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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.

Support our Annual Giving Campaign

This year’s Annual Giving fundraising goal is to raise $18,890, picked in reference to the year the Richardson-Bates House Museum completed construction.

If you believe, as we do, in the power of preserving local history to share with future generations, please consider contributing to the campaign.

The drawing room of the Richardson-Bates House Museum, decorated with opulent Victorian furnishings.

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

$10.00

Trivia Night 2024

November 14, 2024 19:00
Gather a team of six brainiacs and challenge yourselves to five rounds of trivia! First place wins a basket of goodies, courtesy of Man in the Moon Candies.

2024 Holiday Open House

December 1, 2024 13:00
Experience Victorian Christmas through the eyes of the Bates family. Christmas decorations and Victorian children’s gifts are on display through the month of December.

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.

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The Oswego County Historical Society seeks to interpret its collections to connect the community to past, present and future topics relevant to local history, and to promote a public interest in Oswego County’s historical resources.

Address

Richardson-Bates House Museum
135 E. 3rd St., Oswego, NY 13126

Hours

Thurs. – Sat.: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
April through December

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