Upcoming Events
Hosted monthly at Elephant & Co, 456 Charlotte St, Detroit, MI 48201 parking lot and street parking is available. Doors open at 5:45. Dinner and Bingo begin at 6:00 pm and last until approximately 8:00 pm.
Join the Detroit History Club and Eastern Market Brewing for a game night like no other in a city like none other- Detroit! We’re calling it “Beano for History,” and it’s exactly that: a performance, a history talk, a giant game of Beano, and book prizes galore! This is an old-fashioned Bingo game with a Detroit History Club twist. Throughout the game, different numbers will trigger history facts. History night meets game night!
B1 - Eber Brock Ward was the first man in Michigan to amass a million dollars. His daughter Clara was the first Michigan woman to marry into a European royal family, becoming a princess of Belgium.
I28 - 28% of Americans self reported drinking alcohol illegally during Prohibition, when interviewed by federal agents on December 28th, 1933..
G48 - Elephant & Co Detroit has 48 beer taps. All self-serve with as little as an ounce.
No prior knowledge or skill is required to play and to win.
A Little History on Bingo
Bingo has quite a history. In its earliest form, it dates back to 1530 in an Italian lottery called "Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia." The game spread to France in the late 1770s, where it became "Le Lotto," played by wealthy Frenchmen. Germans later adapted the game in the 1800s as a learning tool for children in math, spelling, and history. By 1929, the game reached North America as "Beano," played at country fairs with beans to mark cards. Toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe renamed it "Bingo" after hearing someone yell "Bingo" instead of "Beano."
We’ll let you yell “Bingo,” but reward you if you remember to yell “Beano”!
In 1930, Edwin S. Lowe hired Columbia University math professor Carl Leffler to create 6,000 unique Bingo card combinations, reducing repeat numbers and minimizing conflicts over multiple winners. Lowe and Leffler’s original cards are still in print, and we wouldn’t dream of using anything else!
What You Need to Know
Dinner: Elephant & Co has included a phenomenal pizza and salad buffet dinner (including tax and tip) in the evening. Your game night ticket includes the buffet, three games of beano, and surprises and prizes for winners.
Drinks: Are available for purchase at guests expense. Have you tried Elephant Juice? You really need to try it if you like beer. Other choices and many non alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase.
Games: Each guest will receive 3 games of Beano with one bingo card per game. There will be 3 winners a game.
Prizes: Beano winners will receive Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park themed books, and Eastern Market Brewing and Detroit History Club swag.
Age Requirement: Guests over 16 years of age are welcome as long as accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.
What to Bring as a Player
Everything you need to play will be provided:
A great attitude for education, adventure, and beer.
A lucky charm (optional)
Almost 50% of modern bingo players have a lucky charm or ritual they believe brings good fortune. Feel free to bring yours for Beano for History—the best lucky charms might even win a prize!
February 15th, 2025 3:45 pm doors open. 4:00 pm history and rules presentation.
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm double header roller derby.
The Masonic Temple: 500 Temple St, Detroit, MI 48201
Celebrate a thrilling double-header event with the Detroit History Club at the iconic Masonic Temple in Detroit! This exclusive experience is a perfect blend of action-packed roller derby and fascinating, physical, victorious Detroit history.
Event Highlights:
Early Entry at 3:45 PM: Get a VIP start to the evening and settle into The Detroit History Club’s VIP assigned section.
History of Roller Derby in Detroit at 4:00 PM: AK 40oz, the OG Detroit Roller Derby announcer, will share the rich 20 year history of Detroit Roller Derby.
Rules of Gameplay at 4:20 PM: Racer McChaseHer, 18-year vet and all star skater, will teach the ins and outs of roller derby rules to The Detroit History Club.
First Game begins at 5:00 PM: Watch the 3rd and 4th place teams go head-to-head in our 2024-2025 Grudge Match.
First Halftime History Talk: Detroit History Club, Executive Director, Bailey Sisoy-Moore, will give a short, captivating talk on phenomenal women in Detroit’s history, with a tie-in to the night’s roller derby theme: Fat Tuesday.
Championship Game begins at 7:00 PM: Watch the 2nd and 1st place teams clash for the title of 2024-2025 Home Team Champion!
Bar Access: Enjoy a drink at the bar, available for purchase.
Custom Detroit History Club/ Detroit Roller Derby T-shirt included free with bookings made before January 30th, 2025.
Details:
● Ages 12 and up are welcome.
● Limited to 50 tickets for this one-of-a-kind event!
Unable to remain for both games? That’s okay. Guests can leave whenever they are ready.
Parking is available on street or onsite at the Masonic Temple lots, fees apply.
