Pick It Up - Litter at Haven Hill

Jack and Jay Fitzgerald talk trash and pickup litter at Highland State Recreation Area. Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteer members Jay and Jack talk about their spring litter cleanup hike film, and picking up litter in the Haven Hill section of Highland State Recreation Area.

Owlets Find Woodcocks at Haven Hill In Highland State Recreation Area

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Woodcock: Photo courtesy Audubon Society.

A terrific group of Oakland County Audubon Society members, guests, and Friends of Highland Recreation Area members joined up to enjoy a wonderful evening in the spring forests and fields of the Haven Hill Natural Area in Highland State Recreation Area yesterday. At the Goose Meadow shelter the FOHRA volunteers gave everyone a short Haven Hill presentation, informing them of the amazing history of the area and reminding them that 2019 is the 100th Anniversary year of the Michigan State Parks.

Bluebirds, hawks, geese, sandhill cranes, and the sought-after woodcocks were enjoyed by everyone. After a great hike, the group rejoined at Goose Meadow for a snack and an educational message, and then all listened quietly to the amazing sounds of the woodcocks in the nearby fields.

The spring courtship ritual of the male woodcock includes a distinctive evening “peent” sound. Kind of like a short but loud buzzing of an insect repeating every 2 seconds or so. Click HERE to hear the sound. If you’ve been outdoors as the evening arrives in the park I’m sure you’ve heard this sound. Now we know it’s the male woodcock preparing for flight!

Audubon and FOHRA Members enjoying the evening woods of Haven Hill searching for birds of all species…

Folks interested in attending future gatherings are encouraged to visit the Oakland Audubon society’s Facebook page, check out the FOHRA website for events, and join the Young Birders program at the Society.

Highland Recreation Area Redbud Reveal May 18 and 100 Year's of Michigan State Parks May 12

The 100 Year Anniversary of our State Parks is arriving soon. Come celebrate by visiting Haven Hill and the Highland State Recreation Area…

“Almost 100 years ago, the Michigan State Park Commission set the course for visitors to enjoy and explore four seasons of fun. May 12, 2019 officially marks the anniversary of state parks, and we are planning a yearlong centennial celebration. Join in and celebrate our rich history and take an energizing look forward as we mark this milestone year with special events, podcasts, historical stories, videos, geocaching and more.” - from our Michigan DNR website.

On Saturday, May 18 come and see the beautiful Haven Hill section of your Highland State Recreation Area, the Cedar Creek Trail, Edsel and Eleanor Ford’s historic Gate House, the Edsel Ford Barn, the picturesque Carriage House, and the Lodge footprint on Haven Hill.  The Haven Hill Gate House garage will be open and informational videos and Haven Hill displays will be shown throughout the day. 

 A fundraising Sale of Antiques and Collectibles will be held at the Edsel Ford Barn throughout the event. All proceeds of the sale will benefit the efforts of the Friends group and their mission to rejuvenate the structures of the historic Haven Hill Estate.

Happy New Year from FOHRA and Get Ready for State Park Centennial Anniversary in 2019!→

The Friends of Highland Recreation Area volunteers wish to thank the supporters of Highland State Recreation Area and Haven Hill for a great 2018.

The coming year of 2019 is the Centennial Anniversary of the Michigan State park system. The official 100-year anniversary of Michigan State Parks will fall on the weekend of May 10-12, 2019 and we’re excited to participate! Keep in touch via the website at www.fohravolunteers.org for your Centennial activities at Highland State Recreation Area and Haven Hill.

And make sure to add your Highland Rec stories to the awesome “memories map” where you can click on Highland State Recreation Area and add a story and photos.

https://midnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/StoryMapCrowdsource/index.html?appid=ab30d92b09af4fa08eb9622d47b1dc71

Flint Knappers and Pre-History at Haven Hill Festival

Watch and learn of amazing tools of our ancestors at this years Haven Hill Festival!

Enjoy a hands-on immersive experience that puts you face to face with a real life paleolithic hunter gatherer in period correct attire and tools for an in-depth explanation and instruction. PRIMITIVE CLASSROOM is an ice age reenactment program geared towards children to adults of all ages. Come learn of Pleistocene-era cultures from central Europe and north America.

JUMPING FOX PRIMITIVE TOOL WORKS as a part of Primitive Classroom specializes in the production of atlatls, darts, bull roarers, cane arrows, stone and bone points, and bone jewelry. 

Flint Knapping

Atlatl - A spear-thrower, or atlatl, is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store energy during the throw.

Bullroarer - The bullroarer, rhombus, or turndun, is an ancient ritual musical instrument and a device historically used for communicating over great distances. It dates to the Paleolithic period, being found in Ukraine dating from 18,000 BC. 

Flintknapping - Knapping is the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian or other conchoidal fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture stone tools, strikers for flintlock firearms, or to produce flat-faced stones for building or facing walls, and flushwork decoration. 

And enjoy general knowledge about our ancestors from an era so long ago. And try some interesting things out for yourself!

www.fohravolunteers.org

Haven Hill Festival Coming Soon - August 25

Hello Everyone!

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. The 2018 family event is currently scheduled for Saturday, August 25 from 10 - 3:00 pm.

Mary Moore, who is a former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League infielder, will throw out the first pitch at the ball game and stay after to chat and sign autographs and display her memorabilia.

We also plan to 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, the beautiful MDNR Cedar Creek Trail, guided short hikes, primitive man displays, summer foods and beverages, Haven Hill art and history displays, and children’s activities in Goose Meadow. Come to the Gate House and see the council ring and brick displays commemorating family, donors, and beloved pets.

Baseball fan? Bring along a picnic blanket, sun umbrellas, and folding chairs to stay and watch the historic base ball game played the way the American sport of "base ball" originated in the 1860's. 

The arrival of the Model A Ford cars and the 1860's Base Ball game is planned in Goose Meadow at 10:00 am. Other locations throughout the park will provide activities during the Festival such as self-guided tours of the Haven Hill Lodge grounds, and the sale at Edsel Ford Barn. Volunteers will be dressed in period costumes.

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, and it will be held on it's 10th year in 2018 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.