St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture

St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture The St. Lawrence County, NY. In 1947, a group of St. Lawrence County residents interested in collecting and preserving the county’s history formed the St.

Lawrence County Center for History and Culture is a cultural institution and historic house dedicated to community engagement and preserving and promoting the rich history of St. Lawrence County Historical Association (SLCHA). In 1955, the New York State Board of Regents granted the SLCHA a permanent charter. In 1975, SLCHA purchased the Silas Wright House, which was listed on the National Registe

r of Historic Places as part of the Canton Village Park Historic District in 1975. The Silas Wright Museum and Archives opened to the public, following extensive renovations in 1978, and in 1982 SLCHA was accredited by The American Alliance of Museums. Over the years, several capital campaigns were initiated in order to pay for a new addition to the Silas Wright House, pay off the mortgage on the property, establish an endowment that contributes to the annual budget, and fund the addition of the Red Barn Museum, Research Room, and current collections storage spaces

In 2024, the St. Lawrence County Historical Association unveiled their new brand as the St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture to illustrate a future-focused mission to serve as a dynamic center that promotes community engagement, inclusivity, and continued growth. Hours of Operation:
WINTER HOURS (January to February) - By appointment only
Monday - Friday:: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Contact information:
For research inquiries, contact: [email protected]
For general and gift shop-related inquiries, contact Caitlin Layaw: [email protected]
For memberships, sponsorships, marketing, and development inquiries, contact Megan Royce: [email protected]
For education, programming, publications, finance inquiries, exhibits, object donations, and volunteering, contact Carlene Bermann: [email protected]
For general inquiries, contact: [email protected] or call the main office at (315) 386-8133.

Today, the St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be tabling at the Potsdam NY Pride Festival at Ives Par...
06/13/2026

Today, the St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be tabling at the Potsdam NY Pride Festival at Ives Park in Potsdam from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

Stop by the table to pick up some great toys & swag for the summer, including new 3D puzzles, Build-Your-Own TOOB kits, new Safariology life-cycle toys, and our EXCLUSIVE Barn & Raised t-shirts.

The St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.We w...
06/12/2026

The St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.

We will reopen on Saturday, June 20, at 10:00 AM for normal hours.

You can also join us on Saturday at the 2026 Potsdam Juneteenth Celebration! We will be tabling at the event starting at 3:00 PM.

We're excited to share that this year we received a $42,391.00 grant from The New York State Library as part of the New ...
06/12/2026

We're excited to share that this year we received a $42,391.00 grant from The New York State Library as part of the New York State Discretionary Grant Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials. This grant was awarded to support the preservation of the D. Betty Steele Negative Collection.

Thanks to this substantial funding from The New York State Library, we have rehired Katelyn Legacy-Roulston from Something Treasured, LLC to continue working on this ongoing project. The funds have allowed us to purchase new archival storage boxes and envelopes to better protect the extensive collection, and also to cover Katelyn's salary for her valuable work on this part of the project.

After picking up where she left off last year, Katelyn has made significant progress in rehousing the collection over the past few months. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of this progress can be seen in this photo series.

Thank you to The New York State Library for the substantial grant funding and to Katelyn for returning to continue work on this important project.

For more information about the grant program, please visit their website at https://nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/cp/grantprogram

Memberships Now 10% Off for a Limited Time!We offer a variety of membership options, including our new Lifetime Membersh...
06/10/2026

Memberships Now 10% Off for a Limited Time!

We offer a variety of membership options, including our new Lifetime Membership and the recently updated Family & Friends Membership.

Memberships are currently being prorated by 10%. Lifetime Memberships are exempt from this promotion. All memberships are valid through December 31, 2026.

SLCCHC membership benefits include a 10% discount in the Museum Gift Shop, discounts on select tours and events, free self-guided research, and much more. Members will also be automatically subscribed to The Wright House e-newsletter and The Quarterly.

To purchase a membership as a gift or for yourself, simply:
• visit our website via Square: https://slcchc.square.site/shop/membership/43BR3P67ZAF77HT6SMT2CLEP
• stop by the museum in person
• call the office at (315) 386-8133
• e-mail Megan Royce at [email protected]

Supporting our organization through membership allows us to grow and adapt to the community's needs as we strive to share local history and culture in a fun, inclusive way.

For more information on membership benefits and additional ways you can support our organization, please call the office at (315) 386-8133 or e-mail Megan Royce at [email protected].

Please join us in welcoming our second intern of the season, Claire Knowlton!Claire is a first-year student in the Coope...
06/06/2026

Please join us in welcoming our second intern of the season, Claire Knowlton!

Claire is a first-year student in the Cooperstown Graduate Program, pursuing her M.A. in Museum Studies. She enjoys reading, watching films, and going on evening walks. A fun fact about Claire: she is the youngest of four siblings!

During her summer internship with SLCCHC, Claire will learn how a small museum operates, develop educational materials for outreach programming, and research objects in our collection to feature in our social media series, "Object of the Week." She is very much looking forward to discovering which areas of museum work she's most interested in through this education-focused internship experience.

