How to Make A Snow Snake!
/How to make a snow snake...
Read MoreSnow Snake Numbers Expected to Increase at Highland State Recreation Area in 2014
/"Most were 36 inches in length, although we had some even longer than that. And all had beautiful coloration", he said. "Some of these snakes move very fast, and if your not watching closely one might go right by you as a blur of color before you even know it."
Read MoreDine with Edsel and Eleanor
/Help us raise funds for the refurbishing/re-use of the former Edsel Ford buildings in Highland Recreation Area. Questions call 248-698-2737
Read More“Henry Ford and Family: From Roots to Branches"
/The Friends of Highland Recreation Area are proud to present a wonderful oral presentation by Mr. Steve Stanford beginning with William Ford (Henry's grandfather) immigrating to America from Cork county, Ireland and continuing throughout the Ford family legacy in America.
Read MoreFOHRA at Waterford, Michigan Log Cabin Days!
/Head on over to Waterford Historical Society's Log Cabin Days this Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the anniversary of Michigan's statehood.
The Waterford Historical Society's Historic Village is located in Fish Hatchery Park @ 4490 Hatchery Road,Waterford, Michigan. Crescent Lake Road is a nearby cross street.
Make sure to visit the Friends of Highland Recreation Area booth to join our efforts at Highland State Recreation Area and to see some wonderful photos of our own "Log Cabin" the Edsel and Eleanor Ford Haven Hill Carriage House.
Walk the grounds of the Waterford Historical Society's Historic Village and see their original 1930's log cabin, Jacobers' General Store, a 1957 Grand Trunk Caboose, the Drayton Plains Depot, a water tower, Hardware Store, Print Shop, Carriage House, Dr.Dentist Office, Bakery, Barber Shop, and Millinery.
FOHRA members will be handing out fliers and information for this summers' Haven Hill Festival to be held Saturday, August 28 at the Goose Meadow in Highland State Recreation ARea. Drop on by and give us a shout!
Visit www.FOHRA.org and www.havenhillfestival.com for more information.
Fords, Friends, and Fun Fantastic!
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Yesterday's 1st annual Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park event at Highland Recreation Area was terrific! Vintage Ford Model A and Model T vehicles lined the Goose Meadow Parking lot and attracted visitors from all over the Detroit metro area to what was once Edsel Fords' Haven Hill Estate.
Park Users' Groups such as the Highland Trail Riders, the United Flying Organization, and even visitor groups such as the Pontiac Lake Horseman's Association (PLHA), the Kensington Trail Riders, Michigan Barn Network, the Highland Equestrian Conservancy, and the White Lake Historical Society (to name a few) all put on great displays for the visiting public as well. Kyler's Koral of wonderful petting farm animals was a big hit too.
Below: A smiling goat who's about to get a snack in Kyler's Corral from the PLHA.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources had the park and meadow in tip-top shape for everyone. The smell of grilled hot dogs, donated baked goods and the sounds of music, all traveled across the Meadow on a light breeze during the warm summer day. Ice cream and cold pop and water were enjoyed buy all.
Above: The Highland Trail Riders display at Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park 2009.
Games for young and old kids included fishing casting, wiffle ball golf, butterfly collecting, and frisbee toss. Below, an Optimist's volunteer shows fishing tackle to a family enjoying the day.
Members of "the Livingston A's", a regional Model A Restorer's Club (MARC), brought their prized vehicles from all over the area. Horns tooting and vintage engines purring made everyone reminisce of a by-gone era, while overhead the wizz of model airplanes from the United Flying Organization filled the sky.
The Highland State Recreation Area provides visitors with a wealth of activities from quiet forest hikes, to horseback riding and model airplane flying. The Haven Hill section of the park, entrance located off of Highland Road (M-59), is the site of what was once Edsel Ford's grand country estate. The estate was built in the 1920's and 30's, and preservation/repurposing plans for the historic structures are being pursued by the MDNR and the Friends of Highland Recreation Area (FOHRA).
Above: Pam Sienkiewicz, , Marge Sawruk, and Dick Russell, all members of FOHRA, pose amidst the vintage Ford cars.
The Fords, Friends, and Fun in the Park event was held primarily as a fund raiser for the Friends of Highland Recreation Area (FOHRA), the parks' support organization. Thanks goes out to everyone who attended and supported yesterday's event. Web links to groups' websites include:
Pontiac Lake Horseman's Association and Kyler's Corral
Michigan Barn Preservation Network
The White Lake Historical Society
The Highland Equestrian Conservancy
The United Flying Organization
and FOHRA...
Have a great summer!
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."
FOHRA at Outdoorama at Proud Lake
/FOHRA members Pam Sienkiewicz, Tom Slaga, Dick Russel, and Jay Fitzgerald attended the Heavner Canoe Outdoorama at Powers Beach in Proud Lake Recreation Area this last Saturday. The FOHRA display contained the increasingly popular collection of artifacts from the Haven Hill section of the Highland Recreation Area, some nice fund raising jewelry from Pam, and the new addition of some mascot sheep.
The Outdoorama event included canoe rides, picnic food, a rustic camp display, and even Smokey the Bear showed up to great the visitors.
The Milford Police brought a squad car and the siren was turned on for the kids. Ice cream was served from a vintage-style ice cream cart. Smokey the bear was a big hit... although he occasionally needed a break for ice cream from the warm spring weather.
The FOHRA tent was visited by many attendees who were informed of the terrific resource that is Highland Recreation Area.
Members briefed the guests regarding its' amazing history, terrific recreation opportunites like horse back riding, and the beautiful Haven Hill Nation Natural Landmark wilderness.
Crown V Ranch Grand Opening
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FOHRA members were ranch hands for the day on Saturday, April 18 at the Grand Opening of the Crown V Ranch equestrian facility at Highland Recreation Area. TJ Sullivan and his wife and family enjoyed a wonderful day for the celebration of the opening of their new proprietorship.
A great time was had by all... it was truly an amazing Spring day with temperatures in the 70's and sunshine.
Members of the MDNR staff, FOHRA members, the Highland Trail Riders, other community organizations, friends, family, business owners, and lot and lots of children attended the event. The Crown V Ranch opened the facility with hay rides, horseback riding, and pony rides for the kids.
FOHRA members staffed an increasingly sophisticated display of the history of Edsel Ford's Haven Hill Estate, membership materials, baked goods for sale, and a cool collection of area finds that everyone really enjoyed.
To say the least, the Grand Opening of the Crown V Ranch at the Highland Recreation Area stables was a terrific event marking a new Spring and Summer season in the great outdoors. Come out and enjoy a horseback ride someday in one of Oakland County and Michigan's best natural resource areas. The Highland Recreation Area!
Learn more about the Crown V Ranch at www.highlandrecridingstable.com and always make sure to stop by the FOHRA Website at www.fohra.org.
