West State Street, Ithaca, ca. 1950s. Photo from the Collection of the History Center.
Save the date!
December 8, 2018, 7 p.m.
The History Center in Tompkins County in cooperation with the State Theater and DSP Shows will highlight more than a century's history of music in Tompkins County, from Patsy Conway's world renowned brass band in the early 1900s to the contemporary musicians who help make Ithaca a draw for art and entertainment today. This concert, in recognition of the many people who made, and continue to make music here, and of enthusiastic Ithaca audiences, is part of a three-day celebration of the State Theatre's 90th birthday. Originally built as an automobile sales shop, the solidly built structure was converted to an ornate Egyptian-gothic theater in 1928 by Henry Hinckley, shortly after the advent of talking films.
This is a fund raiser for The History Center as it prepares for its final stage of moving to the new Tompkins Center for History and Culture, located in the former Tompkins Trust Building on the Commons' Bank Alley.
Tickets will be available through State Theater's ticket office beginning this fall.
Executive Director, The History Center in Tompkins County
Support The History Center at this Critical Moment in the Organization's History!
We are entering an incredible period of transition unparalleled in our long history. We are thrilled to be part of the emerging Tompkins Center for History and Culture. We will miss our current location which has served the organization for the past 25 years. That said, we firmly believe that the move to the Commons will enhance our ability to be a vibrant organization serving both county residents and visitors.
Mention our newsletter and get 15% off from this selected title!
Cayuga Lake: Past, Present and Future
By Carol U. Sisler
One of five major Finger Lakes in upstate New York, Cayuga Lake is 38.1 miles long, 3.45 miles wide at Aurora Bay, and 435 feet deep at King Ferry. The city of Ithaca surrounds the head of the lake; the water flows north through Mud Lock and into Seneca River. This book attempts to consolidate many aspects of the lake which have been studied separately or not at all--the geology of the lake, the commerce on the lake, the villages around the lake, fishing in the lake, the birds above the lake, and the salt below it. This book contains numerous images.
Cayuga Lake Boating
By Bob Robinson
From the time that Cayuga Lake was formed to the first boats and bridges, this
publication celebrates the history of Cayuga Lake Boating in a concise, yet very informative way.
Explore Current Exhibits at The History Center!
While in the midst of packing and getting ready for the move to our new home, The History Center still offers exhibits and displays, including "The Maps of Tompkins County" (Main Gallery), "The Many Names of Fall Creek" (former Map Room), "Town of Ithaca: Early Days" (Municipality Display Case), "The Webbs - A Tompkins County Family" (Our Community Corner), "Ladies' Accessories Display." Please come to take a look at the current exhibits on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Upcoming Events
HistoryForge Data Entry Bee Party
Saturday, June 16, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (at The History Center)
Come volunteer at our next transcription bee! Light refreshments will be served with lots of fun and an educational opportunity that will make Ithaca history come alive. Be sure to bring your laptop. Sign up to volunteer here:
Join Historic Ithaca for a tour of Ithaca's South Hill historic homes on the 9th annual That Old House Tour. Click here to register!
Southside's 2018 Juneteenth Festival
Saturday, June 16th, 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM (at 305 South Plain Street, Ithaca)
Southside Community Center, Inc. will hold its annual Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 16th 2018 from 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at 305 S. Plain Street followed by an event at their local Forest City Lodge located at 536 W. Green Street. On Sunday they will host a Father's Day Brunch in collaboration with Calvary Baptist Church and A.M.E. Zion Church at 305 S. Plain Street.
Sachem Sam George of the Bear Clan at the Cayuga Nation school in Seneca Falls, NY. Photo by Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen. https://tinyurl.com/ycxvexdd
The History Center's Annual Meeting
Wednesday, June 20, 6:00 PM (at The History Center in Tompkins County)
Join us for a brief look at the past year, an overview of the year ahead, an introduction to new trustees, and a conversation with Sachem Sam George from the Cayuga Nation. This is an incredible time in the organization's history as we prepare to move to the Tompkins Center for History and Culture.
We are pleased to have
Sachem Sam George from the Cayuga Nation who will share his vision for the Gayogo̱hó:nǫ people. Sachem Sam George was conferred a Bear Clan Sachem (chief) in 2005. The Haudenosaunee people are a matriarchal society, and since his mother was Cayuga, Sachem George knew it was important to learn what it meant to be Cayuga. With no home land at the time of his upbringing, he grew up on Seneca Nation territory learning the Seneca language and customs. Sachem George took on the responsibility with little knowledge about his Cayuga heritage and has since made learning his language, ceremonies and working for the good of his people a priority. He is taking that knowledge and wisdom and looking forward to the future of his people.
