Visit Local Museums in Celebration of Museum Week

May 21, 2019

There's no better time to visit the historical museums within Cortland County! Keep reading for the variety of historical hotspots to explore in the area.

Whether you're an out-of-town visitor looking to experience a unique perspective into the past, or you're a local wanting to learn more about the community you live in, Cortland County has much to offer! Learn about the innovation of Chester F. Wickwire and the inception of the Brockway Truck Company. Experience life in the trenches of a WW1 soldier, and get up close to antique tractors and militia uniforms. It's time to explore what life was like in Cortland County spanning over 200 years ago!

CNY LIVING HISTORY CENTER

Located just outside the Village of Homer, the CNY Living History Center is a museum complex comprised of three unique sites. Browse the larger than life Brockway Trucks, including a 1925 Brockway Fire Truck that traveled back to Cortland from Argentina, or collection of antique tractors and agricultural equipment. History buff or not, you'll appreciate the impressive 10,000 items collected and curated by the late Ken Eaton illustrating America's Civil War and the rare items of local and national political significance.

The museum is hosting CNY Cycle Therapy on Saturday, May 18 from 10 am-4 pm. Bring the whole family to see motorcycles, bikes, and trikes of the past and present. There will be food and vendors all day long. Tickets into the museum range from $5-$10/person and includes entry into all three sites.

4386 US Rt. 11, Cortland, NY
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Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am-5 pm

1890 HOUSE MUSEUM

Take a step back in time to 19th century Cortland with a visit to the 1890 House Museum. The grand limestone Chateauesque-style mansion stands as a tribute to the Wickwire family, specifically Chester F. Wickwire, a famous inventor and industrialist, as well as a philanthropist to his community.

House guides will walk you through four floors of history, telling the stories of the Wickwire family, their servants and the factory workers who labored in Wickwire Wire Mills Factory. Wander through the restored period rooms, view the ever-changing exhibitions and attend their special programs and events throughout the year.

Tour admission is $8 for adults and $5 for Seniors, Students, and Military. Children 10 and younger are free of charge.

37 Tompkins Street, Cortland NY
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Thursday - Saturday, 11 am-5 pm and Sunday, 11 am-3 pm

CORTLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Bring your questions and curiosities to the Cortland County Historical Society! The thirteen-room Italiante-style house was erected in 1882 by James Sugget, an inventor and real estate developer. The house remained in the Suggett family until 1963 when it was transferred to the CCHS by James' great-grandson and his last direct descendant.

Today, the historical society houses a museum, the Kellogg Memorial Research Center, a gift shop and administrative offices with the mission to preserve Cortland County's history through artifacts and documents. Visitors have the opportunity to see the businesses, industries, and people that have shaped the county over the last 200 years from the Brockway Trucking Company to the Wickwire Brothers.

Entry into the museum is $8/person, while admission for students and museum members is free.

25 Homer Ave, Cortland, NY

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Tuesday - Saturday, 1 pm-5 pm

CORTLAND RURAL CEMETERY

Located just moments from the heart of historic Downtown Cortland, the beautiful Cortland Rural Cemetery spreads across 50 acres of winding pathways, lawns, and trees amid individual graves, monuments, and family mausoleums. Established in 1853, this open-air museum is a beautiful 19th-century Victorian garden cemetery that is the final resting place for over 19,000 people.

The cemetery welcomes visitors to wander the interactive 'cemetrail' tour and learn about the famous folks buried in Cortland, such as Nathan Miller, the last Upstate Governor of New York, and Dr. Julia Spalding, who arrived in Cortland in 1883 as one of the nation's earliest women doctors. Travel Channel dubbed the cemetery as one of the 11 spookiest cemeteries you can visit, but don't let that deter you from exploring the beautifully designed graves, the diverse trees, and plants that define the 166-year-old property.

110 Tompkins Street, Cortland NY

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11 am-4 pm

Don't forget to share your Cortland County experiences with us! Tag #experiencecortland for the opportunity to be featured on our website and social media accounts.

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