Mission
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.
Vision
The Oswego County Historical Society will be regarded as the premier local resource for education and information about the entirety of Oswego County, its culture, history, and social development.
- We remain dedicated to the preservation of Oswego County’s history through its programs, archives, and museum.
- We will act as excellent stewards of the Richardson-Bates House Museum, its gardens, and archives contained within it.
- We are dedicated to telling the stories of all of the county’s peoples, including Black, First Nation and Immigrant populations.
Strategic Plan 2023–2025
In the spring of 2023, OCHS embarked upon a strategic planning process to lay the groundwork for the organization’s future. Funding was provided by the Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) program, and the planning process was facilitated by Barbara Paxton from the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON). A strategic planning committee was established, led by Oswego County Historical Society President Mary Kay Stone.
The planning process included input from both board members and active volunteers through an online survey that provided the opportunity for participants to reflect upon the organization’s mission and values; develop a vision for the organization; undertake an assessment of the organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats; and to begin to identify action items to accomplish that vision.
The full survey report was shared with members of the strategic planning committee prior to a retreat session for trustees and other volunteers held on June 11, 2023, led by Barbara Paxton. This session provided participants the opportunity to identify priorities and set the Society’s course for the next three to five years.