The Girl in the Glass Coffin: A First Look
2024-03-03 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Get a prerelease look at Lee Hickey’s book The Girl in the Glass Coffin: The Tonkin Affairs. Books will be offered at a discounted rate. MEMBERS ONLY.

The Girl in the Glass Coffin: Release Party and Book Signing
2024-03-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Oswego Public Library, 120 E 2nd St, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Lee Hickey will discuss her newly released book The Girl in the Glass Coffin: The Tonkin Affairs.

National Medal of Honor Day 2024
2024-03-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Join us in celebrating Oswego County’s Medal of Honor recipients. A brief talk by George DeMass will include Dr. Mary Walker of the Town of Oswego, awarded the medal for her surgeon services in the Civil War, and Curtis Shoup of Scriba, awarded the medal posthumously for his acts of bravery in WWII.
Seating is limited to 40 in the drawing room of the museum.
A few artifacts of Curtis Shoup, including his Medal of Honor, will be on display, and guests are welcome to visit the second floor display of Dr. May Walker, however her medal will not be on display.

Solar Eclipse Viewing
2024-04-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Our members are invited to view the Solar Eclipse on our south lawn. Bring your own blankets and eclipse glasses, and experience this natural phenomenon! MEMBERS ONLY.

Retro Movie Night
2024-04-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Oswego Cinema 7, 138 W 2nd St #2763, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
A more modern movie classic, we will be collaborating with Zurich Cinemas and Robert Berkley Physical Therapy to bring Back to the Future (1985) back to the big screen!

History on Tap: Girl in the Glass Coffin
2024-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | G.S. Steamers, 70 E 1st St, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
History on Tap is back! To kick off the new season, join us for a presentation by Lee Hickey on her new book The Girl in the Glass Coffin: The Tonkin Affairs. Hickey will be answering questions about her new publication, as well as sharing additional details on Virginia Tonkin, the girl kept in her bedroom fifteen months after her death.

SPOILER ALERT! Hickey will talk about the book in its entirety. Attendees are encouraged to finish the book prior to this presentation.

Not-So-Silent Auction 2024
2024-05-17 18:00 - 20:30 | Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center – Best Western, 26 E 1st St, Oswego, New York, 13126
Fundraiser to benefit the Oswego County Historical Society. Check out unique antiques and Oswego collectibles. Combination of Silent Auction, Live Auction, Raffle Baskets, and more!

OCHS Annual Meeting and McCrobie Building Presentation
2024-06-02 13:30 - 15:30 | McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
The Oswego County Board of Trustees would like to cordially invite you to our 2024 Annual Meeting. This year, we will be voting to approve a new set of Board Bylaws. These new bylaws will make our organization compliant with the Not-For-Profit laws of New York State. Additionally, the OCHS Nominating Committee is recommending the nomination of two new board members. Below, you will find a brief introduction to the individuals recommended for the board, as well as the final draft of our to-be-approved bylaws.Following the meeting, Michael Pittavino will be presenting on Recreational Maritime History in Oswego. Boating, sailing, and paddling are popular, time-honored pastimes that have offered relaxation, adventure, and a connection to nature for generations in Oswego, NY. Through material culture, images, and context, Pittavino’s talk takes a closer look at the history of marine-based recreation in Oswego. From the founding of the Oswego Yacht Club in 1881 through the rise of the local charter fishing industry in the 1970s, trends will be examined to provide a big picture look at how a community has interacted with its waterfront for over 150 years. “I’m excited to engage with the community and share my passion for both history and boating”, Pittavino said, “and I hope to encourage those in attendance to head out and explore Oswego’s endless recreational opportunities”.

As curator of the H. Lee White Maritime Museum, Pittavino has worked for over a decade in the preservation of regional maritime history, heritage, and culture. He is the author of Lighthouses and Life Saving at Oswego and has been recreationally boating eastern Lake Ontario for 25 years.

Bylaws-Oswego-County-Historical-Society-2024-ProposedDownload

Meet the Nominees!

