Three places. Three very different stories. One shared theme: what survives when a city changes.

Here’s what we explored:

Premiered Monday at 6 PM

Streets of History — Monday

A street built with intention — and still standing because of it.

West Canfield wasn’t designed to impress outsiders. It was designed to work — for families, for daily life, for the long haul.

This episode explores how thoughtful planning, scale, and architecture allowed this street to endure while so many others disappeared.

👉 Watch on Streets of History

Premiered Wednesday at 6 PM

Few buildings shaped a city as profoundly as this one.

The Pontiac State Hospital wasn’t just an institution — it was an employer, a landmark, and a complicated reflection of its time. From architecture to mental health history, this episode takes a careful look at what the site was, what it became, and what remains.

👉 Watch on Pontiac Pulse

Premieres Friday at 6 PM

A house that still sparks debate more than a century later.

Built by James Scott and surrounded by controversy, philanthropy, and power, this mansion remains one of Detroit’s most polarizing historic homes. This episode steps inside the architecture — and the legacy — without trying to simplify either.

👉 Watch on Homes of Michigan

Something rare is happening in Detroit right now — not a proposal, not a rendering, not a promise — but a real, living return of one of the most iconic historic buildings in America.

After decades of abandonment, Michigan Central Station is no longer a symbol of loss. It’s active again. Open. Used. Occupied.

Built in 1913, the Beaux-Arts landmark once served as the grand gateway to Detroit, welcoming millions through its soaring halls. When it closed in 1988, it became the most visible emblem of urban decline — photographed endlessly, misunderstood often, and written off by many as unsalvageable.

But today, that narrative has changed.

The station has been fully restored and reactivated as a mixed-use innovation and mobility hub, anchoring Corktown’s resurgence and proving something preservationists have argued for decades:

Historic buildings don’t need to be erased to move cities forward. They need to be reinvested in.

What makes this moment especially important isn’t just the architecture — though the restoration of the waiting room, concourse, and exterior details is extraordinary — it’s what the project represents:

A precedent for adaptive reuse at scale

Proof that long-abandoned landmarks can be economically viable

A cultural reset that reframes preservation as progress, not nostalgia

As conversations continue across Detroit about what should be saved, what should be replaced, and what deserves another chance, Michigan Central Station stands as a living answer.

Not everything can be saved. But some things are too important not to try.

And when it works — it changes how a city sees itself.

That’s why we’re watching this closely. Because the future of Detroit’s historic buildings is being written right now.

The Forever Home Project is officially underway — but we want to be clear and honest about where we are in the process.

Right now, we are still in the early planning and foundation phase.

No rushed announcements. No half-built frameworks. No shortcuts.

The goal of the Forever Home Project has always been simple, but serious:

To protect, restore, and sustain historic homes and places that matter to Michigan’s communities — long after the cameras are gone.

At this stage, we’re focused on:

Defining the long-term mission and scope

Understanding what types of properties and stories we can realistically support

Building the right legal and operational structure to ensure transparency and longevity

Making sure this becomes something that can last beyond us

As part of that process, we’re actively exploring the formation of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — and this is where we’d love to open the door to conversation.

If you have:

Experience forming or operating a 501(c)(3)

A background in nonprofit governance, fundraising, or compliance

Insight into sustainable preservation-focused nonprofits

We’d genuinely appreciate the chance to talk.

Not for pitches. Not for quick fixes. But for guidance, perspective, and wisdom.

The Forever Home Project is being built slowly on purpose — because preservation deserves patience, and trust takes time.

If this resonates, or if you’d like to be part of the conversation, reach out. This is the beginning of something we want to get right.

This week we crossed 5,000 subscribers — a number that represents far more than growth.

It represents:

People choosing long-form history

Viewers who care about context

A community that values preservation, curiosity, and storytelling

To celebrate, we’re introducing YouTube Memberships — a way to support the channel directly and help fund deeper research, longer projects, and behind-the-scenes access in 2026.

More details are coming soon, but know this: memberships will never replace the core mission — they simply help sustain it.

A quick health update this week — and some good news.

I had a follow-up with the doctor, and the foot is healing well. If everything continues on track, I should be back to running in about six weeks.

In the meantime, I’ve fully embraced another role: track dad.

Kit’s Michigan Mustangs uniform arrived, along with a custom backpack we ordered just for him — and watching him take this seriously has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

This morning he opened his Christmas presents, and let’s just say… a lot of running gear made its way under the tree.

Seeing him find joy, discipline, and confidence in this sport has been incredibly grounding.

This week’s videos were all about the spaces built by hand — brick by brick, bottle by bottle, tunnel by tunnel.
So the spotlight naturally falls on the Foundation Collection:

Each piece helps fund The Forever Home Project — restoring the Mary Day House and preserving Pontiac’s architectural heritage.

Wear the history. Support the mission.

Your support helps fund:

Shop the Collection

Shop the Tee

If you want to binge the journey that inspired this newsletter, start here:

🏡 Inside Palmer Woods: Detroit’s Hidden Million-Dollar Mansion Forest
Walk the curved streets, towering trees, and architect-designed mansions that changed how Detroit was built.

🔦 Inside Pontiac’s Secret Tunnels
From church basements to forgotten bowling alleys — a look at the underground Pontiac most people never knew existed.

🧪 Inside Michigan’s Hidden Bottle House: The Strange Home You’ve Never Seen
A one-of-a-kind home built out of bottles, creativity, and stubborn vision.

👉 Watch all three episodes and let me know which story hit you the hardest.

**Watch the Channel

Every view, share, comment, email, and reply helps keep this project moving — and keeps Michigan’s history from fading quietly into the background.

If this email gave you something to think about, do me a favor:

Because…

Every home has a story.
Every city has a secret.
And every Thursday, we uncover both — together.

— Chris
History Loves Company · Pontiac, Michigan

💌 Subscribe to The Stories We Keep →

History Loves Company | Pontiac, Michigan
A portion of all apparel proceeds support The Forever Home Project — restoring homes, rebuilding lives.

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