Memoir Collection

The West Bloomfield Township Public Library has collected a number of handwritten and typed memoirs, which the Library is now making available online. These memoirs cover a range of time from the 1800s to the 1970s. They all depict West Bloomfield at a time when farming was the main occupation and when the closest “city” was Pontiac. In their entirety, these histories offer a glimpse of what living in the West Bloomfield area was like when it was considered rural.

The West Bloomfield Township Public Library does not vouch for the accuracy of any information contained in the memoirs, and the thoughts and views are solely those of the authors. To make reading easier, some handwritten memoirs have been typed and offered with the original documents. All original spelling and punctuation has been maintained in the typed documents.

These Memoirs have been scanned and uploaded as Adobe Acrobat Files. If you need to download Abode Acrobat Reader click here.

Memoirs

Bernice Langdon Gibbs
Approximate time period covered: 1910-1930s
The memoir of Bernice Langdon Gibbs focuses on the Pontiac Trail/Mirror Lake area. She talks about Eagle School and Apple Island and Orchard Lake during the winter. The first 14 pages of this document contain a family tree. The memoir starts on page 15.

The Green Homestead
Approximate time period covered: 1830s-1950s
The Greens were early settlers in the West Bloomfield area so this memoir is a great resource for what West Bloomfield was like for the early inhabitants. The author tells the history of the Green Family and provides interesting information on log cabin construction and how they moved log cabins in the 1800s.

Bertrice Hallett
Approximate time period covered: 1927-1976
Bertrice Hallett was a teacher in West Bloomfield in the early 20th century. Besides discussing area schools, Hallett’s memoir does a wonderful job depicting the development of West Bloomfield, from a farming community to bustling residential community, and the impact this growth had on the long-standing residents.

Isabelle Harger
Approximate time period covered: 1907-1970
Isabelle Harger’s document covers a wide range of topics like early shopping in the area, Wilkins Corner, Pine Lake School and the early Library.

Mrs. Owen W. Smith (Corine Smith)
Approximate time period covered: 1830-1920s
Corine Smith provides a history of the Dow and Cruice Families, Dow Ridge and curling among the Scots in the area. After the handwritten memoir, Smith has provided a description of the Dow Monument in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Pontiac. A two-page typed document on the Dow Family ends this memoir.

Strong Family
Approximate time period covered: 1870s-
This memoir provides information on early Keego Harbor, the Military Academy and area newspapers.

History of Keego and Cass Lake
Approximate time period covered: 1910-1950s
This handwritten history by Wilma Webb covers the history of Keego and Cass Lake. She covers a wide range of topics including churches, Roosevelt School, fruit orchards, ice houses, postal service, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, and the Keego Cass Women’s Club, which eventually became a library.

Winford R. Hamlin
Approximate time period covered: 1897-1976
Winford R. Hamlin’s memories of his life in West Bloomfield offer one of the best sources of information on what life was like living on Apple Island. As a child, Hamlin and his family were caretakers on the island. He also talks about the Military Academy, farming, fruit orchards, Flanders’ Farm and working for the Albert Kahn. Hamlin’s document also includes a map of Apple Island, which marks many of the structures and features that were once there.

Last Update: April 18, 2007