Alanna Ossa is the Department Chair and NAGPRA Coordinator of the Anthropology Department at SUNY Oswego. She has over 20 years of experience in Cultural Resource Management and Historic Preservation. Additionally, she spearheaded the 2022 Richardson-Bates House Archaeological Field School, where students conducted a six week dig under her supervision.

Dan Ruddy is a retired Electrical Engineer who worked at the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Powerplant for most of his career. Recruited by late board member Neal Johnson, Dan has worked as a volunteer at OCHS for three years. He currently serves the historical society as a volunteer Facilities Manager.

Historic Change: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker
2024-06-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Oswego High School, 2 Buccaneer Blvd, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Join the National Women’s History Museum, the United States Mint, and the Oswego community to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker and commemorate the release of the 2024 Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter, the 13th coin to be released in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™ Program. This special event will include remarks from distinguished guests, a panel discussion, performances, and a special presentation to the Walker family.

Program Participants:

Kathie Barnes, Performer

Rev. George R. DeMass, Oswego Town Historian and Leading Expert on Walker

Charles Hastings, Foundation and Special Programs Manager, Whitman-Walker Foundation

Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist, U.S. Mint and Sculptor, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Quarter

Jennifer Herrera, Vice President of External Affairs, National Women’s History Museum

Michele Thompson, Chief, Program Management Office and Program Lead, American Women Quarters™, United States Mint

As a surgeon, women’s rights advocate, abolitionist, and spy, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker became the first female U.S. Army surgeon during the Civil War. She championed women’s suffrage and advocated for “dress reform.” She is also the only woman to have received the Medal of Honor in U.S. History.

The American Women Quarters™ Program is the first circulating coin program dedicated to honoring women whose achievements, triumphs and legacies reflect the strength, perseverance, and resiliency of our nation.

This event is free and open to the public. Please register in advance.

Riverside Cemetery Bus Tour
2024-06-16 11:00 - 14:00 | NY
The Oswego County Historical Society (OCHS), along with the Friends of Riverside Cemetery, will host a guided cemetery tour of the historic Riverside Cemetery on Sunday, June 16 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets for the event are $10. Pre-registration is required due to limited space within tour buses. The cemetery tour will begin at the Page Memorial Chapel located at the main entrance of the cemetery.

The Riverside Cemetery was incorporated in 1855 and is situated just outside the Oswego city line. It was designed as a rural cemetery by landscape architect Burton Arnold Thomas. In the mid-19th century rural cemeteries became a popular choice for a final resting place in a park-like setting on the outskirts of town. This was opposite the earlier condensed cemeteries which outgrew space in growing neighborhoods. Also referred to as a garden style, the rural cemeteries were seen as places to visit and enjoy the landscape along with the artistry of the monuments.

Riverside Cemetery Walking Tour
2024-07-06 11:00 - 12:00 | Riverside Cemetery, 4024 County Rte 57, Oswego, 13126
Historic Riverside Cemetery is the final resting place of thousands of men, women, and children from the greater Oswego area. Some are well-known, some not. Local historian Dr. Natalie J. Woodall has researched many of these people in connection with her study of Oswego County’s role in the Civil War. On Saturday, June 29 at 11:00 am, she will lead a walking tour through one area, providing brief biographical information about selected personages and, if applicable, about their family members. If you have ever wondered about names such as Oliphant, Ames, and Oliver, here is an opportunity to become better informed!

This handsome fellow is Parker O. Wright, Civil War soldier and prominent member of J. D. O’Brian Post No. 65 GAR (Grand Army of the Republic). He is only one of many Oswego citizens, male and female, to be featured in Dr. Natalie J. Woodall’s walking tour of Riverside Cemetery on June 29th.

The program is being sponsored by the Oswego County Historical Society and Friends of Riverside Cemetery. A nominal donation of $10 will benefit ongoing renovations at Riverside Cemetery. Enrollment is limited, so register soon. The walk will begin at 11 a.m. and last about an hour.

Participants should wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and a hat. Bottled water is recommended and a walking stick or cane are advised, as the ground can be uneven. Cameras are welcomed.

