Dexter Area Historical Society
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Museum
3443 Inverness Street Dexter, MI 48130 The Museum is open Friday and Saturday afternoons 1-3. Throughout the year we welcome researchers, questions and donations. To contact us leave a message at 734 426-2519 or send an email to DexMuseum@aol.com |
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Gordon Hall
8311 Island Lake Road Dexter, MI 48130 Gordon Hall is open during special events and by appointment only. See below for construction update. |
President's Letter from Bev Hill: Welcome to summer!
We had a fantastic spring in both buildings getting ready for summer.
The museum opened in May with a streetscape exhibit showing the buildings in the south side of Dexter from the 1900‘s. It featured the business and owners at that time along with historical information. Our museum crew created this wonderful exhibit and many volunteers cleaned all of the floors to get ready for our summer opening.
At Gordon Hall we had a great workday on our grounds in May. Our Dexter High School Interact Club and Dreadbot (Robotics) Club helped us clean up the grounds and the building. We also planted twentyseven cedar trees (thanks to Robin Warner for this great donation!) Thank you to the clubs and all of the volunteers that helped.
We also worked on the inside of Gordon Hall and finished another parlor with the help of volunteers. We have now exposed the original wood floors on most of the first floor! Gordon Hall is now ready for weddings and events.
Our first school tour was in the first week of June. The Dexter fourth grade class all came for an historic tour. One fourth grade student, Mason Larkin, even designed a presentation of their tour. It was fantastic! Please take a look at this great presentation here. Keep in mind this is a FOURTH GRADE student that created this wonderful PowerPoint presentation. Pretty amazing!
We are enjoying summer at both buildings. Weddings at Gordon Hall and visitors at the museum and we are also starting to plan for our fall events. As you can see we are always working, planning, and supporting our two great facilities.
Enjoy your summer,
Bev Hill
We had a fantastic spring in both buildings getting ready for summer.
The museum opened in May with a streetscape exhibit showing the buildings in the south side of Dexter from the 1900‘s. It featured the business and owners at that time along with historical information. Our museum crew created this wonderful exhibit and many volunteers cleaned all of the floors to get ready for our summer opening.
At Gordon Hall we had a great workday on our grounds in May. Our Dexter High School Interact Club and Dreadbot (Robotics) Club helped us clean up the grounds and the building. We also planted twentyseven cedar trees (thanks to Robin Warner for this great donation!) Thank you to the clubs and all of the volunteers that helped.
We also worked on the inside of Gordon Hall and finished another parlor with the help of volunteers. We have now exposed the original wood floors on most of the first floor! Gordon Hall is now ready for weddings and events.
Our first school tour was in the first week of June. The Dexter fourth grade class all came for an historic tour. One fourth grade student, Mason Larkin, even designed a presentation of their tour. It was fantastic! Please take a look at this great presentation here. Keep in mind this is a FOURTH GRADE student that created this wonderful PowerPoint presentation. Pretty amazing!
We are enjoying summer at both buildings. Weddings at Gordon Hall and visitors at the museum and we are also starting to plan for our fall events. As you can see we are always working, planning, and supporting our two great facilities.
Enjoy your summer,
Bev Hill
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Thanks to the community for our successful raffle!!
The Ninth Annual Gordon Hall Raffle presented by the Dexter Area Historical Society (DAHS) was a great success. We collected over $13,000, half of which goes to our winner and the other half to DAHS to support our work at the historical society. We appreciate the support of our community and invite you to visit the museum and join us for Gordon Hall Days September 9-11. |
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Gordon Hall Fundraiser - Friday September 9 7-10PM
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Featuring Billy Mack & the Juke Joint Johnnies. Join us for an evening of popular music and dancing under the stars.
Snacks are included with beer, wine & pop Come and bring your friends. Help us fund the restoration of Gordon Hall. Tickets are $75.00 per person but a group of 6 is only $300 ($50 per person!) You can call (734) 395-4106 for tickets or purchase here: |
Gordon Hall Days -- September 10, 11
Join the fun! There will be guided tours of Gordon Hall, craft displays and demonstrations, model trains and more! Cost is just $5 per person or $20 per carload. All proceeds benefit the restoration of Gordon Hall. |
AND Saturday afternoon during Gordon Hall Days, you are cordially invited to pass the afternoon under the big tent at Gordon Hall, sipping hot or iced tea and nibbling on elegant desserts with friends.
