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Happening in the Neighborhood
Awards and Outreach in Allegany
Allegany County Historical Society has announced a new award for the people and organizations who help keep local history alive. It's named for late ACHS volunteer Lee Gridley and will include a $200 award. Nominations are due by September 1, 2026.
Houghton University Library has been posting on Instagram and they're doing a great job.
Birthdays, Raffles and Websites in Steuben
Corning Museum of Glass, which turns 75 this year, just announced the names of artists to be featured in their exhibit "Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio," which opens May 16. CMOG's Studio turns 30 this year and will be celebrated on May 24. The Steuben County Historical Society is planning a historical walk of Addison on Friday, June 5. Corning Community College's Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Library got a nice shout-out on the college's social media for National Library Week. Students at CCC can collect stamps for attending tutoring sessions, and after five stamps, they're entered into weekly raffles. Southern Tier Library System (headquartered in Painted Post) has a nice new website!
Gyotaku, Cars and Historical Nature in Chemung
Chemung County Historical Society is hosting a workshop on Gyotaku, the Japanese art of fish printing, on Saturday, May 16. Their 31st annual The Great Car Thing will be held on Saturday, June 13 at 6 pm, and will feature a 1969 Corvette C3 Stingray. CCHS sells 250 tickets at $125, which cover entry and food for two people. One of the lucky 250 tickets will win $10,000, which still leaves an impressive fundraising total for CCHS! Chemung County Library District is holding their annual comicon event, Steele Pop Expo, on May 16. CCLD's Big Flats library will host a lecture about nature and conservation over the last 250 years.
First Ladies and the Universal Friend in Yates
Keuka College's Lightner Library hosted the fourth annual Keuka College Expo last week, with a keynote by Dr. Kathleen Clarke-Anderson ('83), a professor in New Jersey with a focus on inclusive education and universal design. A professor at Keuka College, Dr. Christopher J. Leahy, worked with students to launch the inaugural issue of The Journal of First Ladies Studies a few weeks ago. Yates County History Center is in the middle of their annual scavenger hunt and they're planning an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast for June 7. YCHC's Tricia Noel was heavily quoted in an FLTimes article about the Universal Friend.
CONTENTdm and Renovations in Schuyler
Rachel at the International Motor Racing Research Center is working on a new CONTENTdm installation (in addition to NYHeritage). IMRRC's social media person held old photos in front of today's scenes recently, which was cute. IMRRC has been celebrating 50 years of IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) with lectures. Make sure to follow Schuyler County Historical Society on Facebook to see the incredible renovations at the Brick Tavern!
Websites and Inventories in Seneca
As I poked around everyone's websites and social media for updates, I noticed the Interlaken Public Library's research room page, which includes a very practical approach to their limited staff and time: this uncataloged bin inventory. It's very detailed! The Northeast College of Health Sciences has updated their website, including the library's page, and so has the Seneca Falls Historical Society. SFHS has an upcoming event about the Great Genesee Road on June 6. Waterloo Library & Historical Society is gearing up for their biggest event of the year: the Memorial Day commemoration (in the birthplace of Memorial Day!).
Tours and Haudenosaunee Celebrations in Cayuga
The Seward House Museum will host a special architecture-focused tour of the mansion's 1866 addition on May 16. Adding to the list of awards they've already received for "Rooted in Reform," the Seward House Museum was just awarded the 2026 Museum Impact Award winner by the American Alliance of Museums. The Cayuga Museum is closed for two weeks as they overhaul their exhibits, which will open May 30. On June 6, the Cayuga Museum and Schweinfurth Art Center next door will host the Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ/Cayuga People Returned Opening Celebration with Hoyá:neh Sam George and an amazing slate of other presenters and activities. The Canal Society of New York's Old Erie Canal Heritage Park, which is right off of the thruway in Port Byron, opened on May 1 for the season.
Cemetery Cleaning and a New Historian in Tompkins
Dryden Town Historical Society will have their annual meeting this Friday evening, featuring Amy Dickinson of Ask Amy fame, who will discuss her great-grandfather's carriage. Historic Ithaca is hosting the Ithaca City Cemetery Memorial Day cleanup on May 25. On May 25, WSKG, Cinemapolis, and The History Center of Tompkins County are hosting a showing of The Warrior Tradition, which tells the story of Native Americans in the US Military. The History Center is teaming up with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network on May 30 for an event at the Plantsman Nursery, focusing on native species and the watershed. On May 19, Newfield Historical Society will have its annual meeting, featuring the recently appointed Tompkins County Historian Charley Githler, who will give a presentation called "Teaching the Declaration of Independence."
Markers, Sales, and Music in Cortland
Cortland County Historical Society will have a lecture to celebrate the new historical marker about Henry S. Randall, "A Local Personality with a National Reputation." On May 16, Geoff Clough will present the music of World War II with singalong sheets, which sounds like a lot of fun. Right after, CCHS will have an open house for their new exhibits. CCHS walking tours return on May 23, and they're hosting a "timeless treasures" antique sale May 29 & 30. Tabitha Scoville mentioned in her recent email newsletter that CCHS was finally able to move 150 years' worth of bound Cortland Standard into their newly purchased custom shelving. She also noted that they're working with students at SUNY Cortland's Community Innovation Lab to develop a business model for CCHS's new building on Grace St. and will report back.
Eats, Apps and America250 in Chenango
Chenango County Historical Society is preparing for its History Where You Eat event on May 18. CCHS is now on Bloomberg Connects, the free app for both museums and museum visitors. CCHS is also working on their Turtle Island festival planned for July 5.
Ballroom Reveal in Otsego
Edmeston Museum is ramping up their Facebook posts and sharing cool finds lately. The Greater Oneonta Historical Society recently hosted SUNY Oneonta students who had worked on a NYHeritage collection with Milne Library's Heather Stalter. GOHS will open their new exhibit on May 23, all about the American Revolution. Most excitingly, GOHS will celebrate the culmination of years of work with their renovated third floor ballroom on June 12. Congratulations to Marcela and everyone who helped bring that project to fruition!
Music and Highlights in Broome
I just noticed that Broome County Public Library's newsletter includes a "Resource Spotlight" at the very end, which is an excellent idea for everyone to imitate. George F. Johnson Library in Endicott has a classical concert planned or May 27 with a local violinist and a pianist. A few other academic libraries have posted awards for student workers, but Binghamton University Libraries went a step further and posted little interviews and headshots with their graduating student workers. BUL also posted about an incredible addition to their Special Collections: a 14th century breviary.
Revolution and Waterwheels in Delaware
Delaware County Historical Association is unveiling "Resist, Revolt, Reform," a new exhibit that will cover different kinds of revolutions, including the American Revolution, the Anti-Rent War, Women's Suffrage, and the Milk Strikes. The summer season opening of the exhibit is May 16. Hanford Mills Museum is celebrating the 100th anniversary of their waterwheel with a full day event on May 23. Right before the waterwheel celebration, they'll have a free bird walk led by Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society members.
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