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.

The St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.W...
09/02/2026

The St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.

We will reopen on Tuesday, September 8, at 10:00 AM with reduced hours for the remainder of the season.

Due to staffing changes, the museum will operate on reduced hours starting September 8. Our new hours will be Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and we will be closed on Saturdays. However, we will be open on October 10 to celebrate Path Through History Weekend. More changes to the schedule may be announced at a later date.

We appreciate your understanding!

In 2024, the St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture received a grant from the Northern New York Library Networ...
08/28/2026

In 2024, the St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture received a grant from the Northern New York Library Network (NNYLN) to begin inventorying and rehousing the D. Betty Steele Photographic Negative Collection. This project is a massive undertaking and will require several years to finish.

Last year, we hired Katelyn Legacy-Roulston from Something Treasured, LLC to begin the foundational work for this project. This year, we have hired a collections assistant, Jennifer Layaw, who will work with us over the next year to electronically capture the information contained in Betty Steele’s 10 notebooks related to her photography sessions and to create an inventory and a finding aid for the collection.

We can’t thank Katelyn enough for starting this project for us last year, and we look forward to working with Jennifer on this next phase as we continue to tackle this important project.

Last week, we had to say goodbye to our last summer intern, Austin Campbell (SUNY Potsdam).Over the past two months, Aus...
08/27/2026

Last week, we had to say goodbye to our last summer intern, Austin Campbell (SUNY Potsdam).

Over the past two months, Austin attended a few outreach events and has been working exclusively with collections. He rehoused objects, assisted with accessioning and deaccessioning, updated catalog records in PastPerfect and CatalogIt, and curated a new military exhibit case on the second floor of the historic house. Additionally, he worked on several posts for our "Object of the Week" and "This Day in History" series.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication this summer! We truly hope you enjoyed your internship experience.

At the conclusion of each semester, we throw our interns a celebratory luncheon and give them a small token of appreciation for their effort and commitment to the organization's mission. This year, the luncheon and gifts were funded by the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation. We received a $2,500 grant to cover celebratory luncheons, mileage reimbursements, gifts, and supplies for our interns, and we sincerely thank the Northern New York Community Foundation for supporting this initiative.

Please join us in wishing Austin tremendous success in his upcoming semester!

Pictured: Austin standing next to the military exhibit he curated on the second floor of the museum, posing with his gifts. The t-shirt he is wearing was also funded by the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

This week, we are sharing another installment of "Children at Play," written by longtime supporter Daniel Reiff.Please e...
08/26/2026

This week, we are sharing another installment of "Children at Play," written by longtime supporter Daniel Reiff.

Please enjoy a shortened version of his tenth article, "Inner Tubes," published in our newsletter on August 25. If you missed it, e-mail Megan at [email protected].

Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://linktr.ee/slcchc
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For children, one of the great blessings of the end of WWII was the reappearance of inner tubes! During the war, they (as well as tires) were being patched & repatched; but by 1946 they were finally available–if a child asked politely at a garage for any that could no longer be patched.

The earliest photo of us using them as swim toys is August 1946 when we were visiting at Ferry Beach in S**o, Maine. Soon the Reiff family began collecting car inner tubes themselves! On a picnic to Cranberry Lake in 1947, I am shown pumping up one, and Jonathan and Daniel Curtin are venturing out in them. Later that year, Harry and I are shown “tubing” on a trip to Lake Eaton. They were in constant use with most families in those days. Sometimes a large truck inner tube could hold two, but one did have to be wary of the valve stem.

“At the beach” was only one use for inner tubes. In the small side yard at 84 Park were two excellent climbing trees. One had spreading branches & we devised a plan: drop down into a pile of inner tubes! In our Maple Street side yard, Jonathan shows us climbing through, climbing into, & “riding” inner tubes.

But the best of all were games we created using them. One was inner tubes as “weapons”: if rolled at you, and you escaped, you could roll one back; if hit, you went to “jail.” The photo shows neighbor friend Cynthia F***h rolling at her brother; I seem to have been eliminated, and am in “jail”–along with inner tubes! We seem to have had major tube battles: a “staged” photo (entitled “after the battle”) shows the carnage after one such battle in our back yard. And inner tubes could also be used for other purposes: one photo depicts me in a “space suit”–a rubber tube connects to my “air supply.”

We have an exciting update on the Historic Garden Project to share!Thanks to generous donations from North Country Savin...
08/22/2026

We have an exciting update on the Historic Garden Project to share!