● Tickets must be purchased by 9 AM on January 30th to receive a free, exclusive Detroit History Club roller derby T-shirt. If tickets remain available we will sell them until February 12th - but a T-shirt will not be included.
What will the shirt look like? We honestly don’t know yet. We are thinking beavers, we are thinking roller skates, we are thinking derby, we are thinking they’re going to be fun, silly, and sort of awesome.
Don’t miss this chance to honor Detroit’s past and present with a night of roller derby, history, and fun!
Due to overwhelming demand, Detroit Roller Derby partnered with us to increase the capacity to 125 tickets total. We’re thrilled to share that all tickets are now sold out!
Hosted monthly at Elephant & Co, 456 Charlotte St, Detroit, MI 48201 parking lot and street parking is available. Doors open at 5:45. Dinner and Bingo begin at 6:00 pm and last until approximately 8:00 pm.
Join the Detroit History Club and Eastern Market Brewing for a game night like no other in a city like none other- Detroit! We’re calling it “Beano for History,” and it’s exactly that: a performance, a history talk, a giant game of Beano, and book prizes galore! This is an old-fashioned Bingo game with a Detroit History Club twist. Throughout the game, different numbers will trigger history facts. History night meets game night!
B1 - Eber Brock Ward was the first man in Michigan to amass a million dollars. His daughter Clara was the first Michigan woman to marry into a European royal family, becoming a princess of Belgium.
I28 - 28% of Americans self reported drinking alcohol illegally during Prohibition, when interviewed by federal agents on December 28th, 1933..
G48 - Elephant & Co Detroit has 48 beer taps. All self-serve with as little as an ounce.
No prior knowledge or skill is required to play and to win.
A Little History on Bingo
Bingo has quite a history. In its earliest form, it dates back to 1530 in an Italian lottery called "Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia." The game spread to France in the late 1770s, where it became "Le Lotto," played by wealthy Frenchmen. Germans later adapted the game in the 1800s as a learning tool for children in math, spelling, and history. By 1929, the game reached North America as "Beano," played at country fairs with beans to mark cards. Toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe renamed it "Bingo" after hearing someone yell "Bingo" instead of "Beano."
We’ll let you yell “Bingo,” but reward you if you remember to yell “Beano”!
In 1930, Edwin S. Lowe hired Columbia University math professor Carl Leffler to create 6,000 unique Bingo card combinations, reducing repeat numbers and minimizing conflicts over multiple winners. Lowe and Leffler’s original cards are still in print, and we wouldn’t dream of using anything else!
What You Need to Know
Dinner: Elephant & Co has included a phenomenal pizza and salad buffet dinner (including tax and tip) in the evening. Your game night ticket includes the buffet, three games of beano, and surprises and prizes for winners.
Drinks: Are available for purchase at guests expense. Have you tried Elephant Juice? You really need to try it if you like beer. Other choices and many non alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase.
Games: Each guest will receive 3 games of Beano with one bingo card per game. There will be 3 winners a game.
Prizes: Beano winners will receive Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park themed books, and Eastern Market Brewing and Detroit History Club swag.
Age Requirement: Guests over 16 years of age are welcome as long as accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.
What to Bring as a Player
Everything you need to play will be provided:
A great attitude for education, adventure, and beer.
A lucky charm (optional)
Almost 50% of modern bingo players have a lucky charm or ritual they believe brings good fortune. Feel free to bring yours for Beano for History—the best lucky charms might even win a prize!
Sunday, March, 30th 2025 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
The Detroit History Club, 3103 Commor, Hamtramck MI 48212
Doors open 30 minutes before the ticketed time. Parking is available free on the street.
In person attendance $15.00
Virtual attendance $5 per household
Virtual attendance is available through our website, $5 per household or free for Detroit History Club members. To learn more about becoming a member of the Detroit History Club, please click here.
Stor·y time
noun: Storytime
a regular time at which a story is read aloud.
a time when a story is told to a group of assembled people.
Storytime precedes bedtime for some children.
Many public libraries offer storytime on a regular schedule.
Storytime for adults is just that- It’s an hour and a half to listen as an interesting person reads an interesting thing. We invite guests to BYOB (within reason), a small snack and coffee are included. As always, there will be a discussion and time for questions with the reader as part of the program. The reader is announced but their choice of book, newspaper, poems, script, or anything else is kept secret until story-time.
Interesting People Reading Interesting Things” is a monthly (ish) event hosted by The Detroit History Club. For the 49th installment, our reader is author Alan Reuther.