Through period fashions created by designer Helen Welford, you will witness how the revolutionary freedoms that women fought for during the early 20th century were reflected in the styles of the time. Reservations are recommended; call 734-395-4106. Tickets are $10 each for the tea (plus $5/person or $20/car to enter the Gordon Hall Days event). Or buy your tickets here: All proceeds support the Dexter Area Historical Society.
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Gordon Hall
Thanks to the crew from the Dexter High School Interact Club and the Dreadbot (Robotics) Club who helped us clean up the grounds and the building and also planted trees!
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Gordon Hall Days -- 2021 event...
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Dexter Area Museum is Open!
The Dexter Area Museum opened for the 2022 season on Friday, May 6th and is now open on Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 3 through November. Our opening display “Downtown Dexter circa 1900” will highlight the South Main Street buildings and merchants
For more information on the museum opening and other museum events see our May 2022 newsletter.
The Dexter Area Museum opened for the 2022 season on Friday, May 6th and is now open on Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 3 through November. Our opening display “Downtown Dexter circa 1900” will highlight the South Main Street buildings and merchants
For more information on the museum opening and other museum events see our May 2022 newsletter.
Thanks for a successful garage sale.
We had a steady stream of shoppers and we took in about $900 for the support of the museum.
And thanks to everyone that participated in the Antiques Appraisal held on May 14.
It was a successful and fun event and the proceeds help to support the operation of the museum.
Be sure to stop by the museum on Friday or Saturday afternoons to check out the exhibits. Admission is free!
We had a steady stream of shoppers and we took in about $900 for the support of the museum.
And thanks to everyone that participated in the Antiques Appraisal held on May 14.
It was a successful and fun event and the proceeds help to support the operation of the museum.
Be sure to stop by the museum on Friday or Saturday afternoons to check out the exhibits. Admission is free!
Dexter Memorial Day Parade
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What a great celebration of the vote for women at the Dexter Memorial Day parade! We had 50 participants and we were cheered all along the parade route. The parade itself was the best ever! |
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Our dinner fundraiser at Cornman Farms was a success! We earned over $12,000 for Gordon Hall thanks to your generous support.
Dexter Area Historical Society Fundraiser
Wednesday April 27, 2022 -
Neighbors helping Neighbors
Cornman Farms Gordon Hall
Hoey Farm 1843
1834
Dexter Area Historical Society Fundraiser
Wednesday April 27, 2022 -
Neighbors helping Neighbors
Cornman Farms Gordon Hall
Hoey Farm 1843
1834
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Thank you!! We began our end-of-year fundraising toward the rehabilitation of Gordon Hall with a bang this year. In October, a small group of generous donors pledged to match up to $20,500 in donations made through the end of January 2022. With an overall goal of $50,000, we set out to make sure everyone knew about this great opportunity. Even though it was a larger goal than we have attempted in past years, we knew our community would come through. And did they ever!! As of January 31, 2022, we have raised a total of $67,013! This is a wonderful confirmation of how much this community loves Gordon Hall and supports our plan to restore it. We still have lots of fundraising work ahead of us to fully restore Gordon Hall and any donation is always welcome. |
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You can make a donation either by using the PayPal button below or by mailing a check to the
Dexter Area Historical Society
3443 Inverness Street
Dexter, Michigan 48130
Thank you to all of our members and the community for your tremendous support.
We always welcome your interest. Please call or email us with questions, suggestions, or feedback. If you would like to donate:
· You can donate securely online by selecting DONATE below.
· You can mail a check to DAHS at the address given above.
· If your employer will match your gift, please enclose your matching gift form.
· To discuss a bequest, a donation via a Required Minimum Distribution, or some other form of planned giving, please contact Caryl Burke at 734-476-5232 or caryleburke@gmail.com.
DAHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donation is therefore tax deductible to the extent provided by law. We are run entirely by volunteers, so your full donation is applied to the work that we do.
