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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT THE OCTAGON HOUSE
Our mission is to preserve and protect the historic Loren Andrus Octagon House in order to allow it to be available for educational and community uses. In an effort to meet that goal, we are very pleased to invite you to step back in time and discover 150 years of history in fun and interactive ways. In addition to our Open House events, the Friends of the Octagon House encourage you to visit for your own special educational experience to learn what life was like during the Victorian era. Through the years, we have welcomed many organizations and individuals including: school field trips, social clubs, youth, senior, and scouting groups, business organizations and many more. It is very easy to navigate to our location; we are conveniently located in Macomb County, close to most Detroit Metropolitan area schools, and near the M-53 expressway.
While each visit includes a tour of the Octagon House, our learning opportunities can be personalized to fit your group or function’s specific needs or curriculum. We will work to accommodate your request regarding content, activity and timing. Our fees are minimal, and all proceeds will help further preserve the Loren Andrus Octagon House and facility.
| Underground Railroad Experience
One of the Octagon House’s more popular educational themes is our Underground Railroad Experience. Guests learn about the struggles and activities that runaway slaves who traveled the Underground Railroad
(UGRR) experienced. Furthermore, we educate about the many items that provided travelers with comfort and gave the
UGRR its success along the way. These items include:
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Games and Toys - Visitors learn to play Mancala, a game brought to this country
from Africa and secretly played by slave children. Ask about making a Mancala game to take home.
The Language of Quilts - Discover the hidden messages in the quilts of the Civil War era via a story time demonstration of a magnificent Underground Railroad Quilt that is displayed in the house. Listen to the heartwarming tale of a young girl who creates a quilt that acts as a map to others in their escape to freedom. This story can also be acted out upon request. In addition, visitors can make quilt squares to take home as a keepsake from their visit.
Craft Corner – Guests have the option of making a craft from the era to take home as a keepsake from their visit.
Foods and Chores – Help to make a food that the Station Master would have prepared for the slaves hiding on their property then sample the food afterwards.
Heroes of the UGRR – Visitors will learn about some of the heroes of the time and their unique plans for successful escapes.
Music – Students will listen for hidden meanings in songs from the Civil War Era.
Octajeopardy – Guests will test their knowledge of the Civil War and the UGRR information.
You Choose a Topic
Interested in a specific topic? Let us arrange for a special guest speaker to entertain and educate your group during your visit to the house. Our contacts are experts in a variety of historical related subjects. Tour options can also include a variety of demonstrations such as: quilting, gardening, weaving and spinning, cooking, craft making, storytelling, or perhaps a warm cup of our special blend of Octagon House tea. The possibilities are endless.
Octacamp
Another fun-filled learning opportunity is our very popular Octacamp. Octacamp provides children with an opportunity to enjoy a week-long day camp at the Loren Andrus Octagon House where they’ll learn the culture, customs and traditions of the past. The camp takes place during the summer months, and is administered by a certified teacher. This program provides children the opportunity to interact and become familiar with historic era arts and crafts and activities including weaving, sewing, basketry and gardening. Time at the camp, allows children the time to play with toys of the past, participate in old time games, and make and sample snacks of the past. In addition, visiting artisans are often part of the Octacamp experience. These talented individuals spend quality time educating the children, demonstrating their unique arts and inspiring the children through their enthusiasm for historic preservation. Be sure to watch our upcoming events page for registration information.
We look forward to sharing our passion for the history of this exquisite structure with you very soon. To inquire about available dates for a visit, or for additional information, please contact
our Education Coordinator, Susi DiPace, at education@octagonhouse.org or reach us at 586-781-0084.
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