Ingham County Historical Commission

11/02/2025

Here is a picture of children in front of Delhi District No. 3, Grovenburg Schoolhouse offered by Mike Pasichnyk, who grew up in the area, but could not identify any of the children. . Not sure of the date, probably 1945 - 1950. Does anyone recognize any of the kids.

06/04/2025

Transferring four yearbooks from the Ingham County Courthouse collection to the Library of Michigan to assist in completing the Library's collection of yearbooks and allow proper storage and care of these early pieces of Ingham County's history.

05/23/2025

The "Ingham County Rural One-Room Schools" book missed the schoolhouse noted in Section 1, Onondaga Township. It was known as the Peak/Peek School. John Peek's will (probated 1869) mentions "about one acre given to the school." Per Ron Whittaker, his grandfather, Charles William Couch (1880-1937), tore the log schoolhouse down about 1925.

05/23/2025

A new one-room schoolhouse photo has been shared with the Commission. Unfortunately, we do not know which schoolhouse it is. In comparing cupola's - could this be an early photo of the Millville schoolhouse? Other possibilities include Childs, Haines/Haynes or Stilson. The circle above the porch roof might shed some light, but I cannot make it out.

05/23/2025

One of the outcomes in publishing the "Ingham County Rural One-Room Schools" book is that new information is uncovered by its readers and shared with the Historical Commission.

One of the first bits of shared information relates to the book's failure to mention/compiler's failure to see Meridian Township Schoolhouse No. 4 located in Section 32 as shown here on the 1859 Atlas.

Does anyone have any information on that schoolhouse?

05/23/2025

For last Sunday's one-room schoolhouse tours, I was at the Meridian Historic Village Randall School. It was a fun and informative afternoon. A big thank-you to all who made it possible!

05/18/2025

TODAY IS THE DAY! Join us on this exciting one-room schools tour this afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm. Open are the Gunn, Pink, Dewey, Randall, and Branch Schools!

The Ingham County Historical Commission in partnership with five area one-room schoolhouses is sponsoring a free one-room schools tour. May 18th, Sunday afternoon from 2-5PM.

05/15/2025

The first pieces of Ingham County's America 250 courthouse exhibit have been installed. Over the next 2 years, the Historical Commission, in partnership with the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Lansing Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), will be honoring Revolutionary War Patriots with a connection to Ingham County.
- Profiles of patriots with direct descendants residing in the county are featured on the first floor of the Ingham County Courthouse, as shown below.
- Stories of the two Revolutionary War Patriots buried in Ingham County will soon be added to the exhibit.
Help us honor even more patriots by sharing your Revolutionary War ancestor's story in the comments below.

04/08/2025

The Ingham County Historical Commission in partnership with five area one-room schoolhouses is sponsoring a free one-room schools tour. May 18th, Sunday afternoon from 2-5PM.

04/04/2025

While inventorying items in Ingham County's Courthouse collection came across these plans for the straits of Mackinac "Mackinac Bridge and Causeway." They were donated in 1988 by the then Ingham County Drain Commissioner along with the following.
The consulting engineer, Charles E. Fowler, from New York City, designed the first plans to join the upper and lower peninsula's of Michigan from 1921-1933. The plans have a final date of November 1933. These plans were presented to the Mackinac Straits Bridge Authority in 1935 and were rejected.
Fowler's second set of plans were a more direct route, but was also rejected in 1936. This plan is also shown in his 1933 plans.
These plans called for a causeway and bridges from Cheboygan, across to Bois Blanc Island to Round Island, over the west tip of Mackinac Island, and then across the channel to St. Ignace.

03/02/2025

Still sorting through photographs and wondering what the 1909 Chi Rho Club - YMCA was. The predecessor to a fraternity, perhaps?

02/26/2025

Congratulations to the Leslie Area Historical Society and Museum! Last night, February 25, 2025, at the Ingham County Board of Commissioner's meeting, Sheryl Hemstreet, the Society's president, surrounded by many of the Museum's volunteers, accepted the 2024 Heritage Award - shown below in front of Mrs. Zimmerman.
The Heritage Award recognizes knowledge about and commitment to Ingham County's past and celebrates and promotes achievements that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Leslie and its residents have a rich and varied history that is well represented in the Leslie museum's displays. Currently, the museum is featuring one of the largest public collections of memorabilia and artifacts of award-winning children’s author Holling Clancy Holling, who was born in Jackson and attended Leslie Schools.