Dexter Area Historical Society
3443 Inverness Street
Dexter, Michigan 48130
Thank you to all of our members and the community for your tremendous support.
We always welcome your interest. Please call or email us with questions, suggestions, or feedback. If you would like to donate:
· You can donate securely online by selecting DONATE below.
· You can mail a check to DAHS at the address given above.
· If your employer will match your gift, please enclose your matching gift form.
· To discuss a bequest, a donation via a Required Minimum Distribution, or some other form of planned giving, please contact Caryl Burke at 734-476-5232 or caryleburke@gmail.com.
DAHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donation is therefore tax deductible to the extent provided by law. We are run entirely by volunteers, so your full donation is applied to the work that we do.
Christmas at the Mansion and Museum Bazaar and Bake Sale
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Thank you for all of your support - December 3rd and 4th
At Gordon Hall we had quite a crowd both Friday and Saturday. Friday night we had carolers which put everyone in a festive mood for our event and Saturday we had a strong wind to remind us that Christmas meant winter. At the Museum they had a steady stream all day with successful sales. Both events were enjoyed by the community and that was our main goal. So again, thanks and have a great Christmas. Thanks, Bev |
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Gordon Hall Days was a great success! Thanks to the vendors and participants. A good time was had by all! |
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Thanks for celebrating with us! Our 50th anniversary open house on July 25th was a great success!
Gordon Hall Renovation Update
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The first phase of Gordon Hall renovation is complete and it looks great! We contracted A. R. Brouwer Company, LLC for the addition of three bathrooms on the ground floor, a room on the second floor and replacement of the back porch with a replica of the original. In addition, work has been done on the North Parlor including restoring the original 1840 floors and painting the walls. |
Gordon Hall has a nice new look and is ready to host events. Please see our event page or contact Bene Fusilier at benefusilier@att.net or 734-426-8972 to book your date today.
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These pictures show some of the completed work by the contractor as well as the work done by volunteers to remove carpet and plywood in the North Parlor. It took crowbars to remove the many nails that were used to hold down the plywood! The stairway was added in 1951 by the U of M to access the two upper apartments, so we just removed the carpet from them. Our plans are to continue restoring the floor which we hope to show off on September 11th and 12th during our special 2021 Gordon Hall Days. |
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Gordon Hall Milk House
Thank you to the Ann Arbor Kiwanis for awarding us a grant to complete the steps for the milk house at Gordon Hall. When we open, besides our new improvements at Gordon Hall, you will be able to visit the milk house and go down to the basement where they stored meat and produce.
Exciting tours will await when we can have visitors.
Exciting tours will await when we can have visitors.
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Gordon Hall Renovation Update
We are excited about the completion of Phase I of our renovation plan. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from the community. If you would like to donate to help with the next phases of Gordon Hall renovation you can use our Pay Pal button above or send a check marked “Gordon Hall Rehabilitation” to
Dexter Area Historical Society
3443 Inverness
Dexter, Michigan 48130
If you have questions, please call Caryl Burke at 734 476-5232
Thank you!!
Dexter Area Historical Society
3443 Inverness
Dexter, Michigan 48130
If you have questions, please call Caryl Burke at 734 476-5232
Thank you!!
Membership and Volunteers:
We have many opportunities for volunteers and welcome your participation!
Click here for a link to the membership and volunteer form.
We have many opportunities for volunteers and welcome your participation!
Click here for a link to the membership and volunteer form.
Dexter Historical Museum
The museum is now open for visitors every Friday and Saturday 1-3. Come in and you'll see that we have been busy! The "Bats in the Belfry" campaign allowed us to restore the belfry AND paint the entire exterior of the building! We also held two garage sales and a Holiday Sale thanks to the Dexter Heritage Guild and gift shop. The proceeds from the sales were used to purchase two large handsome display cabinets for the main display room along with lighting for them. The downstairs hallway has been painted and we have a new kitchen display.
Past Events:
Christmas at the Mansion 2020
Christmas at the Mansion 2020
We were unable to hold our annual Christmas at the Mansion event in 2020, but we did decorate the porch and encouraged people to stop by for photos. We look forward to bringing our traditional events (including Santa, making gingerbread houses and touring the Christmas Village collection) back for the holiday season in 2021.