Thanks to generous donations from North Country Savings Bank, Rachelle Romoda, and Lauren French and family, we were able to purchase three benches for the property this summer. Two benches, like the one pictured here, will be placed in the front garden facing Main St, and the third will replace the smaller seating at our main Red Barn entrance facing our pollinator garden.

These benches were handcrafted by local woodworker George LeFleur of Waddington and stained with a semi-solid paint from Coakley Home and Hardware Canton. Soon, dedication plaques, created by Mike's Trophies in Canton, will be mounted on the benches to recognize the donors who supported this purchase.

We hope you all enjoy the new seating on the property!

Not every artifact in our collection is extraordinary because of what it is; it is often the story that makes something ...
08/20/2026

Not every artifact in our collection is extraordinary because of what it is; it is often the story that makes something special. This week’s featured object is an antique red whisk broom once used by the Reiff family, which Daniel Reiff donated to the museum earlier this year.

Though originally a simple household cleaning tool, the broom became a treasured family keepsake and was preserved by Daniel when the family left their home at 84 Park Street in 1966. The red whisk broom was likely purchased around 1941 or 1942 for the Reiff family's first rental home on Goodrich Street before moving to 84 Park Street, directly across from St. Lawrence University. While whisk brooms were common household tools during this period, this example is unusual for its bright red color and distinctive design.

What makes the broom particularly significant is its connection to a series of family letters known as the "Pooh Letters." In 1944, while his wife and children were visiting relatives in Texas, St. Lawrence University professor Harry Reiff wrote imaginative letters to his young son Jonathan inspired by the world of Winnie-the-Pooh. The stories incorporated familiar toys, local landmarks, and everyday objects from family life. In one letter dated March 25, 1944, Rabbit borrows Jonathan's "little red broom" to help sweep unwanted visitors from his house. The family's enthusiasm for the stories even extended beyond reading, inspiring Harry Reiff to build a child-sized "Pooh House" that became a beloved part of family play for years and is depicted in one of the accompanying photographs.

The broom's survival demonstrates how "mundane objects" are passed on through kinship networks to become "keepsakes.” Scholars have noted that everyday objects often gain significance through the memories and relationships attached to them, transforming simple possessions into treasured keepsakes that help preserve family stories across generations. In a museum setting, the broom acts as a "mnemonic-activating device," or a memory trigger, that sparks "communicative memory," a form of remembering the everyday interaction and communication between people.

The Ray E. Richardson Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation has generously awarded SLCCHC a $500 grant to s...
08/19/2026

The Ray E. Richardson Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation has generously awarded SLCCHC a $500 grant to sponsor a Lifetime Membership to our organization. The last day to apply is Mon., Aug. 31!

More than ninety years ago, the people of the North Country had the heart and vision to establish a Community Foundation to connect the generosity of donors with the things they are most passionate about. The Northern New York Community Foundation is a proud partner of SLCCHC in facilitating the support of our work and mission.

We at SLCCHC would like to sincerely thank those in charge of the Ray E. Richardson Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation for their generous sponsorship and support of our mission to serve as an educational resource for the citizens of St. Lawrence County and others interested in the County's history and traditions.

Benefits of membership include:
• Subscription to The Quarterly & The Wright House e-newsletter for the primary member
• 10% discount at the Museum Gift Shop and 50% off past issues of The Quarterly
• Free or discounted admission to workshops, programs, and events
• Recognition on our website and media platforms as well as in SLCCHC publications
• Members can bring up to 3 guests at a time free of charge.
• Receive The Quarterly both in print & digitally.

Application Requirements:
• Applicant must be an individual (cannot be a business or organization) and willing to have the membership in their name (cannot be anonymous)
• Applicant must demonstrate interest in the St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture and the surrounding area
• Applicant must demonstrate a financial need for this scholarship

Applications will be accepted until August 31, 2026, after which time the Board of Trustees at SLCCHC will review them and make a decision and the recipient will be notified shortly after. You may submit an application online via Google Forms: https://forms.gle/xCvUMfvacCMRAhZT6

If you have any questions, please reach out to Megan Royce at [email protected] or call the office at (315) 386-8133.

Below is a short article written & researched by one of our summer interns, Addison Blair.____________________________On...
08/18/2026

Below is a short article written & researched by one of our summer interns, Addison Blair.
____________________________
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, marking a major milestone in the fight for women’s rights.

Today is 106 years since the amendment prohibited the federal government and the states from denying the right to vote on the basis of s*x. This was a result of decades of activism by generations of women. Suffragists organized conventions and marches, gave speeches, practiced civil disobedience, and endured hunger strikes and imprisonment striving for this right.

The early 20th century was a period of significant social momentum for women. Politically, the suffrage movement succeeded in advocating for the passage of the 19th Amendment. Economically, women were increasingly joining the workforce, taking on essential roles during World War I. Socially, lifestyles and fashion shifted along with women’s independence, the emergence of flapper culture being one of the most recognizable features of the 1920’s.

While recognizing the 19th Amendment’s achievement, it is important to highlight that it did not guarantee voting access for all women due to the implementation of discriminatory barriers like poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses that prevented women of color from exercising this right.

Pictured are a few items from our gallery that underline women’s changing status in society during the 1920s.

1. The first image features a manicure case. With the rise of flapper culture, nail care and painting became increasingly popular as bold nails defied the Victorian norm of bare nails. This stylistic choice went alongside the use of bolder makeup such as eyeliner and red lipstick.

2. The second image showcases a hair crimper, used to make waves in short hairstyles. Hair underwent a dramatic change as bobs, seen as masculine, contrasted with the long hair expectations of the Victorian era.

Today is Play Lax Day, an annual global celebration of lacrosse!To celebrate, we wanted to highlight a lacrosse stick cu...
08/15/2026

Today is Play Lax Day, an annual global celebration of lacrosse!

To celebrate, we wanted to highlight a lacrosse stick currently on loan for a limited time for a display in a collaborative exhibit with the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum & Giftshop. The stick measures 45” in length, the handle is 1.2” wide, and the net width is 6”. This historic look at lacrosse and its connection to Akwesasne and St. Lawrence County was written & researched by Addison Blair.

Originally known as stickball or the Creator’s Game, lacrosse was played by the Haudenosaunee as early as the 12th century, making it the oldest sport in North America. This game holds cultural and spiritual significance, seen among the games that could stretch across miles of land, include hundreds of players, and continue for days. Across the centuries, lacrosse has traditionally been utilized to strengthen communities, settle disputes, physically and mentally train men, and promote healing. It was in the 1630s that French Jesuit missionaries in the St. Lawrence Valley became the first Europeans to observe the game, calling it lacrosse because the wooden sticks resembled the bishop’s ceremonial staff.

Wooden lacrosse sticks, such as the one pictured, act as a significant reminder that lacrosse goes beyond the sport played today across the globe. It is a lasting cultural tradition with roots that stretch back nearly 1,000 years. Throughout the early to mid-20th century, Akwesasne produced approximately 97% of the world’s lacrosse sticks prior to the large-scale adoption of plastic and aluminum sticks. The tradition of making wooden lacrosse sticks persists in Akwesasne today, with sticks frequently crafted from hickory due to its ability to maintain its strength after being steamed and bent.

Last week, we had to say goodbye to two of our summer interns, Addison Blair (SUNY Potsdam) and Molly Bogart (Gettysburg...
08/15/2026

Last week, we had to say goodbye to two of our summer interns, Addison Blair (SUNY Potsdam) and Molly Bogart (Gettysburg College).

Over the past two months, both Addison and Molly were a significant help on the projects they worked on.

For Addison's internship, her primary focus was on Semiquincentennial programming and history features through our "Object of the Week" and "This Day in History" series. Her work will be posted throughout the year as we celebrate different holidays or highlight specific objects in our collection.

For Molly's internship, her primary focus was on curating a flower-focused art exhibit in the County Gallery, continuing work on signage for the Historic Garden Project, and assisting with developing content for the website.

Thank you both so much for all of your hard work and dedication this summer! We truly hope you enjoyed your internship experience.

At the conclusion of each semester, we throw our interns a celebratory luncheon and give them a small token of appreciation for their effort and commitment to the organization's mission. This year, the luncheon and gifts were funded by the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation. We received a $2,500 grant to cover celebratory luncheons, mileage reimbursements, gifts, and supplies for our interns, and we sincerely thank the Northern New York Community Foundation for supporting this initiative.

Please join us in wishing both Molly and Addison incredible success in their upcoming semesters!

Pictured: Molly Bogart (left) and Addison Blair (right) standing in the County Gallery, posing with their gifts. The t-shirts they are wearing were also funded by the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

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

Website

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