Oakland History Center at Pine Grove

55th Annual Summer Ice Cream Social
2024-07-27 12:00 - 2024-07-28 16:00 (America/Detroit) | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
Free, family friendly celebration held at the Oakland History Center!
Free Ice Cream
Food Trucks
Live Music
Reenactors
Mansion Tours
Historic Demonstrations
Flea Market
Vendor Booths
Kids Crafts

A River Runs Under It: The Burying of the Clinton River
2024-08-23 19:00 - 21:30 | Crofoot Ballroom, 1 South Saginaw, Pontiac, MI, 48342, United States
The Story of Burying Our Clinton River in Downtown Pontiac, presented by Mike McGuinness at the Crofoot Ballroom in downtown Pontiac.
Doors open at 7 PM, talk at 8. Free admission, cash bar available.

2024 Oak Hill Cemetery Walk: The Dead Poet and the Society
2024-09-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Oak Hill Cemetery, 216 University Drive, Pontiac, Michigan, 48341
Don’t miss this dynamic annual walking tour, as we explore the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. It is educational, it is fun, and it is outdoors. The event will happen rain or shine. Purchase your tickets today, or you may miss out — tickets have sold out in previous years. This year’s theme is “The Dead Poet and the Society” and we will be telling the stories of the founders of the Pioneer Society of Oakland County.
Suggested age 12 and up.
Tours from 2 to 4 PM.
Details about attending the walk: https://tinyurl.com/CemeteryWalk2024
Details about sponsoring the walk: https://www.ocphs.org/oak-hill-cemetery-walk-sponsorship/

Dishes Past: Ford Feast
2024-10-04 19:00 - 21:00 | First Presbyterian Church, 99 Wayne Street, Pontiac, MI, 48342, United States
Join us in Downtown Pontiac for a multi-course meal with a classic car theme. Featuring recipes inspired by the Ford Diamond Jubilee Recipe Collection, published 1978 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company.
Join the Oakland History Center on a gastronomic journey, prepared by Plain and Fancy Food. Support a good cause while you enjoy a taste of history and celebrate something timeless – great food! A portion of every ticket will benefit the Oakland History Center.
Recipes in the book are pulled from the 3000 recipes published by Ford in magazines, including the Ford Times. While specific details about individual recipes are not included in the book, many come from the Ford Times “Favorite Recipes from Favorite Restaurants” feature and showcase great regional food from across the United States.
Friday, October 4th, 2024
7:00pm to 10:00pm
$50 per person
First Presbyterian Church
99 Wayne St, Pontiac, MI 48342, Enter off of Wayne St and follow the signs.
Tickets available at: https://tinyurl.com/DishesPastFordFeast

Spring Auction 2025
2025-04-06 16:00 - 18:00 | Pontiac Little Art Theatre, 47 N. Saginaw Street, Pontiac, MI, 48342, United States
Held at the Pontiac Little Art Theatre, 47 North Saginaw.
A guaranteed good time for a good cause!

Silent Auction and Live Auction
Cash Bar
Ticket Proceeds Benefit both the Oakland History Center and the Pontiac Little Art Theatre (both non-profits)

Tickets for sale at the Oakland History Center or at this link: LocalHop.

2025 Annual Summer Social
2025-07-26 12:00 - 16:00 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
It’s almost that time again! Join us the last weekend in July for a local history blowout! There’ll be fun for the whole family, local history presenters, mansion tours (with some brand new displays), silent auctions, flea markets, food trucks and of course, ice cream! Attendance is free, but the fun is guaranteed.
Looking to help out? We are always looking for volunteers, vendors, sponsors and reenactors. Connect with us via email at office@ocphs.org, by phone at (248)338-6732 or fill out our sponsorship survey at: https://forms.gle/V1yyqqSxFmKrc8Mq7.

Oak Hill Cemetery Walk: From Temperance to the 21st Amendment
2025-09-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Oak Hill Cemetery, 216 University Drive, Pontiac, Michigan, 48341
“Don’t miss this dynamic annual walking tour, as we explore the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. It is educational, it is fun, and it is outdoors.
The event will happen rain or shine. Purchase your tickets today, or you may miss out — tickets have sold out in previous years. This year’s theme is “From Temperance to the 21st Amendment.”
Suggested age 12 and up.
Tiny url: https://tinyurl.com/OakHill25
Full url: https://events.getlocalhop.com/oak-hill-cemetery-walk/event/LyAwhVxsK4/
Or use the QR code:

In Search of Oakland County History: A Bus Tour
2025-10-15 10:00 - 16:30, 2025-10-18 10:00 - 16:30 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
Oakland County Parks and the Oakland History Center proudly present a bus tour ‘In Search of Oakland County History.’
Join us with Parks Historian Carol Egbo as we visit some of the hidden, historic gems this county has to offer. You’ll tour the Governor Wisner Mansion at our campus in Pontiac, the Ortonville ‘Old Mill’ Museum and the Waterford Historic Village.
Please note that not all sites are fully accessible, so please let us know ahead of time what your needs are.
Tours will start here at Pine Grove at 10am and should return here by 4:30pm. Parking is free and a boxed lunch will be provided.
With two dates for this fantastic tour (Wednesday October 15th and Saturday October 18th) you won’t want to miss it. Tickets available (for either day) here.

