Genesee County, New York, is rich in American history. The county is home to twelve historical museums, which are great places to learn about how things were done and how people lived in these communities in the past.
You do not need to visit large history museums in cities to learn about American history. Genesee County's historical places throw some insight into the history and history of each town. Come visit these locations in Genesee County to see history be brought to life!
The museum itself is a neat place as it was originally an one-room school house. When you walk into the museum, you can see the big windows and high ceilings and wonder about the children and the education that went on in the building. Through the artifacts you will discover that Alabama used to have three gun manufacturers in its small town. There was a prominent citizen named Dr. Grant Neal, who’s buggy is displayed at the museum. Part of the original Basom post office is also on display. Some visitors may appreciate the museum's historic posters of "horse auctions" and old-time carnivals to be intriguing cultural records and reminders of just how society used to be. A Christmas party invite from 1856 for a party in Alabama is just one object that remains relevant to today.
The Alexander Museum is located on the third floor of Alexander's Town Hall (the United States' only three-story cobblestone town hall). Bring your camera because the building by itself is worth a visit and offers very intriguing shots. An antique phone, record players, and typewriter are among the objects on show which remain important in today's environment, and are essentially now all part of our smartphones. Younger people these days would be perplexed by the methods we had used to communicate. It's fun to look at the items in a tools area and try to figure out what they're used for. The museum's expansive open space is packed with its unique collection. The is a lot to take in at the museum, from farm tools to old record players and everything in between.
The Bergen Museum is absolutely one-of-a-kind. The museum is located in downtown Bergen at the historic 1880 Hartford Hotels Livery Stables. The building was converted into a charming and excellent museum. Inside the old barn, there are a few excellent life-size scenes showing a blacksmith shop, a general store, a schoolroom, and other scenes. The exhibitions' purpose is to allow the items convey their story. You truly get a feeling of how it was to go shopping, learn in school, or visit the neighborhood pharmacy. People's imaginations are captured by wartime posters in a local military exhibit. Volunteers from the museum built the beautifully designed scenes.
This museum is housed in an old church next to an old cemetery. The historic German Lutheran church's sanctuary is filled with numerous artifacts, including a large amount of clothes and textiles. Individuals who are interested in fashion or clothing will appreciate seeing what people wore a century ago. Photos and yearbooks from South Byron High School are also at the museum. A big annex behind the church is devoted to objects characteristic of a farming community. There is also old signage for former businesses and community signs in the annex.
The Elba Museum houses an excellent collection spread across three buildings: a museum, a historic 1842 house, and a recreated barn. The museum is loaded with Elba-related items. A tribute to the high school, along with a cheerleader uniform, was a unique touch. The 1842 house is right next door to the museum building. The house is well-kept and provides an insight into life before telephones, microwaves, computers, and other modern conveniences and technology. You can easily understand how people used to live their lives. Head over to the barn to witness how hard work was done around 150 years ago. The barn is packed with unique historical items and equipment.
The LeRoy Historical Society operates two separate museums within the same property in LeRoy. The Jell-O Gallery and the Historic LeRoy House are separated by the "Jell-O Brick Road," a small garden.
Learn the excellent story of America's Most Famous Desert, which was invented in LeRoy in 1897. The museum pays homage to the evolution of Jell-O as a brand and its place in everyday American life. There are numerous examples of how Jell-O promoted their product through clever marketing and merchandising tactics. The museum also has an excellent gift shop.
A little transportation museum, harkening to the times when people traveled by buggy or sled, is located in the basement of the Jell-O Gallery. It's a modest yet lovely collection that traces the growth of modern transportation.
The Historic Leroy House, erected in 1822 as a home for Jacob Leroy, a successful land agent, houses over a century of local history. The museum has three floors that are open to the public and are loaded with fascinating objects from the past. A highlight is an exhibit commemorating Leroy's Ingram University, which was established in 1837 and was the first institution to award women a four-year degree, as well as an exhibit honoring agricultural pioneer Calvin Keeney. The kitchen in the house recalls how meals were prepared and served a century ago.
