Welcome to the Schuyler County Historical Society. We are located in Montour Falls, Schuyler County, New York, just south of Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region.
The Society maintains four properties and is headquartered at the Brick Tavern Museum, a large brick Federal-style building built in 1828 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Brick Tavern Museum and the adjacent Wickham Rural Life Center have exhibits relating to Schuyler County’s rich history.
Our collections include artifacts, books and documents concerning the county’s people and events, valuable to genealogists and researchers. The Lee School Museum, a one-room school on Route 14 south of the Brick Tavern Museum, also is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Lawrence Chapel is located on State Route 228, about 3.5 miles northeast of Odessa. The Chapel is available for use from May 1 through October 15.
Admission to all museums is free, but donations are welcome. A donation is requested from non-members to use our Research Library.
Recent News
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May & June Events!
Wow! What a whirlwind this year has been so far! We cannot thank our membership and community enough for all of the support and attendance at our events thus far this year! We have even more planned for May and June! Below is a list of the upcoming events and descriptions about each of them.…
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Annual Meeting
JC Argetsinger, featured speaker on “Watkins Glen: 75 Years of Road Racing” JC Argetsinger, a Schuyler County native, will be the featured speaker at the Schuyler County Historical Society’s annual membership meeting on Saturday, April 20. The meeting will be held at Seneca Lodge in Watkins Glen from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. Argetsinger will…
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The Eclipse Party
Thank you! Thank You! To all the partners, vendors, volunteers and Lake Country Players, thank you for assistance, support and muscle! We certainly proved that a little party never killed nobody, except Pepe! While mother nature may not have cooperated, we certainly enjoyed ourselves!! See you at the next event! WENY Eclipse Live Coverage
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Talkin’ History
“The Chemung Canal” The second in our series focuses on the Chemung Canal. The Erie Canal brought goods to Seneca Lake, and the Chemung Canal connected the Chemung River in Elmira to Seneca Lake. Join County HIstorian Gary Emerson as he speaks about this short lived, yet important aspect of our history. This talk will…
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Small Business Saturday
The Schuyler County Historical Society will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 23rd and 24th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Join us on SATURDAY, November 25th, from 10 a.m. until 2p,m. for Small Business Saturday shopping. We have lovely handmade Holiday ornaments, decorations, beautiful hand crafted cutting boards, some stunning embroidery and artisanal soaps and…
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Walkin’ History September
The Schuyler County Historical announces their Walkin’ History! September dates. Did you know that the first saw mill in Odessa was built in 1799? The first grist mill in 1801? Join Schuyler County Historian Dr. Gary Emerson on Saturday, September 13th, and learn more about this small village with big history! Discover things you never…
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Summer Talkin’ History!
Summer is in full swing and we still have plenty of events for you to enjoy!! Talkin’ History! Series Geology, Geography & Glaciers in the Finger Lakes We love our Finger Lakes, but do you know how they got here? Rick Bates uses words we can all understand, along with images, to explain how the…
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Annual Grande Tour
Following the success of the Grande Tour celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Brick Tavern Museum in 2024, the museum will once again offer this rare opportunity to visit all three historic locations on the same day. The special Grande Tour will take place on May 3, 2025. The Historical Society will provide bus transportation,…
Did you know?
“The 29th governor of New York State was David Bennett Hill. He was born in Havana (the prior name of Montour Falls) in 1843. He served two terms, from 1885 through 1892. He died in 1910 and is buried in Montour Falls. The first execution by the electric chair took place during his term.”
Events
“200 Years: Seneca Lake & the Erie Canal Waterways”
