Welcome to the official page of the Belleville Area Museum, a cherished historical landmark with a rich and fascinating history! In 1875, the community of Van Buren Township came together to build a one-story brick town hall on Main Street, a place for conducting official business that had long been held in private homes and rented spaces. Residents pooled $1,500 for the project, and unde
r the supervision of Robert Patterson Clark, William Crawford, and Thomas Quirk, the Van Buren Township Hall took shape. As construction began, the Belleville Grange (Union) No. 331 sought permission to add a second story to the hall, generously donating all the materials for their meeting place. In 1905, Belleville was incorporated as a village, and the township hall was now outside Van Buren Township's boundaries. Nevertheless, it continued to serve as a municipal facility until 1959, when new offices were constructed on Tyler Road. Over the years, The Old Township Hall has worn many hats. It has hosted town meetings and voting sessions, issued driver's licenses, collected taxes, and even housed a library. The hall has been a hub for dances, concerts, church services, service club meetings, Red Cross blood drives, and even served as a jail and an Army recruiting station. After the township offices moved to Tyler Road, the building was repurposed for various commercial ventures, including the Rotary Club Haunted House, Oxbow Realty, the Belleville Enterprise, Adventure Travel, and the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce. In 1995, The Old Township Hall underwent a significant renovation, paving the way for the Belleville Area Museum and Historical Society to move in 1996. Subsequently, in 2019 and 2021, the museum received a fresh makeover, ensuring its continued vitality. We're proud of our Museum and we're excited to continue sharing our history with you. Museum admission is FREE, with a suggested $5 donation supporting our ongoing preservation efforts. Still owned by Van Buren Township, the Belleville Area Museum holds a special place on the State of Michigan Registry of Historic Sites. Stay connected with us to explore the past and present of this remarkable Greek revival public building as we celebrated
its 145th anniversary in 2020 and continue our journey into the future!