Holland Land Office Museum, 131 West Main Street, Batavia, NY (585) 343-4727
The Holland Land Office Museum, housed in a stone building constructed in 1810, houses hundreds of objects from Western New York's history. Batavia is known as the "birthplace of Western New York" since the Holland Land Office was responsible for the sale and allocation of over 3.3 million acres of land. The Medal of Honor awarded to Batavian Charles F. Rand, the very first soldier in the country to volunteer for the Civil War, is on display inside the museum. The museum displays an authentic gibbet which was used to perform hangings, the last of which took place in 1881. Throughout the year, the Holland Land Office Museum hosts a variety of educational and social events. The museum is also located right next to the Batavia International Peace Garden.
Oakfield Historical Museum, 7 Maple Avenue, Oakfield, NY (585) 948-5901
The two-story house museum in Oakfield has several really interesting details. It provides an excellent job of informing tourists about the significance of gypsum mining in Oakfield. Numerous pictures and mining machinery reflect the history of significant gypsum mining in the town. Another representation at the museum is the Native American influence on the town and area which once stood a Seneca fort, village and mounds. A very impressive collection of arrowheads (gathered from the surrounding area) that alone is worth the trip. The Oakfield Historical Museum is unique in that they print their own publications about local history, that are available for purchase.
Pembroke Museum, 1145 Main Road, Corfu, NY (585) 599-4892 ext. 9
This small museum can be found on Route 5 within the Town of Pembroke Town Offices. Items from the town's past post offices are all on exhibit, reminding us of the way people used to deliver messages and other communications. One area is dedicated to the local fire department, where you'll discover how they used to fight fires with glass water grenades over a century earlier. Civil War enthusiasts will appreciate seeing a soldier's hat and ammunition. Pembroke's military history is also displayed prominently.
Stafford Museum of History, 8903 Route 237, Stafford, NY (585) 343-1928
The Stafford Museum of History, which is connected to the Town of Stafford Town Hall, was constructed in 2004. The museum is one huge room with very well-presented artifacts in attractive display cases and information panels. This museum does not try to show you everything, but rather the excellent representations of early settlement life in Western New York. Visitors will also enjoy viewing the Morganville Pottery collection. A style of pottery with a characteristic reddish hue was produced in the nearby hamlet of Morganville (from the local excavated clay). Check out the museum's little gift shop on your way out.
Tonawanda Indian Reservation Historical Society, 372 Bloomingdale Road, Akron, NY (585) 542-2481
The Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians' heritage is celebrated throughout the Tonawanda Indian Community House's hallways. The historical artifacts are presented all throughout the museum, therefore there is no particular museum room. The community house is open every day, so there are plenty of opportunities to visit and learn. Throughout the museum, large-scale photographs and illustrations showcase the Tonawanda Indian Reservation's history and heritage. Some of the lithographs tell the history of the tribe and the Seven Nations' history. On the second story, there is a piece of high reverence - a chief's headdress.
More Museums in Genesee County
More Museums in Genesee County
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, an area south of what was called the "Great Swamp" back then, around 1800, would become the future site of part of the Town of Elba. This square mile of land was bordered by early roads. The northern road of this square-mile area was Ridge Road. It was also known as Bulgaria Ridge and Bulgary Ridge at various times throughout Elba's history. Bulgary Ridge is still seen labeled on USGS maps from the 1970s. I still have one such map that we've had since the 1980s.
, has a long, rich history. 
was founded in 1802 and got its name from the Seneca word for "The Beautiful Valley", Gen-nis'-hee-yo. Currently, there are twelve main museums in the county that provide insight into the history of the towns that they're in. You'll not only learn a lot of local history but you'll also feel a connection to it, through their exhibits.
passed through Rochester from Farmington. From Rochester, they would either continue on to Gaines and on to Lockport or to Elba on to LeRoy. These escaped slaves would make their way to stop points under the cover of night. Marking these stops, one such stop being in Elba, were tree branches. The branch markers would be around 2 feet in height and inconspicuously stuck in the ground near a fence near a roadway. They were also stuck on a street corner in such a way to also tell the direction for them to turn and head to find their stop.
a town best known for its mucklands, onion-growing, and farms, was developed by an act of NYS to divide Batavia. The act was passed on March 14th, 1820 and Elba became a town comprised of 38,000 acres. Back then, and before the second division on April 11th, 1842, Elba included what is now Oakfield. and today the town is 22,631 acres in size.
made their way to Elba after being told about the fire by telephone. The building was a complete loss and the lot was left empty until 1915 when the Elba Grange Meeting Hall was built.
