EXHIBITS at CoBACH
Sunday – Friday, 5-8 pm
Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm
Closed Monday

CoBACH Display
January – February
“Civil War”

EXHIBITS at CoBACH
Sunday – Friday, 5-8 pm
Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm
Closed Monday

CoBACH Display
January – February
“Civil War”

EXHIBITS at CoBACH
Sunday – Friday, 5-8 pm
Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm
Closed Monday

CoBACH Display
April – May
“World War I”

Learn about the local WWI veterans that served our country as the 100th Anniversary of
WWI takes place this year.  Over 100 local veterans have their photos and their service
records on exhibit.  See letters and memorabilia about the men from Brighton.

FREE Admission

Brighton’s oldest cemetery is due for its annual grounds restoration on Saturday, May 6 from 9 am-Noon.  This will be the Ninth Annual Spring Day of Restoration as we prepare all the gravesites including those of United States Veterans for the upcoming Memorial Day remembrance.

This is a wonderful opportunity to donate a Saturday morning to assist in such a worthwhile effort.  Helping to enrich your hometown with community involvement is an important civic public service.  Please feel free to bring your school-age children.

There have been tremendous joint efforts by many to improve the appearance of this burial ground.  The initial proposal by the Brighton Area Historical Society in 2009 was graciously embraced by the former City Manager, Dana Foster.

Prior to the pitch, some may remember that the cemetery was locked closed all day to any visitors.  Brush and weed trees totally encompassed the cemetery’s perimeter making it impossible to see into the grounds.  Many headstones around the perimeter were covered by brush and impossible to see.

Today you will see beautiful grounds that are under the canopy of mature trees.  As you gaze down on the millpond from Brighton’s 1838 cemetery, you will enjoy viewing the glistening diamonds of light that reflect off the gentle waves of the water.  The early founders of Brighton indeed selected a beautiful setting for the burial grounds of famiy and friends.  The cemetery is open to all during the daylight hours.

Please join us to continue the transformation on May 6.  Bring work gloves and a lawn rake.  The recent winds removed the leaves from the ground, but left small broken branches everywhere.  You will be guaranteed a wonderful feeling when you are done!

9th Annual Old Village Cemetery Spring Cleanup
Saturday, May 6th, 2017
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Visit the CoBACH Center on Memorial Day and see two wonderful private collections
of museum quality military memorabilia from the Civil War.  You will see hand guns,
rifles, swords, uniforms, ordnance and many unique items.  The Brighton Area
Historical Society is the sponsor for this wonderful FREE exhibit.  Bring your children
as you don’t have to the leave the community to see these classic relics.
For more information, call 810.250.7276.

Learn about Brighton and its past as the community celebrates the 150th Anniversary
of Brighton becoming a village.  The Brighton Area Historical Society has wonderful
old photos that illustrate downtown Brighton over 100 years ago.  The CoBACH Center
was the first town hall and fire station built in 1879.  The town hall business was held
on the second floor.  Many of the large old photos show only horse and buggies on
Main Street and Grand River Avenue.

CoBACH Center Hours:
Sunday – Friday, 5-8pm
Saturday 11am – 5pm
Closed Mondays
For more information, please call 810.250.7276

“How Sweet It Was” – DeLuca’s

Take a step back in time and revisit the DeLuca Sweet Shop on Main Street.

CoBACH Center Hours:
Sunday – Friday, 5-8pm
Saturday 11am – 5pm
Closed Mondays
For more information, please call 810.250.7276

Participate in the FREE Memorial Program inside the Old Village Cemetery that
will follow the parade and Veterans’ Address at the Millpond.  The Brighton Area
Historical Society and the Sons of the Union Veterans Post 240 will present a
special memorial program for two local buried Civil War soldiers.  Their broken
headstones have been reassembled and will be rededicated today.  This program
from within Old Village Cemetery should take place around 11:40am-12:15pm.
For more information, please call 810.250.7276

ALSO…

Veterans Day
November 11, 2017

“RededicatingTheir Service”

A Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Civil War Soldiers’ Graves in Brighton’s Old Village Cemetery
The past teaches much, and a cemetery is an unlikely but abundant wealth of information.  Every grave stone is a story. Judith Coebly looked at the Old Village Cemetery in Brighton, Michigan and saw a vast amount of stories that needed to be told. Judith Coebly is a retired educator and an active Quester as she serves both on the Michigan State Board of The Questers and also President of Plank Road Questers #236. One of her interests has been the human aspect and impact of the American Civil War. This is apparent in her accomplishment of a booklet which details the lives of those Union Soldiers whose grave stones are found in the Old Village Cemetery in Brighton, Michigan. Funded by a grant from the Michigan State
Organization of The Questers, this booklet provides biographical information, pictures of some veterans, pictures of grave stones, and a self-guided walking tour of the cemetery grave sites.  This booklet will be available for cemetery visitors’ usage in May, 2017.  After more than 1,000 hours of research over the course of 2 years, Judith presents the stories behind the grave stones. In addition to the 38 identified veteran graves, research also revealed other grave markers were veterans. It was also discovered that some of the grave stones were only memorials (cenotaphs).

The Brighton Old Village Cemetery serves as a record of the historical development of the City of Brighton as it holds the grave markers of prominent local and state leaders, noted political figures, and Civil War Veterans. Designated as a Michigan State Historic Site, the cemetery provides many educational opportunities.

Through the spirit and support of The Questers, Judith Coebly has established another location that provides historical significance and of which it can be said, “This Place Matters!”

Suzanne Skwarski
Plank Road Questers #236
This booklet is available in a mail box just inside the cemetery entrance.

Quality Spring Recycled Jewelry Sale at CoBACH – April 28, 2018

Ladies, are you tired or frustrated with old jewelry filling your jewelry box?  Now is the time to spring clean those jewelry boxes.  The Society is looking for fine, costume and broken jewelry for the spring sale.  100% of the funds raised through your jewelry donations will be used to fund the preservation and restoration projects of the Society.

Jewelry needed by April 8th.  Collect and contact Jim Vichich for pick-up at 810.250.7276.

Old Village Cemetery Spring Cleanup, May 5, 9am-12nn
Can You Help?

The 10th Annual Old Village Cemetery Spring Cleanup is 6 weeks away. Can you spare 3 hours on a Saturday morning to give some time for our deceased veterans and the early settlers of Brighton.