Fall Fundraiser 2020
A Harvest of Hope for Gordon Hall
A Harvest of Hope for Gordon Hall
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The DAHS Harvest of Hope for Gordon Hall fundraiser at the Fillmore of Dexter was a great success, earning over $15,000 to support the continued restoration of Gordon Hall! |
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Coley O’Brien and his Fillmore staff prepared 119 carryout dinners which were then served by costumed DAHS volunteers. Jan Lyons graciously designed a stunning Fall display to greet supporters as they arrived for their carryout dinners.
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We want to extend a very sincere thank you to our Dexter Area Historical Society members, our sponsors and to the Dexter community for their continued support of our ongoing restoration efforts at our local historical treasure, Gordon Hall!
The Bob and Jan Lyons Foundation
The Fillmore Bar & Grill
7954 Ann Arbor Street Dexter, Michigan 48130 |
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BATS IN THE BELFRY CAMPAIGN A HUGE SUCCESS!
We are so excited to announce that we raised almost $25,000 from over 100 donors to fix the church belfry and paint the outside of the Dexter Historical Museum. Thank you to all donors for your fantastic support. Donors of $50 or more received a hand-made facemask with a bat design to commemorate their involvement in this amazing campaign. Dexter history never looked better than with a fresh coat of paint! Picture caption: Bev Hill-DAHS President, Ceci Riecker-Batty Campaign Chair, and Caryl Burke-Mask Creator Extraordinaire, show off the newly painted Museum and Belfry. Look closely at the bat fabric on the masks! |
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Christmas at the mansion 2019 was a great success! Thanks to all who participated! Winter Wonderland hosted almost 100 guests on Friday evening. There were over 600 folks during the day on Saturday to visit with Santa and build gingerbread houses. On Sunday we served two capacity seatings for tea with Katherine Dexter McCormick. And we had a good crowd with good sales at the Museum bazaar. |
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Fall Dinner 2019
Our September 21st fundraising dinner sponsored by St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Chelsea was well attended by many generous supporters of Gordon Hall and we earned over $37,000 . Our sincere thank you to Nancy Graebner, CEO and the staff of the hospital as well as the generous event sponsors, donors and attendees! The Gordon Hall restoration moves forward with your wonderful support! |
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The Dexter Area Historical Society (DAHS) is a nonprofit organization in Dexter, Michigan, which supports the preservation of the history of the Dexter area. DAHS owns and operates two properties: the Dexter Area Museum and Gordon Hall.
The DAHS board meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the museum.
Dexter Museum
Located in the Village of Dexter, Michigan the Dexter Area Historical Museum serves as western Washtenaw County's link with history. The museum is housed in the former St. Andrew's United Church of Christ built in 1883. In addition to numerous artifacts, the museum contains a large display area, a genealogical library, a local history library and the Corner Gift Shop. The museum is open May - November on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
The Dexter Heritage Guild is the fundraising group for the Musem.
Museum and Heritage Guild information
Historic Gordon Hall
Built in the 1840's Gordon Hall is owned and operated by the Dexter Area Historical Society. The society puts on events at Gordon Hall throughout the year to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the building. The venue may also be rented for weddings and other events.
Gordon Hall history and event scheduling
The DAHS board meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the museum.
Dexter Museum
Located in the Village of Dexter, Michigan the Dexter Area Historical Museum serves as western Washtenaw County's link with history. The museum is housed in the former St. Andrew's United Church of Christ built in 1883. In addition to numerous artifacts, the museum contains a large display area, a genealogical library, a local history library and the Corner Gift Shop. The museum is open May - November on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
The Dexter Heritage Guild is the fundraising group for the Musem.
Museum and Heritage Guild information
Historic Gordon Hall
Built in the 1840's Gordon Hall is owned and operated by the Dexter Area Historical Society. The society puts on events at Gordon Hall throughout the year to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the building. The venue may also be rented for weddings and other events.
Gordon Hall history and event scheduling
Locations
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Museum HoursMay through November
Friday and Saturday afternoons from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Gordon Hall is open during special events and by appointment only. |