History Bus Tour: Watertown, NY
2024-07-16 08:00 - 17:00 | NY
Tickets include lunch and admission to Jefferson County Historical Society, Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library, and the Sackets Harbor Experience Tour.

Itinerary

8:00 A.M.Depart from Fort Ontario parking lot in Oswego by bus to Sackets Harbor9:30 A.M.Arrive in Sackets Harbor and participate in the Sackets harbor Experience Bus Tour, which includes:– An introduction to the history of Sackets Harbor at the historic Sackets Harbor visitors center;– Bus tour, guided by an in-costume step on guide, of important historic sites in Sackets Harbor;– A full guided tour of Sackets Harbor Battlefield Historic Site, including the Commandant’s House;– A concluding visit at the Sackets Harbor United Presbyterian Church12:30 P.M.Eat a picnic lunch at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield Historic Site, courtesy of the Battlefield Eatery1:30 P.M.Depart from Sackets Harbor by bus for Watertown2:00 P.M.Enjoy a tour of the Jefferson County Historical Society3:30 P.M.Cross the street and experience a tour of the Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library5:00 P.M.Depart Watertown for Oswego

2024 Family Fun Day
2024-08-11 13:00 - 17:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Play traditional Victorian games on the lawn for 50¢. Ice cream sundaes courtesy of Stewart’s Shops.

2024 Landmark Lawn Sale
2024-08-16 09:00 - 12:00 | NY
Oswego County Historical Society is holding their Landmark Lawn Sale! There will be books, Oswego memorabilia, household items, collectables, vintage jewelry, historic photo reproductions, and more. No early sales.

Rain date, Saturday, August 17, 9:00 – 12:00.

Salon on the Lawn
2024-09-08 13:00 - 16:00 | NY
The Oswego County Historical Society will be hosting Salon on the Lawn for the first time ever! Enjoy a curated selection of teas, scones, sandwiches, sweets, and pastries at an elegant Victorian style afternoon tea.

To accompany this event, a special temporary exhibit will be on view in the Drawing Room highlighting tea gowns from the turn of the 20th century, curated from the OCHS Permanent Collection. Local history authors will also be invited to casually talk about their work and experiences.

Independence: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker
2024-10-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Oswego High School, 2 Buccaneer Blvd, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Tickets for Independence: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker are now available for purchase on the Oswego High School Drama Club site.

Purchase tickets

The Oswego High School Drama Club, with support of the Oswego County Historical Society, proudly presents Independence: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker, written and directed by Lloyd J. Schwartz and performed by Kathie Barnes.

This one-woman show brings to the forefront the life of Doctor Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to have been awarded our country’s highest honor, The Congressional Medal of Honor.

One day Lloyd J. Schwartz read a one page article on Dr. Mary Walker, Civil War surgeon and the only woman to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Yet he had never heard of her. Normally adverse to one-person plays, Schwartz couldn’t shake the idea that Dr. Walker’s life was dramatic, intense, pertinent and could captivate an audience. The rest is history.

Independence had its world premiere fittingly in Seneca Falls, New York, the birthplace of the women’s movement, as part of the 100th Anniversary Celebration of women getting the right to vote in New York.

The Haunting – Classic Movie Night 2024
2024-10-10 19:00 - 22:00 | NY
Get ready for a fright! Oswego County Historical Society is once again hosting our Classic Movie Night, this time with the 1963 film The Haunting based on Shirley Jackson’s masterpiece “The Haunting of Hill House.” Tickets are now available to purchase in-person at the Richardson-Bates House Museum, River’s End Bookstore, and Oswego Cinema 7 for $20!

Widely regarded as the best haunted house film ever made, The Haunting features a team of investigators who decide to stay at Hill House to uncover its secrets. The film starts out with a sense of dread, which increases throughout the film. Once begun, the atmosphere of palpable horror never lets up and keeps the viewer entranced until the surprising ending.

The film stars the distinguished actresses Julie Harris and Claire Bloom, who are faultless in their roles and keep the audience feeling their increasing sense of unease as the story develops. This is a perfect film for the Halloween season, so you won’t want to miss seeing it on the large screen.