Alan Reuther is the son of Roy Reuther and the nephew of famed labor leader Walter Reuther. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977. Following in his father’s and uncles’ footsteps, the author spent his career working for the United Auto Workers (UAW). In 1977 he began as a lawyer in the union’s legal department, litigating in federal district and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1982 he transferred to the UAW’s Washington office to work on legislative matters. He became legislative director in 1991 and supervised the union’s activities lobbying Congress and the executive branch on health care, pensions, worker rights, and other issues. Alan will be speaking on his new book Roy Reuther and the UAW: Fighting for Workers and Civil Rights. His book will be available for sale on site.
Remote Attendance is offered for this event: Attend from anywhere!
If you're unable to attend this presentation at The Detroit History Club in person but wish to join us virtually, we are thrilled to announce our livestream opportunities. Free for Detroit History Club members or just $5 per household for non members, you'll be emailed a password to an unlisted page on our website where you'll be able to stream the presentation live, as it is happening, participate in the Q&A through texting, and spread the history fun to your home or office.
If you're unable to make the specific date and time, but wish to watch the presentation, the recorded video will remain available to those with the password for ten (10) days following the live event. Streaming works on tablets, computers, or phones that can successfully run any YouTube video.
For remote attendance the weblink and password will be emailed out 2 hours before the start of the event from Office@detroithistorytours.com.
In Person Attendance:
The Detroit History Club is located at 3103 Commor, Hamtramck, MI 48212. Free onsite parking is available along both Commor and McDougall Streets. The History Club is a former funeral home turned history-lover’s hangout. Guests are welcome to BYOB (within reason). Coffee and a small treat are included.
Sunday, April 6th, 2025 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
The Detroit History Club, 3103 Commor, Hamtramck MI 48212
Doors open 30 minutes before the ticketed time. Parking is available free on the street.
In person attendance $15.00
Virtual attendance $5 per household
Virtual attendance is available through our website, $5 per household or free for Detroit History Club members. To learn more about becoming a member of the Detroit History Club, please click here.
Stor·y time
noun: Storytime
a regular time at which a story is read aloud.
a time when a story is told to a group of assembled people.
Storytime precedes bedtime for some children.
Many public libraries offer story time on a regular schedule.
Storytime for adults is just that- It’s an hour and a half to listen as an interesting person reads an interesting thing. We invite guests to BYOB (within reason), a small snack and coffee are included. As always, there will be a discussion and time for questions with the reader as part of the program. The reader is announced but their choice of book, newspaper, poems, script, or anything else is kept secret until story-time.
Interesting People Reading Interesting Things” is a monthly (ish) event hosted by The Detroit History Club. For the 50th installment, our reader is author Daniel F Harrison.
Dr. Daniel F. Harrison is a distinguished archaeologist, historian, and retired librarian with a career spanning decades of research, education, and publication. An Adjunct Professor in Wayne State University’s Department of Anthropology, Dr. Harrison specializes in maritime landscapes, Great Lakes archaeology, and the interpretation of submerged cultural resources.
Dr. Harrison holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Wayne State University, where his dissertation explored the transformation of the St. Clair Maritime Cultural Landscape. He has authored numerous publications, including Michigan’s Venice: The Transformation of the St. Clair Maritime Landscape, 1640–2000 (Wayne State University Press). His award-winning research has contributed to historic preservation efforts and public understanding of Michigan’s rich maritime and cultural history.
Throughout his career, Dr. Harrison has earned accolades such as the Henry N. Barkhausen Award for Great Lakes Maritime History and multiple State History Awards from the Historical Society of Michigan. His work extends beyond academia, having curated museum exhibits and led community-focused archaeological initiatives. Passionate about storytelling through evidence-based research, Dr. Harrison continues to uncover and share the diverse histories of the Great Lakes region.
Dr. Harrison will have copies of his newest book, Michigan’s Venice: The Transformation of the St. Clair Maritime Landscape, 1640–2000, available for purchase following the I.P.R.I.T. event. He is able to accept cash or check payments.
Remote Attendance is offered for this event: Attend from anywhere!
If you're unable to attend this presentation at The Detroit History Club in person but wish to join us virtually, we are thrilled to announce our livestream opportunities. Free for Detroit History Club members or just $5 per household for non members, you'll be emailed a password to an unlisted page on our website where you'll be able to stream the presentation live, as it is happening, participate in the Q&A through texting, and spread the history fun to your home or office.
If you're unable to make the specific date and time, but wish to watch the presentation, the recorded video will remain available to those with the password for ten (10) days following the live event. Streaming works on tablets, computers, or phones that can successfully run any YouTube video.
For remote attendance the weblink and password will be emailed out 2 hours before the start of the event from Office@detroithistorytours.com.