Cayuga Waterfront Trail and Friends of Stewart Park Bike Tour
Friday, June 22, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Meet at Jean McPheeters Trailhead (East Shore Visitor Center, 904 East Shore Dr., Ithaca, NY)
This Ithaca Heritage offering will be a guided tour of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. We will begin at the Jean McPheeters Trailhead and visit all of the five trailheads, also including Stewart Park Trailhead, Farmers Market, Inlet Island, and Cass Park. In addition we will stop at the Rowing Panel and the Gateway to the Erie Canal Panel on Inlet Island and follow the Walk Through History guide for the Cass Park Trail. This will be a 10-mile and very flat ride at a relaxed pace. Bring your bike or grab a Lime Bike and see you on the trail. Tickets $10; students/seniors/Friends of Historic Ithaca/Friends of The History Center $7; under 12 free. Register here.Proceeds benefit the work of Friends of Stewart Park.
The History Center at Reggae Fest
Saturday, June 23, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM (at Stewart Park)
Did you know that Ithaca played a meaningful role in Reggae history?Stop by our table on June 23 at Stewart Park to find out more!
Sunday, June 24, 11:00 AM (Meet at the Picnic (Large) Pavilion at Stewart Park, 1 James L. Gibb Drive, Ithaca, NY)
From its earliest use by the Cayuga Nation, this beautiful lakeside site that is now Stewart Park has a fascinating history. Originally known as Renwick Park, its main pavilions date back to the late 1890s. Soon thereafter, the park became a private amusement park featuring dance and picnic pavilions, a bandstand, and a beautiful water tower. In the 1910s a booming movie studio produced scores of silent films there. Explore the buildings and sites that capture the history of the park-and hear plans for its ongoing revitalization-on a guided walking tour led by Friends of Stewart Park's Executive Director Rick Manning and Board Chair Diana Riesman, who is also Executive Director of the Wharton Studio Museum.
Tickets $10; students/seniors $7; under 12 free. Proceeds benefit the work of Friends of Stewart Park. Register here.
At John Marcham Research Library at The History Center.
Photo Credit: Sarah Clapp.
Cornell University Press (CUP) Talk:
"Going Public with Archives"
Saturday, June 30, 2:00 PM (at The History Center)
The History Center in Tompkins County and Cornell University Press have teamed up to offer an occasional "CUP Talk." The series will often feature a talk by an author that has been published by Cornell University Press, but not always. The talks are open to the public and intended to generate interest in local history. The next CUP Talk "Going Public with My Archives" will be held on Saturday, June 30 at 2:00 p.m. at The History Center in Tompkins County.
"Going Public with My Archives" is for those who have something in their personal archives or who recently found something in their attic (using that as one example) that they think might be of broader interest but they are not sure what to do with it. What are the opportunities and the responsibilities? Is it material for a book, a blog or a website? Is it a donation to a local history organization or some other organization that manages archives? The panel will discuss options that, while respecting history and family legacies, are realistic in that not everything can be accessioned nor published.
Panelists:
Evan Earle, University Archivist, Cornell University.
Cady Fontana, Information & Learning Services Librarian, Tompkins County Public Library.
Michael McGandy, Senior Editor & Editorial Director, Three Hills, Cornell University Press.
Moderator:
Rod Howe, Executive Director of The History Center in Tompkins County.
First Friday Gallery Night: Talk on Women Suffrage by Karen Pastorello
Friday, July 6, 6:00 PM (at The History Center)
In conjunction with
First Friday Gallery Night and the Women's Suffrage Exhibit at the Public Library, Karen Pastorello, co-author of Women Will Vote: Winning Suffrage in New York State, will speak at the History Center in Tompkins County on Friday, July 6 at 6:00 PM. Pastorello will discuss how women in New York State struggled for over six decades to win the right to vote. She will highlight the grassroots activism of rural, urban, African American, Jewish, immigrant, and native-born women who formed a loose coalition aimed at attaining full suffrage for women.
Historic Ithaca's 2018 Walk & Talks
Saturdays, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, 11:00 AM (Various locations). Visit Historic Ithaca's website for more information.
Karen Edelstein and Walter Poleman
Part One: An Overview, Friday, May 4, 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (at The History Center)
An Overview will include an evening presentation exploring and celebrating the natural and cultural history of the Fall Creek Watershed. Using a combination of maps, diagrams, historic photographs, and aerial imagery, we'll interpret the history of how the landscape of the watershed we see today has unfolded through time - from its geologic origins to the impacts of European settlement and modern-day land-use.
Presenters: Karen Edelstein and Walter Poleman.
Karen Edelstein, May 4, 2018 at The History Center.
We are Moving!
Packing Highlights
Horns from the Collection of The History Center in Tompkins County.
Many items are donated to The History Center's object collection with a clear connection to the county's history and with obvious historical meaning. But sometimes we find things in the collection that were donated many years ago and have no provenance, or source of origin. These horns don't seem to have a local connection - they had been donated many years ago and are one of those curiosities that we can't explain. But they certainly are interesting!
These and many other things are being packed as we get ready for our big move at the end of the year.