Trivia Night 2024
2024-11-14 19:00 - 21:00 | NY
Gather a team of six brainiacs and challenge yourselves to five rounds of trivia! First place wins a basket of goodies, courtesy of Man in the Moon Candies.

2024 Holiday Open House
2024-12-01 13:00 - 17:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Experience Victorian Christmas through the eyes of the Bates family. Christmas decorations and Victorian children’s gifts are on display through the month of December.

The Princess Bride – Retro Movie Night 2025
2025-03-13 19:00 - 22:00 | Oswego Cinema 7, 138 W 2nd St #2763, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
The Princess Bride?! On the big screen?! Inconceivable!!

Oswego County Historical Society proudly presents The Princess Bride, the movie for our 2nd annual Retro Movie Night, sponsored by Robert Berkley Physical Therapy. Tickets are now available for purchase in-person at the Richardson-Bates House Museum, The Rivers End Bookstore, and Oswego Cinema 7. There are also limited quantities available here on our website.

Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name, The Princess Bride is presented as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson that tells the story of a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, on a mission to rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. In 2016, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant,” and has garnered a cult following since its first release in 1987. We hope to see you there!

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

National Medal of Honor Day 2025
2025-03-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Join us in celebrating Oswego County’s Medal of Honor recipients. More information to come closer to the event.

Seating limited to 40 in the Richardson-Bates House Museum’s drawing room.

2025 Not-So-Silent Auction
2025-04-25 18:00 - 20:30 | Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center – Best Western, 26 E 1st St, Oswego, New York, 13126
Mark your calendars for our biggest fundraising event of the year; guaranteed to be an evening of fun, friends, food and fantastic finds!

The Not So Silent Auction is the Oswego County Historical Society’s largest annual fundraiser for the Richardson-Bates House Museum. Participate in a silent table auction where donated antiques and collectibles, gift certificates and products from local businesses plus antiques, and more are up for grabs. Many of the artifacts and artworks are from Oswego history!

We kick off the evening at 7:15 with a live auction of particularly important and high-ticket items, hosted by Jerry Petro of Iroquois Auctions. Before the live auction, you can find Jerry at the appraisal table, where he’ll appraise one antique item that you can bring with you as part of your ticket purchase.

There are raffle baskets, a lottery board, and much more! And don’t forget refreshments and a cash bar, as provided by the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center.

We hope to see you there!

Become an Event Sponsor!

If you’re a local business interested in sponsoring the Not-So-Silent Auction, please consider donating at one of the following sponsorship tiers. All event sponsors receive sponsorship recognition in marketing material for the auction, and will have their business name and/or logo featured prominently on a donor thank-you panel at the event itself.

LevelAmountBenefitsPlatinum$1,0005 sponsored tables; 12 event tickets; 20 complementary museum tour tickets.Gold$7503 sponsored tables; 8 event tickets; 10 museum tour tickets.Silver$5002 sponsored tables; 5 event tickets; 6 museum tour tickets.Bronze$2502 event tickets; 5 museum tour tickets.Supporter$1501 ticket to the event. Thank you for your support!

Support from local businesses is a crucial component of this event, and others like it. It helps the Oswego County Historical Society not just host these kinds of fundraisers, but supports our mission to connect the community to the history that shapes their pasts, presents and futures.

Thank you for considering a contribution.

Donate Now

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Captured Memories: The Photos of Frank Barbeau
2025-05-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Oswego Public Library, 120 E 2nd St, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
In collaboration with the Friends of the Oswego Public Library, the Oswego County Historical Society will be exhibiting photographs from the Frank Barbeau Negatives Collection in their first public showing! Frank Barbeau (1893-1983) was an Oswego-based photographer and proprietor of Barbeau Photo Studio from 1915 to 1978. Throughout his career, he photographed scenes of daily life throughout Oswego.