If you're headed to the 1000 Islands Family Free Day at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton today, be sure to stop by our table and meet Claire! She and Carlene will be there with a fun aquatic-themed take-home craft.

Please join us in welcoming our first intern of the season, Addison Blair!Addison is a senior at SUNY Potsdam pursuing t...
06/05/2026

Please join us in welcoming our first intern of the season, Addison Blair!

Addison is a senior at SUNY Potsdam pursuing two B.A.'s, one in History and another in Adolescent Education: Social Studies. She enjoys reading and playing video games in her free time. This internship experience is part of the Gardiner Foundation Semiquincentennial Student Fellowship Project at SUNY Geneseo.

During her summer internship with SLCCHC, Addison will develop programs and educational materials to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the U.S., join staff at outreach events throughout the summer, and research objects in our collection to feature in our social media series, "Object of the Week." Her first program, the “25 Objects for America’s 250th" Scavenger Hunt, launches this Saturday, June 6, as part of Open Doors to History.

Today, Addison joins Caitlin at the Canton NY Farmers Market, and tomorrow she will be participating in Canton Dairy Festival Days and running the scavenger hunt at the museum. If you're headed to either event, be sure to stop by and say hi!

06/04/2026

Our newest exhibit has officially opened!

This exhibit, located on the first floor of the museum, features handmade baskets and beaded jewelry created by the Kanien'keha:ka, the Mohawk of Akwesasne.

Nearly everything on display is on loan from the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum & Giftshop, with a few pieces on loan from SLCCHC Board Member Timothy Cryderman.

Stop in during our open hours to see the new exhibit!

Celebrate the 250th Birthday of the U.S. with a medley of Adirondack History books by Marty Podskoch!Join us for an afte...
06/03/2026

Celebrate the 250th Birthday of the U.S. with a medley of Adirondack History books by Marty Podskoch!

Join us for an afternoon with award-winning author and historian Marty Podskoch as he takes us on a journey through the rugged beauty and rich history of the Adirondack Mountains. Marty will be presenting a "medley" of his six popular Adirondack works and sharing stories of the people, places, and legends that define the North Country.

Details:
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: 3 E. Main St., Canton, NY 13617 OR virtually on Zoom
Online Registration: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/rs9dn75
Pricing: Cost of attendance is a $5 suggested donation, members are free.
If you have any questions, call us at 315-386-8133 or e-mail [email protected]

Marty will be available after the presentation for questions and to sign copies of his books, which are available for sale in the Museum Gift Shop.

About the Author:
Marty Podskoch is a renowned author and historian known for his extensive research into the Catskills, Adirondack fire towers and in his CCC Adirondack, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont books. He also wrote travel books in the Adirondacks, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. He is a former reading teacher in Delhi, NY and who now lives in Easton, CT.

05/31/2026

Join us NEXT THURSDAY at 12:00 PM for a special Brown Bag Presentation with Casey Flancbaum in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month!

This special presentation will explore the history of Judaism in the North Country as well as the history of Congregation Beth El and how it engages with the community today.

When you visit for the program, be sure to check out our new JAHM exhibit featuring books and ephemera from our collection.

Details:
Date: Thursday, June 4, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: 3 E. Main St., Canton, NY 13617 OR virtually on Zoom
Online Registration: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/vzxw6b3
Pricing: Cost of attendance is a $5 suggested donation, members are free.
If you have any questions, call us at 315-386-8133 or e-mail [email protected]

Support SLCCHC through our Amazon Wishlist!We’ve put together an Amazon Wishlist filled with items that help us care for...
05/30/2026

Support SLCCHC through our Amazon Wishlist!

We’ve put together an Amazon Wishlist filled with items that help us care for our collections, enhance visitor experiences, and support daily operations. If you’re able, please consider purchasing something from our list.

With federal and state funding shrinking every year, every contribution makes a meaningful difference for our organization.

You can view the full wishlist here: https://a.co/00tTfUfG

Please note: prices may differ on the Amazon Business platform. If you’d like to confirm pricing before purchasing, feel free to contact us — we’re happy to check our Business prices before you buy.

Pictured are several items that are of a higher priority for us:

1. A rechargeable, cordless vacuum. Our current traditional vacuum is slowly losing its ability to function, so we need to purchase a new one. Due to the limited number of electrical outlets throughout the building, we have decided to replace it with a battery-operated vacuum.

2. A set of two office chairs for student intern use. Our current chairs are heavily stained and not very accessible, so we are looking to replace them with more ergonomically designed chairs to improve the work environment for our rotating interns.

3. A tent for outreach. Last year, the legs of our current tent broke, so we are hoping to replace it before outreach season.

4. Long-range walkie-talkies for staff use when working around the property and cell service is unreliable, including the basement, attic, and grounds.

5. A two-sided sign board for the main entrance of the Red Barn Addition to help better differentiate when the building is open and closed.

6. A locked display stand to use for collecting admission fees and donations at the historic house's main entrance.

If you would like to purchase an item from the wishlist, please use the link provided in this post or contact the office at (315) 386-8133 or [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support!

Address

3 East Main Street
Main Street, NY
13617

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+13153868133

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