some resources......

Reseach Tips For Historic Names

02/22/2026

Want to learn about features of a vintage Ferndale area home?

Examples of Vintage Home Features - Ferndale Historical Museum