Closed Monday, May 29, 2023

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Research by Appointment 

Utica's Historic Shoe District Walking Tour

Exhibit Companion

  This self-guided tour features the sight of several factories in Utica and traces the rise and fall of an amazing part of the area's history.  Follow this link to start your tour!​​

Utica Shoes Lecture

​Exhibit Companion

OCHC Director of Public Programs Patrick Reynolds discusses his research and findings on this vanished Utica
industry.

Underground Railroad Walking Tour

Exhibit Companion

Introducing the Oneida County Freedom Trail Walking Tour. Walk or drive the self-guided, narrated tour that provides maps and images of nine stops in downtown Utica associated with the Underground Railroad. This virtual tour was developed by Colgate Intern Ashley Tourtelot in partnership with the Oneida County Freedom Trail Commission and is based on tours previously given by the Commission.

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​START YOUR TOUR TODAY!

World War I Centennial: Oneida County and New York in the Great War 

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This exhibit commemorates the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into the first World War by focusing on the American experience and local history of the war.  

Utica Shoes?  Who Knew? ​

Did you know that the city of Utica once produced 2,000 pairs of shoes per day?! This new exhibit features photographs, tools, advertising, and shoes! It explores the lesser-known shoe industry that thrived in Utica and was one of its chief industries.

Currently on Exhibit!

Museum Gallery

Central New York & The Birth of the Oneida County Freedom Trail

​The Underground Railroad was more than a route to freedom; it was a social movement that blurred the lines of race and gender. It featured the cooperation of free and enslaved groups -- black, white, men, and women who pushed the nation one step closer to universal freedom. This exhibit highlights the Underground Railroad movement in Oneida County along with how it weaved together social, political, and economic transformations, which made the route to freedom possible.  

Experience history!  Volunteers, town historians, interns, and community organizations help bring you a piece of history with a local perspective.  Our 5,000 square-foot gallery has multiple exhibits running concurrently. Admission is free and open to the general public; donations are strongly encouraged (suggested donation $5.00/person). 

The Progress of Cotton

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This exhibit showcases a wonderful collection of lithograph prints from the early 19th century.  The prints date from 1840 and show the entire process of cotton production from harvesting, spinning, weaving and dying- very similar to many of the processes and machines used in the textile mills of Oneida County.  The illustrations are by James R. Barfoot of Islignton, England and were originally published in book form to document the process for the manufacture of cloth.

Closed Monday, May 29, 2023

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Research by Appointment