Schuyler County
Schuyler County Proud! We Made History Here!
By Heather O’Grady-Evans, Executive Director of Museums
The fourth of July!! A day off from work. A day of celebration with family, parades, picnics, summer fun, jumping in the lake, boat rides, and of course, fireworks. When asked what the day commemorates, many are unsure. Do we celebrate our independence from Great Britain? Do we celebrate our victory in the Revolution?
In fact, the date celebrates the Continental Congress’s passing of the Declaration of Independence, where, for the first time in print, “therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.[1]”
Rarely in the course of human history has an opportunity to celebrate a nation’s creation concurrently transpired as the founding tenets of that country are being challenged. Celebratin’ America 250! offers a unique opportunity to look beyond not just the celebration of declaring our independence, and invites us to ask the fundamental questions – what have we accomplished in the past 250 years? What did we get right? Where did we go wrong? What can we do better? What comes next?
When the need arose to create a 250th Commission for Schuyler County, the county planner, county historian, head of the chamber/tourism, the program chair for the Schuyler County Historical Society, a history buff and military historian, a high schooler and the Executive Director of Museums for the Schuyler County Historical Society came together and had to ask these same questions.
The Celebratin’ America 250! Schuyler County Commission, had to ask, where does Schuyler County fit in? Do we have a story worth telling? How do we approach the 250th and from what aspect? Our initial discussions kept coming back to the Making History at 250: The Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial, developed by the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH).
John Dichtl, President & CEO of AASLH, wrote in his vision for the celebration, “we must make sure that Americans of all ages and backgrounds in all places see themselves in history.” He concluded this vision by saying, “This commemoration is a chance to deepen people’s appreciation for history, broaden their perspective on who and what counts in the American story, and remind them of this nation’s unique contributions to the world.” Every voice matters. Every perspective matters. The commission kept this at the forefront of their minds while developing our Celebratin’ American 250! Schuyler County, programs and activities.
The commission will share all of its planned programming with the I Love NY and Pathway Through History websites. In conjunction with the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council, the commission also took advantage of opportunities to create a poster for Schuyler County and participate in the regional coloring book that will be distributed. Locally, a diverse and comprehensive program is planned.
The Celebratin’ America 250! Talkin’ History Schuyler County Series explores the power of place during and after the revolution. One talk discusses the geological and agricultural paradise, how it was created, and what we learned from the Haudenosaunee who lived here before and during the Revolution. Another examines the experience of the Haudenosaunee during and after the Revolution and the impact the Revolution had on the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The commission’s military historian examines the Sullivan Campaign of 1779, its successes, failures, and path through Schuyler County. Two of the latter talks examine the journals of the Sullivan Campaign soldiers and what they witnessed and thought of the land, and finally, the military lots, awarded to Revolutionary soldiers as compensation for time served. A total of nine talks will be offered from May through September.
The Celebratin’ America 250! Walkin’ History Schuyler County Series will offer three different tours leading up to the Fourth of July. On July 1, Dr. Gary Emerson will lead “Historical Catharine’s Town.” The following day, July 2, Executive Director O’Grady-Evans will lead “Seneca Lake: Indian Trails & the Sullivan Campaign.” Dr. Gary Emerson leads “A Cemetery Tour: Revolutionary Veterans” on July 3.
We need an exhibit, you say? But how, the Brick Tavern Museum is under capital construction! Thanks to the diligence of the commission and established partnerships within our community, the Village of Watkins Glen offered to work with the commission. The “Celebratin’ America 250! Schuyler County Exhibition” will be on display at the Seneca Lake Event Center at Clute Park from June 20 until July 8, 2026. In September of 2025, the high school intern at the Brick Tavern Museum began working on the 250th Schuyler County Commission. To date, he has developed all the content, displays, and artifact requests for the exhibit, designed all the advertising posters, and designed and developed the commemorative booklet, which will be available for sale. So, be sure to set aside time to visit the exhibition lakeside before it is moved to the newly renovated Brick Tavern Museum in mid-July! No further details will be revealed here because that would ruin the sense of awe, wonder, and surprise!
The Celebratin’ America 250! Schuyler County Teachin’ History! Programming will take place with the assistance of the Brick Tavern Museum and include as many grade levels as possible from both the Odessa Montour and Watkins Glen school districts. The New York State Archives and Library assisted with this by creating an educational poster session that we can use for multiple grade levels. Fourth graders visiting the Lee School will learn about the Sullivan Campaign and how it marched right by the school!
There will also be a Readin’ History! “Understanding the Sullivan Campaign of 1779” with Dr. Gary Emerson. Several books were chosen, and individuals will be able to sign up for this modified book club, read the provided texts, discuss them, and learn more about a significant event of the Revolution that directly impacted Schuyler County. Further details for this will be forthcoming from the Schuyler County Historical Society.
All of this programming, and hopefully more, will culminate in the biggest block party Schuyler County has ever had! The focal point will be Clute Park, and the festivities will be brought to you by the Village of Watkins Glen, the 250th Schuyler County Commission, the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, the Schuyler County Historical Society, the Dutton Peterson Library, the Elizabeth Pert Library, the Montour Falls Library, and the Watkins Glen Public Library. There will be fun, food trucks, music, trivia, the exhibition, community celebrating together, and, naturally, it will finish with fireworks! More activities are being planned, so mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate with the whole family!
Throughout the coming months stayed tuned for opportunities to commemorate the semiquincentennial with your family. There will be an opportunity to purchase and plant an official Liberty Tree (tulip poplar), or two, at your home. Lastly, look for the announcement from the Schuyler County Historical Society regarding their “Every Voice Matters Project.” This will be an opportunity for every single Schuyler County family to upload their documented (digital) genealogies, histories, and stories.
The Schuyler County Historical Society and the Celebratin’ America 250! Schuyler County Commission sincerely hopes you will join us at some, better yet, all of our planned events for 2026. We hope you will share and enjoy these events with loved ones and friends. Events will be planned through 2029, the 250th Anniversary of the Sullivan Campaign.
Our sincerest wish is for all of you who engage with and attend our programming to come away with a great sense of pride in where you live, experience an “oh wow, I didn’t know that!” moment about Schuyler County, and feel your American spirit inspired. May we always be a nation capable of “a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.[2]” See you lakeside for some celebratin’ fun and memories to last a lifetime!
[1] Transcribed from the original. All spelling and grammar reflected therein.
[2] Lincoln, Abraham, 1863. The Gettysburg Address.
