White Lake Township in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Haven Hill Getaway

Celebrities Come to Visit

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

1. The Haven Hill Getaway: Celebrities Come to Visit Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

They came from around the world.
In the early 1920s, "weekend jaunts" in automobiles and on new roads brought day travelers to this countryside like never before, and also brought prominent people from around the world. The world of Edsel Ford included relationships with many leaders and explorers of the era and he invited them to his wooded hilltop refuge. These visitors included his father, Henry Ford, legendary inventor Thomas Edison, aviation explorers Charles Lindbergh and Admiral Richard Byrd, the Prince of Wales, Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs, and movie actor Jackie Cooper.

You Auto Know
In 1923, local people gathered along Highland Road to glimpse the visit by British royal visitor, the Prince of Wales.

Erected by Motorcities National Heritage Area, National Park Service.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment

Upper left image image. Click for full size.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

2. Upper left image

Edsel Ford invited Admiral Richard Byrd to Haven Hill. Admiral Byrd won world acclaim for his air expeditions of the North and South Poles. Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Click or scan to see
this page online

• Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the MotorCities National Heritage Area series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.

Location. 42° 38.458′ N, 83° 33.797′ W. Marker is in White Lake Township, Michigan, in Oakland County. Marker can be reached from Haven Road, 1.2 miles south of Highland Road (Michigan Highway 59). Marker is in Highland State Recreation Area. You have to hike approx. 0.6 miles from the parking lot to get to the marker. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5200 Highland Road, White Lake MI 48383, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Edsel Ford's Leadership (a few steps from this marker); Haven Hill Lodge (a few steps from this marker); Haven Hill Carriage House (within shouting distance of this marker); Haven Hill Farm (approx. 0.4 miles away); Many Friends, Many Flags (approx. 0.6 miles away); Haven Hill Gatehouse (approx. 1.1 miles away); Genevieve Gillette (approx. 1.1 miles away); Pettibone Creek Mills (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in White Lake Township.

Also see . . . Ford Flivver. Wikipedia article about the Ford Flivver.

Upper middle image image. Click for full size.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

3. Upper middle image

Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were good friends and visitors to Haven Hill. Photo courtesy of Walter Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

(Submitted on October 23, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Lower left image image. Click for full size.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

4. Lower left image

The lodge at Haven Hill. Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Lower middle image image. Click for full size.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

5. Lower middle image

Charles Lindbergh and his aircraft, "The Spirit of St. Louis," in which he made the world's first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Lindbergh became a friend of Edsel Ford and a visitor to Haven Hill. Photo courtesy of Walter Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

Lower right image image. Click for full size.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

6. Lower right image

Charles Lindbergh ran a test-flight of Ford's "Flivver" aircraft late in 1927. The tiny aircraft was an attempt to make airplanes as available and useful to people as the Model T automobile. Photo courtesy of Walter Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

By Joel Seewald, October 22, 2016

7. The Haven Hill Getaway: Celebrities Come to Visit Marker

Behind the marker is what remains of the living room. Fire destroyed the lodge in 1999. The Edsel Ford's Leadership marker can be seen on the right of the path, past the remains of the fireplace.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 23, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 276 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on October 23, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.