Troy Historic Village is spending 2026 asking the question “Why Troy?” Why do people move to and settle in Troy of all places? Work? School? Family? Something else? Whether you moved here recently or your family has been here for generations, we want to hear about it!

Student Projects

We are asking Students to create posters that will be displayed at Troy Historic Village as part of our Summer Exhibit: Telling Troy’s Stories, which will be up from June 1 to August 31.

How to Get Started:

Directions and poster templates can be accessed by clicking the buttons below. You can print these documents at home, but please note that poster templates are formatted to be printed on legal sized paper (8.5 inches by 14inches). You can also pick up these documents at the Village during our regular open hours, Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm (and during our Open Late hours on Thursday in June, July and August, when we are open until 7pm).

If you have concerns about privacy, feel free to leave a line blank, omit information, decline the use of a photograph, and so on. Please do not provide incorrect information, the goal is that these posters will be preserved as part of our ongoing Why Troy Oral History project.

Final steps:

Finished posters can be dropped off at Troy Historic Village located at 60 W Wattles Road in Troy, Michigan. You can also email them to info@thvmail.org. Posters should be sent in by July 1, if you wish them to be in the exhibit. Posters received after July 1 may still be displayed at the Village or one of our community partners such as the Troy Public Library.

If you would like to know where your child's poster will be displayed, please included your contact information (your name, phone, and/or email) with the poster on a separate piece of paper.

What happens after this summer:

Following the exhibit, submissions will be added to Troy Historic Village’s Collection, so that future generations can learn about Troy’s past. Posters will not be returned, please make sure photographs and attachments are copies and not originals that you would like to keep. You are welcome to include photographs and drawings, as well as images of items like plane tickets or family heirlooms.

1st - 3rd Graders

Create a poster about you and your favorite things in Troy! Draw a picture or glue on a photo add more color to your poster.

4th - 7th Graders

Create a museum-style interpretive sign about any part of your life in Troy. Your interpretive sign should be about a real place, person, or event in Troy.

8th -12th Graders

Take on the role of an oral history interviewer and interview someone in your household, or daily life, about their life in Troy.

Summer Exhibit: Telling Troy's Stories

June, July, & August
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 10am-3pm
Thursday, 10am-7pm

General Admission Rates Apply (Walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged!)

• THS Members: FREE
• Non-members: $7/Adult
• Children under the age of 18 receive FREE General Admission this summer (June, July, and August) thanks to the Troy Community Foundation.

Explore the Village and the stories across two hundred years of settling Troy. From farmlands to technological business corridors, Troy has attracted new residents throughout time for all sorts of reasons. Alongside historic buildings and stories of pioneers you will find stories from your own neighbors as students and adults across Troy contribute to this exhibit celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Click the button below to learn about free opportunities to view the exhibit.