Make History Yours
Learn More About UsKeep Our History Alive
Find Your Volunteer Niche
Leave a Legacy
![IMG_8685-cropped](http://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_8685-cropped-scaled.jpg)
![Oswego City Hall Photo of city hall in Oswego, in springtime, taken from ground level looking upward.](http://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/404-oswego-city-hall.jpeg)
![BatesFamilyOnStepsTrueBW](http://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BatesFamilyOnStepsTrueBW.jpg)
![Drawing Room piano and paintings wall The drawing room piano and paintings wall, as seen from the right.](http://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2018-01-12-02.jpeg)
![Rebuilding the ramp](http://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/volunteer-brian-folgherait-neal-johnson-scaled.jpg)
ABOUT OSWEGO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Founded in 1896, the Oswego County Historical Society is a non-profit organization that has preserved and promoted Oswego County history for over 100 years. In 1946, the Society received the generous gift of a historic 19th century Italian Villa on Oswego's east side to serve as a permanent headquarters and museum.
The Richardson-Bates House Museum
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Richardson-Bates House Museum is one of the most intact house museums in New York State. It offers a unique glimpse into the lifestyle of a prominent wealthy Oswego family, and serves as the place where history comes alive in Oswego County.
The museum’s opulent interiors in the first floor period rooms reflect the art and culture of the 19th century Victorian elite. About 90% of the family’s original furnishings and most of the family’s historic and ethnographic collections were included when the house was gifted to the Society in 1946.
Upcoming Events
History Bus Tour: Watertown, NY
2024 Family Fun Day
Independence: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker
Education
Explore the history of Oswego County with Oswego County Historical Society’s educational resources. The material covers a range of topics, including local figures like Dr. Mary Walker or Tudor Grant, political movements like abolition and women’s suffrage, and the impact of industrialization on Central New York. These materials are offered for free to inspire your research, supplement your curriculum, and inspire curiosity in local history.
Grantors & Sponsors
![Richard S. Shineman Foundation](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/footer-logos-shineman-foundation.png)
![New York State Archives](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/footer-logos-nysa-color-horiz.png)
![New York State Council on the Arts](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/footer-logos-nysca-green.png)
![Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/footer-logos-dhpsny.png)
![William G. Pomeroy Foundation](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/footer-logos-pomoroy.png)
![Pathfinder Bank](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/footer-logos-pathfinder-bank.png)
Join our mailing list
Sign up for Oswego County Historical Society’s mailing list and get exclusive updates on upcoming events, news, and more.
![](https://oswegohistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Newsletter-Signup-Graphic.png)