In Person Attendance:
The Detroit History Club is located at 3103 Commor, Hamtramck, MI 48212. Free onsite parking is available along both Commor and McDougall Streets. The History Club is a former funeral home turned history-lover’s hangout. Guests are welcome to BYOB (within reason). Coffee and a small treat are included.
Sunday, April 13th, 2025 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
The Detroit History Club, 3103 Commor, Hamtramck MI 48212
Doors open 30 minutes before the ticketed time. Parking is available free on the street.
In person attendance $15.00
Virtual attendance $5 per household
Virtual attendance is available through our website, $5 per household or free for Detroit History Club members. To learn more about becoming a member of the Detroit History Club, please click here.
Stor·y time
noun: Storytime
a regular time at which a story is read aloud.
a time when a story is told to a group of assembled people.
Storytime precedes bedtime for some children.
Many public libraries offer storytime on a regular schedule.
Storytime for adults is just that- It’s an hour and a half to listen as an interesting person reads an interesting thing. We invite guests to BYOB (within reason), a small snack and coffee are included. As always, there will be a discussion and time for questions with the reader as part of the program. The reader is announced but their choice of book, newspaper, poems, script, or anything else is kept secret until story-time.
Interesting People Reading Interesting Things” is a monthly (ish) event hosted by The Detroit History Club. For the 52nd installment, our reader is author and professor, Dr. Felicia B. George,
Felicia B. George, a native Detroiter with a deep passion for the city's history and culture, holds a doctorate in anthropology from Wayne State University, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor. She invites you to explore her virtual museum dedicated to Detroit’s rich heritage at DoctorDetroit.com
As an author and speaker, Felicia sheds light on the lives of Detroit’s numbers operators—self-made entrepreneurs who overcame poverty and navigated the challenges of racism and capitalism through both legal and illegal means. Despite scandal and exploitation, these operators and their families became vital members of the community, providing steady employment and financial support for local businesses.
Join Felicia as she delves into the culture and history of Detroit’s Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods, exploring the gambling scene’s connection to key figures and moments in local history, including Joe Louis’s rise to fame and the recall of a mayor supported by the Ku Klux Klan.
Remote Attendance is offered for this event: Attend from anywhere!
If you're unable to attend this presentation at The Detroit History Club in person but wish to join us virtually, we are thrilled to announce our livestream opportunities. Free for Detroit History Club members or just $5 per household for non members, you'll be emailed a password to an unlisted page on our website where you'll be able to stream the presentation live, as it is happening, participate in the Q&A through texting, and spread the history fun to your home or office.
If you're unable to make the specific date and time, but wish to watch the presentation, the recorded video will remain available to those with the password for ten (10) days following the live event. Streaming works on tablets, computers, or phones that can successfully run any YouTube video.
For remote attendance the weblink and password will be emailed out 2 hours before the start of the event from Office@detroithistorytours.com.
In Person Attendance:
The Detroit History Club is located at 3103 Commor, Hamtramck, MI 48212. Free onsite parking is available along both Commor and McDougall Streets. The History Club is a former funeral home turned history-lover’s hangout.
Guests are welcome to BYOB (within reason).
Coffee and a small treat are included.
Hosted monthly at Elephant & Co, 456 Charlotte St, Detroit, MI 48201 parking lot and street parking is available. Doors open at 5:45. Dinner and Bingo begin at 6:00 pm and last until approximately 8:00 pm.
Join the Detroit History Club and Eastern Market Brewing for a game night like no other in a city like none other- Detroit! We’re calling it “Beano for History,” and it’s exactly that: a performance, a history talk, a giant game of Beano, and book prizes galore! This is an old-fashioned Bingo game with a Detroit History Club twist. Throughout the game, different numbers will trigger history facts. History night meets game night!
B1 - Eber Brock Ward was the first man in Michigan to amass a million dollars. His daughter Clara was the first Michigan woman to marry into a European royal family, becoming a princess of Belgium.
I28 - 28% of Americans self reported drinking alcohol illegally during Prohibition, when interviewed by federal agents on December 28th, 1933..
G48 - Elephant & Co Detroit has 48 beer taps. All self-serve with as little as an ounce.
No prior knowledge or skill is required to play and to win.
A Little History on Bingo
Bingo has quite a history. In its earliest form, it dates back to 1530 in an Italian lottery called "Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia." The game spread to France in the late 1770s, where it became "Le Lotto," played by wealthy Frenchmen. Germans later adapted the game in the 1800s as a learning tool for children in math, spelling, and history. By 1929, the game reached North America as "Beano," played at country fairs with beans to mark cards. Toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe renamed it "Bingo" after hearing someone yell "Bingo" instead of "Beano."
