Oswego County Historical Society

Riverside Cemetery Bus Tour
2024-06-16 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

The Girl in the Glass Coffin: A First Look
2024-03-03 14:00 - 16:00 | 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.

2023 Holiday Open House
2023-12-03 13:00 - 17:00 | NY
Join us at the Richardson-Bates House Museum for our Holiday Open House!

See our 19th century Italian villa decorated in traditional Victorian decor and get a complimentary tour of our period rooms. Plus, Board of Trustees members will be posted throughout the museum to answer questions, have a chat, and let your patrons know what we’ve been up to.

Hope to see you there!