Thirty photographs are to be featured, showcasing nostalgic locations of Oswego from the 1940s to the 1970s, depicting a variety of unknown group photos and locations. We’re asking the public’s help in identifying and labeling the locations found in these photographs, and a form will be available to provide information.

The exhibit is free, but we ask that those who wish to attend register by contacting the Oswego Public Library front desk or online through this form: Captured Memories Event Registration →

Oswego Garden Club 20th Annual Plant and Bulb Sale
2025-05-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Join us on the south lawn of the Richardson-Bates House Museum for the Oswego Garden Club’s 20th annual Plant and Bulb Sale!

In addition to the titular plants and bulbs, the club will also have garden-related crafts and a couple of Master Gardeners to answer questions about planting and gardening. Look forward to walks around the grounds of the museum, and learn about what the garden club’s plans for the flowerbeds and gardens in the springtime.

Riverside Cemetery Tour
2025-05-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Riverside Cemetery, 4024 County Rte 57, Oswego, 13126
The Oswego County Historical Society, along with the Friends of Riverside Cemetery, will host a guided tour of the historic Riverside Cemetery. Due to limited space, please pre-register by contacting the museum. The cemetery tour will begin at the Page Memorial Chapel at the main entrance of the cemetery.

Pictured is an interior view of the Page Memorial Chapel, built in 1906 by the family of Alanson and Elsie (Benson) Page in their memory. The chapel is famed for its Tiffany stained glass windows and memorial tablets.

The Riverside Cemetery was incorporated in 1855 and is situated just outside the Oswego city line. It was designed as a rural cemetery by landscape architect Burton Arnold Thomas. In the mid-19th century, rural cemeteries became a popular choice for a final resting place in a park-like setting on the outskirts of town, running counter to earlier condensed cemeteries that frequently ran out of space in growing neighborhoods. Sometimes referred to as a ‘garden style,’ rural cemeteries were seen as places to visit and enjoy the landscape along with the artistry of the monuments.

“The History of the YMCA in Oswego” — 2025 Annual Meeting
2025-06-01 13:30 - 14:30 | St Joseph’s Catholic Church, 240 West First Street, Oswego, NY, 13126
Members: Please join the Oswego County Historical Society’s Board of Trustees for our 2025 annual meeting, where we will present our annual report. Following the meeting, Patricia Levine will be presenting “The History of the YMCA in Oswego.”

Patricia Levine is the Communication and Marketing Director and Health and Wellness Director of the YMCA. Levine will talk about the organization’s 170th anniversary being celebrated this year, and describe the mission and programs of the YMCA in Oswego through their long history. The Young Men’s Christian Association was a very new organization in the United States when it was formed here in 1855, and it has occupied many buildings on the west side of Oswego, but only one was built to be a YMCA in 1903. The organization currently occupies another historic building that was the New York State Armory built shortly after.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2025 Landmark Lawn Sale, Day 1
2025-08-15 09:00 - 13:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Oswego County Historical Society is holding their annual Landmark Lawn Sale! Join us on the south lawn of the Richardson-Bates House Museum for a sale of books, Oswego memorabilia, household items, collectables, vintage jewelry, historic photo reproductions, and more. No early sales.

2025 Landmark Lawn Sale, Day 2
2025-08-16 09:00 - 13:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States

2025 Family Fun Day
2025-08-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Play traditional Victorian games on the south lawn of the museum for free. Ice cream sundaes courtesy of Stewart’s Shops.

A Victorian Tea Party
2025-09-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Richardson-Bates House Museum, 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY, 13126, United States
Julius LeBlanc Stewart (b. 1855), An Interesting Letter (detail), c. 1884. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Buy Tickets

The Oswego County Historical Society cordially invites you to our second annual Victorian Tea Party! Enjoy an afternoon of tea and conviviality in a historical setting. The menu will include tea sandwiches, scones, sweets and other delicacies from a traditional afternoon tea.

Standard tickets are $45; tickets for members are discounted to $35 using coupon code “MEMBER” at checkout.

A special exhibit of 1880s wedding gowns from notable Oswego families will be on display for this event. Dressing up is highly encouraged!
