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Consultant outlines history and National Register nomination for Auburn Hills neighborhood
Summary
A consultant presented a multi-year effort to document Auburn Hills — a 1960s neighborhood developed by four Black professionals — and said the team is preparing a National Register nomination, oral histories and a historical marker.
Jen Metz of Past Perfect presented the history and ongoing survey work for the Auburn Hills neighborhood, describing a multiyear effort to compile documentary research, oral histories and a National Register nomination.
Metz said the neighborhood — originally called Fuller Suite and developed beginning in 1962 — was organized by four Black professionals: J.E. Adams, Dr. Julius Franks, Joseph Lee and Samuel Triplett. She said residents and descendants are participating in the research and that the team is preparing a draft National Register of Historic Places nomination and historical marker text.
Metz told the board she and neighbors had collected newspapers, assessor photographs, personal papers and oral histories. She said the project team held a public meeting and had distributed flyers; turnout included current residents, descendants and others with ties to the neighborhood.
Metz quoted longtime resident Leona Spencer’s recollection of house-hunting in the era of restrictive practices: "We looked on the Southeast Side, but they wouldn't show us anything. We wanted to raise our family in a nice home with a yard and a pool," Metz said, attributing the line to Spencer.
Metz described the planned deliverables as a National Register nomination, an approved historical marker and a public outreach program including oral-history recordings. She said the National Register listing does not impose restrictions on private property owners but will document the neighborhood's history in state and federal records.
Board members and attendees praised the work and asked about resident engagement; Metz said she had distributed flyers, maintained a Facebook group, and planned oral-history sessions at the Wealthy Theatre. One attendee who identified themself as CEO of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce encouraged connecting the history to local economic contributions and offered to help publicize the work.
Metz said some project costs (for example, the marker) were not included in the initial grant budget but that the team had potential funding sources identified and would pursue them.
