The History Center in Tompkins County
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Located in the Tompkins Center for History & Culture, the History Center in Tompkins County is dedicated to preserving and promoting Ithaca's past through its exhibitions, educational programs, and partnerships with local non-profit organizations. The History Center Exhibit Hall offers annually changing exhibits on local history, and the Research Library & Archives are open by appointment. The museum also owns and operates a historic structure built in 1827 called the Eight Square Schoolhouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum's living history programs take place in the schoolhouse.
Images
The History Center is located in the Tompkins Center for History & Culture. The mural above was painted by Mary Beth Ihnken in 2019.
Backstory and Context
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The museum's history dates back to 1863 when it was founded as a historical society. However, this disbanded the following year. A second society, called the Dewitt Historical Society, formed in 1899 but lasted until 1905. The current iteration of the society was established in 1935. It moved into the Tompkins Center for History & Culture in 2019.
Sources
"Center History." The History Center in Tompkins County. Accessed July 6th, 2022. https://thehistorycenter.net/.
Photo: The History Center in Tompkins County