Hours of Operation:

  Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

​​​​​​​​​Oneida County History Center

​​​​​​​​Oneida County History Center

Research by appointment​: 
Call 315-735-3642​

Research by appointment​: 
Call 315-735-3642​

Thursday, August 18 at 6:00 p.m.      
Beers, Bikes, and Barges

The Erie Canal Museum has teamed up with cultural sites and breweries across the state to develop a summer-long cycling series along the Erie Canal titled “Beers, Bikes, and Barges.” This series aims to showcase the Erie Canal’s diverse history, the newly completed Empire State Trail, and the unique breweries found throughout the state. Each event in the series will occur on Thursdays at 6 pm and will consist of an approximately hour-long guided cycling tour of that week’s highlighted community, followed by a drink at the partner brewery. The first drink will be covered as part of a $20 registration fee that will also provide a donation to the Erie Canal Museum and that week’s partnering cultural organization. Helmets are required.

Utica Ride August 18
​Experience Erie Canal history by bike, then enjoy a pint in this statewide summer series along New York’s Canals! Join the Erie Canal Museum and us on August 18th for an approximately hour-long bike tour of Utica that will end at a local brewery (TBD).
For more information and to register, visit: https://eriecanalmuseum.org/cycling/

​Recent Programs

from the Oneida County History Center

June 4 and July 9 at 10:30 a.m and 12:30  p.m.

Historical Walking Tour: Utica’s Shoe District
Utica shoes!  Who knew?

Many people don’t realize Utica once had a thriving shoe manufacturing industry, producing as many as two thousand pairs of shoes a day.  Meet us at the farmers market for a 30 minutes guided walking tour and learn about the rise and fall of Utica’s Shoe District. Stop by our table at the farmers market and sign up for a tour!

Saturday, May 21, 1:00 p.m.      
Built To Last: The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Tug Hill Region.


Join the Tug Hill Commission and the Oneida County History Center as we reconstruct the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) legacy throughout the Tug Hill Region. The CCC, fondly known as Roosevelt’s Tree Army, was a public works program developed under President Roosevelt’s New Deal. This program offered paid opportunities for young men during the Great Depression to sow the seeds of environmental conservation and civil development projects throughout the United States. We will learn about the history of CCC camps in our area and projects undertaken by the Corps. We will also hear first-hand experience from a former CCC member about life at the Corps camps. To conclude the program, we will find out how this program provides the framework for AmeriCorps, Excelsior Conservation Corps, and the Student Conservation Corps, which are completing ongoing projects on state land throughout our region.  This lecture is in-person at the History Center but can also be attended virtually by registering HERE.

Click Here to Visit the OCHC Youtube Page for a Complete List

Wednesday, July 20, 1:00 p.m.      
Sir William Johnson and the Mohawk Valley

Sir William Johnson (1715 - 1774) was the largest landowner and an influential individual in colonial Mohawk Valley.  Johnson served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and his relations with the Six Nations of the Iroquois greatly influenced England's control of colonial North America.

Johnson Hall Site Manager Wade Wells will discuss this critical figure in Mohawk Valley history. This lecture is in-person at the History Center but can also be attended virtually by registering  HERE.

Upcoming Programs & Events


The programs below are free and open to all. Please direct any questions to preynolds@oneidacountyhistory.org, or call the OCHC at 315-735-3642​
June 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Virtual Lecture:  "Manifestations of the Mind: Phrenology in New York State" 

 

Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. Phrenology played an important role in how people regarded themselves in the 1840s. Influencing topics as varied as courtship, employment, criminal justice, abolition, medicine, and suffrage, phrenology influenced the everyday lives of many. This talk will also examine the darker sides of the now debunked concepts, exploring how its teachings further disenfranchised people of color and indigenous populations.   This program is avalable virtually ZOOM RegisterHERE.

Anne Clothier is Director of Education at the Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa. Her particular areas of interest are medical history and early photography. She is a graduate of SUNY College at Oneonta and the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies. Her thesis focused on the use of phrenology in prison reform in the 1840s.

Children's Story Hour 10:30 a.m.

Join the OCHC for a history-themed story hour on select Saturdays. Created in partnership with the Utica Public Library, each story includes a hands-on make and take activity. In-person only.

May 7 & 14:"Think Spring"
   July 24:   "Summertime"
August 24:  "Votes for Women"

Hours of Operation:

  Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm