Northville Historical Society & Mill Race Village

10/14/2026

Join us TONIGHT for our monthly history lecture at 7 pm. Perfect topic for October! See you there!

UNLOCK THE MYSTERY OF HOUDINI IN DETROIT!

What connects the Motor City to the world’s most famous magician? Prepare to be amazed as we explore the fascinating—and macabre—history of Harry Houdini in Detroit!

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 7:00 PM
Mill Race Village New School Church

Join the Northville Historical Society for an intriguing evening with presenter Jeremy Dimick, Director of Collections at the Detroit Historical Society, as he takes us back in time to discover Houdini’s remarkable connection to Detroit.

Between 1894 and 1926, Houdini performed in Detroit an astonishing 19 times! Audiences watched his rise from the bottom of show bills to the very top, witnessing his increasingly daring and dangerous signature escapes along the way.

Discover the stories behind the performances.
Explore Detroit’s fascinating connection to the legendary illusionist.
Uncover the darker side of Houdini’s history in the city.

Whether you love history, mystery, or the extraordinary stories behind famous figures, this is a program you won’t want to miss!

Mark your calendar and join us for an evening of history, intrigue, and Houdini!

The program is free, provided by a generous grant from the DTE Foundation

10/10/2026

10/09/2026

UNLOCK THE MYSTERY OF HOUDINI IN DETROIT!

What connects the Motor City to the world’s most famous magician? Prepare to be amazed as we explore the fascinating—and macabre—history of Harry Houdini in Detroit!

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 7:00 PM
Mill Race Village New School Church

Join the Northville Historical Society for an intriguing evening with presenter Jeremy Dimick, Director of Collections at the Detroit Historical Society, as he takes us back in time to discover Houdini’s remarkable connection to Detroit.

Between 1894 and 1926, Houdini performed in Detroit an astonishing 19 times! Audiences watched his rise from the bottom of show bills to the very top, witnessing his increasingly daring and dangerous signature escapes along the way.

Discover the stories behind the performances.
Explore Detroit’s fascinating connection to the legendary illusionist.
Uncover the darker side of Houdini’s history in the city.

Whether you love history, mystery, or the extraordinary stories behind famous figures, this is a program you won’t want to miss!

Mark your calendar and join us for an evening of history, intrigue, and Houdini!

The program is free, provided by a generous grant from the DTE Foundation

10/09/2026

Shared from our colleagues at the Northville District Library

This Throwback Thursday, we're featuring one of the many places the Northville Library existed in Northville history:

A long time ago, in 1889, the Northville Library had a temporary location on the second floor of 168 E Main St. McKeand Building!

This building was later known as the Macomber Building and then the Sheehan Building before becoming the J. M. Mead General Store, in its permanent place at Mill Race Historical Village.

10/07/2026

Stop by to see us at today’s Healthy Living Expo 10-12 pm! You will be amazed at all the community resources available to you in order to live your best life!

10/06/2026

We're making progress!

The foundation has been poured, the steps installed, and the first few rows of stones laid. On top of that, we're having a great time working together.

A big thanks to Ellsworth Landscape Supplies & Masonry Accessories for their donations.

09/30/2026

Pardon our dust…

We’re in the process of building a stone retaining wall. The ultimate goal is to make the “Village Green” more usable by flattening it out. The Stone Gang will be building the wall and laying the stones. A special thanks to Blackstone Landscaping and their team for working with us.

09/29/2026

Pardon our dust! Visitors to Mill Race Village may notice some construction activity in the coming weeks as an improvement project gets underway.

The Northville Historical Society is pleased to announce the construction of a new retaining wall along the open space between the Mead Store and Weaver’s Cottage. The project is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete.

The work will be carried out through a partnership between professional contractors and the dedicated volunteers of the Stone Gang, whose time, skills, and commitment continue to play an important role in maintaining and improving Mill Race Village.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our members, visitors, and neighbors while this work is underway. Construction activity may temporarily affect access or movement in the area between the two buildings, but Mill Race Village will continue to welcome visitors.

We are grateful to the contractors, and our Stone Gang volunteers for helping ensure that Mill Race Village remains a safe, attractive, and well-maintained place where our community can experience Northville’s history for generations to come.

We appreciate your patience!

09/27/2026

Watch the Lions
Go to a c***r mill
Take a hike in a park
Tour the grounds of Mill Race Village 1-4 pm

All fun things to do on a beautiful Sunday. Do one, or do all!

09/26/2026

OPEN HOUSE!!!! The Historic District Commission (HDC) will again open the 1877 Thayer's Schoolhouse to residents. We held an open house in the spring, but due to a deluge of rain, there wasn't much of a chance for folks to come. So, we are trying again, and Sunday's weather looks to be near perfect. Come tour the schoolhouse and see the renovations that have been made. The HDC will open the schoolhouse at noon on Sunday, September 27, 2026, and close its doors at 3pm. We would love to see you and talk about the school's history.