Troy Historical Society

The Troy Historical Society's Heritage Campaign has been established to raise $7.7 million during the next five years to support five new projects that will enhance the Troy Museum & Historic Village as an exceptional resource for the City of Troy . The completion of these major projects, without significant cost to the City of Troy's taxpayers, will increase the value of the museum as an outstanding center for educational and enrichment programs for the culturally and ethnically diverse populations in Troy and the surrounding communities.

The five projects of the Heritage Campaign are:

Barnard House

The 1837 Niles-Barnard House

The goals of this project include the purchase of a lot west of the museum to expand the village and provide a location for the historic Niles-Barnard House followed by the complete adaptive restoration of the structure. This house, recently donated to the museum, was built in 1837 by one of Troy 's founding pioneers, Johnson Niles, who named the community and spearheaded its early development. Norman Barnard purchased the house from the Niles descendents in 1941. In 1955, Troy Township leaders gathered with Township Supervisor Barnard in his home to develop a successful strategy for the township to incorporate as a home rule city. The Niles-Barnard House is considered the most historically significant structure in Troy .

An Historic Barn

The goals of this project include the purchase of a lot west of the museum and the relocation and restoration of a 19th century barn on that site. This structure will be utilized to interpret the community's agricultural heritage and will serve as exhibit space for the museum's collection of farm implements and machinery.

1927 Township Hall Adaptive Reuse

This project is the adaptation of the 1927 Troy Township Hall at the village for principal use as an exhibit museum. New galleries will tell the story of Troy from its inception as a rural community of immigrant farmers and tradesmen from New York through its development into a dynamic and diverse "edge" city. The interpretation featured in permanent and rotating gallery exhibits will be continued and expanded through appropriate, non-intrusive signage in the museum's other structures and on the Village Green.

Maintenance Endowment Fund

This project will establish and fund a permanent endowment to assist the City of Troy with the maintenance of each of the historic buildings, Village Green grounds, and the archives located on the grounds of the Troy Museum & Historic Village .

A Gateway to the Village Green

This project includes the development of a "Gateway to the Village Green" that will enhance the visual identity of the museum. It is proposed that the gateway will include the placement of a Detroit United Railway (DUR) car reminiscent of those cars that served the community from 1899 to 1931.