Autumn Auction Affair
2025-11-15 18:00 - 21:00 | Pontiac Creative Arts Center, 47 Williams Street, Pontiac, MI, 48342, United States
Our fall auction gala tradition returns! Held at the historic Pontiac Creative Arts Center at 47 Williams Street in Pontiac, Michigan.
A Guaranteed Fun, Festive, Fall Time! Strolling Reception – Silent Auction & Live Auction – Ticket Proceeds Benefit both our non-profit Historical Society & the non-profit Pontiac Creative Arts Center.
Purchase tickets online here or visit the Oakland History Center to get them in person.

OCHS Board Meeting
2026-01-17 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-03-21 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-07-18 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-09-19 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-11-21 10:30 - 12:00 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States

America250 Planning Meeting
2026-03-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Waterford Oaks Activity Center, 2800 Watkins Lake Road, Waterford, MI, 48328, United States
Calling All Lovers of History and Ice Cream!
This year, the Oakland History Center will be the site of Oakland County’s America 250 Celebration, taking place at the Oakland History Center’s July 2026 Summer Social. We’re in cahoots with the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Oakland County Parks, and the city of Pontiac in bringing this event to life.
We’re getting a little worked up about it, in only the best possible ways.
So, please join us and fellow community members on March 12 from 6:30 to 8 PM, as we brainstorm for this singular event.
The planning meeting will be held at the Waterford Oaks Activity Center, 2800 Watkins Lake Road, Waterford. There’ll be some light refreshments.
Bring your ideas and put on your brainstorming hats! It’s going to be fun winding through all of your suggestions!
A map to the Activity Center:

Small Talk - Kevin Ballant, "Michigan at Gettysburg"
2026-04-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
Small Talk – Michigan at Gettysburg
Our small talks return!
Join us on Sunday, April 26th at 1pm as presenter Kevin Ballant illuminates Michigan’s role in the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg.
Light refreshments provided.
Admission is free, but donations are always appreciated.

Spring Clean-Up
2026-05-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
Spring is in the air and you know what that means…
It’s time for spring cleaning. We invite you to help us clean up our grounds and exhibit spaces! Many hands make light work, and we can’t do it alone. So if you are able, grab a rake and swing on by.

Oakland History Center's Spring Auction
2026-05-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Crofoot Cafe, 1 South Saginaw, Pontiac, 48328, United States
Art, art, and more art! Mix and mingle with the Oakland History Center in historic downtown Pontiac, as we celebrate all things creative. It’s a great time and all of the proceeds help support Michigan’s oldest historical society (152 years and counting, but folks say we don’t look a day over 125).
Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oakland-history-centers-spring-auction-tickets-1983282625722
Ticket prices on the Eventbrite website reflect their processing fees so they look a little odd.

OCHS Annual Meeting
2026-05-16 11:00 - 14:30 | MI
We want to invite you to our 2026 Annual Meeting. Held at the newly rejuvenated Webster Community Center in Pontiac, we’ll have a ton of exciting things to talk about, maybe some snacks, and definitely some great company.
These affairs can get a little stuffy, but we think you’ll be interested to learn about all of the projects we’ve got going on, and all of the neat initiatives still to come this year…and beyond.

Campus Clean Up Day
2026-06-24 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States

America250 Celebration Planning Meeting
2026-07-01 17:30 - 19:00 | OCHS Carriage House, 405 Cesar E Chavez Ave, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
For organizations and groups interested in planning the best America250 Celebration in Oakland County, July 25-26, 2026.

Campus Cleanup Day
2026-07-07 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States

Oakland County America 250 Celebration
2026-07-25 - 2026-07-26 | Oakland History Center at Pine Grove, 405 Cesar Chavez Avenue, Pontiac, MI, 48341, United States
As America celebrates 250 years as a nation, please join us for a county and city celebration at our campus on July 25th and 26th.

Planning (and work!) is underway with all this going on:

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners has approved funding the paving of our driveway and electrical improvements on our campus grounds.
Several planning meetings have been held involving many of our local historical organizations and museums to assemble an event covering every area of our county.
Key leaders in our county government have committed their involvement, including the Board of Commissioners, Oakland County Parks, Oakland County Circuit Court, and others.
The City of Pontiac, in addition to celebrating the 100th anniversary of Pontiac Motors this year, will be holding activities at our campus during the event.
Several SAR and DAR chapters will also be joining us, providing reenactors and some ceremonial activities.

There’s a lot more to come. For now, consider this your “Save the Date” for a historic, really fun event!

2026 Oak Hill Cemetery Walk
2026-09-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Oak Hill Cemetery, 216 University Drive, Pontiac, Michigan, 48341
Don’t miss this dynamic annual walking tour, as we explore the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. It is educational, it is fun, and it is outdoors. The event will happen rain or shine. Purchase your tickets today, or you may miss out — tickets have sold out in previous years. Our theme this year is “Ladies, Gents and Scoundrels.”
Suggested age 12 and up.
Tickets here:
https://events.getlocalhop.com/oak-hill-cemetery-walk/event/QN5SJGySjV