We’ll let you yell “Bingo,” but reward you if you remember to yell “Beano”!
In 1930, Edwin S. Lowe hired Columbia University math professor Carl Leffler to create 6,000 unique Bingo card combinations, reducing repeat numbers and minimizing conflicts over multiple winners. Lowe and Leffler’s original cards are still in print, and we wouldn’t dream of using anything else!
What You Need to Know
Dinner: Elephant & Co has included a phenomenal pizza and salad buffet dinner (including tax and tip) in the evening. Your game night ticket includes the buffet, three games of beano, and surprises and prizes for winners.
Drinks: Are available for purchase at guests expense. Have you tried Elephant Juice? You really need to try it if you like beer. Other choices and many non alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase.
Games: Each guest will receive 3 games of Beano with one bingo card per game. There will be 3 winners a game.
Prizes: Beano winners will receive Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park themed books, and Eastern Market Brewing and Detroit History Club swag.
Age Requirement: Guests over 16 years of age are welcome as long as accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.
What to Bring as a Player
Everything you need to play will be provided:
A great attitude for education, adventure, and beer.
A lucky charm (optional)
Almost 50% of modern bingo players have a lucky charm or ritual they believe brings good fortune. Feel free to bring yours for Beano for History—the best lucky charms might even win a prize!
Sunday, May 18th, 2025 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
The Detroit History Club, 3103 Commor, Hamtramck MI 48212
Doors open 30 minutes before the ticketed time. Parking is available free on the street.
In person attendance $15.00
Virtual attendance $5 per household
Virtual attendance is available through our website, $5 per household or free for Detroit History Club members. To learn more about becoming a member of the Detroit History Club, please click here.
Stor·y time
noun: Storytime
a regular time at which a story is read aloud.
a time when a story is told to a group of assembled people.
Storytime precedes bedtime for some children.
Many public libraries offer story time on a regular schedule.
Storytime for adults is just that- It’s an hour and a half to listen as an interesting person reads an interesting thing. We invite guests to BYOB (within reason), a small snack and coffee are included. As always, there will be a discussion and time for questions with the reader as part of the program. The reader is announced but their choice of book, newspaper, poems, script, or anything else is kept secret until story-time.
Interesting People Reading Interesting Things” is a monthly (ish) event hosted by The Detroit History Club. For the 51st installment, our reader is author Paul Vachon.
Paul Vachon is a seasoned writer and tour guide, combining his passion for storytelling with a deep knowledge of Detroit's rich history. With over a decade of professional writing experience, Paul has crafted engaging content for esteemed outlets such as the Detroit Free Press, Crain’s Detroit Business, HOUR Detroit, The History Channel Magazine, and Costco Connection.
A graduate of Sacred Heart Seminary College in Detroit, where he earned a B.A. in philosophy and liberal arts, Paul has authored four books on Detroit history, including Becoming the Motor City: A Timeline of Detroit’s Auto Industry and Lost Restaurants of Detroit. His works are continual bestsellers in the Detroit History Club Boutique. Additionally, Paul revises and edits the widely popular MOON Michigan and MOON Michigan’s Upper Peninsula guidebooks, published by Avalon Travel.
As a tour guide for Detroit History Tours, Paul focuses on Michigan Central Station and Detroit’s architectural treasures; His dedication to preserving and sharing Detroit’s history continues to inspire audiences through his writing and tours.
Mr. Vachon will have copies of his new book, Detroit: An Illustrated Timeline, 2nd Edition, available for purchase following the I.P.R.I.T. event. He is able to accept cash, credit, and checks.
Remote Attendance is offered for this event: Attend from anywhere!
If you're unable to attend this presentation at The Detroit History Club in person but wish to join us virtually, we are thrilled to announce our livestream opportunities. Free for Detroit History Club members or just $5 per household for non members, you'll be emailed a password to an unlisted page on our website where you'll be able to stream the presentation live, as it is happening, participate in the Q&A through texting, and spread the history fun to your home or office.
If you're unable to make the specific date and time, but wish to watch the presentation, the recorded video will remain available to those with the password for ten (10) days following the live event. Streaming works on tablets, computers, or phones that can successfully run any YouTube video.
For remote attendance the weblink and password will be emailed out 2 hours before the start of the event from Office@detroithistorytours.com.
In Person Attendance:
The Detroit History Club is located at 3103 Commor, Hamtramck, MI 48212. Free onsite parking is available along both Commor and McDougall Streets. The History Club is a former funeral home turned history-lover’s hangout. Guests are welcome to BYOB (within reason). Coffee and a small treat are included.