JEFFERSON COUNTY

Alexandria Town Historian
Address: P.O. Box 130, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
Telephone: (315) 482-9519
Contact: Greta Slate
Position: Town Historian
Business hours: By appointment.
Collection: Research materials concerning both town and village, pictures.
Restrictions: Not to be taken out of the office. Copies - 25 cents.
Antique Boat Museum
Address: 750 Mary St., Clayton, NY 13624
Telephone: (315) 686-4104
Fax: (315) 686-2775
Contact: John Summers
Position: Chief Curator
E-mail: jsummers@abm.org
Museum hours: Monday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - noon; Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Collection: Fresh water recreational boating materials. Periodicals, special archives relating to specific boating manufacturers.
Restrictions: Non-lending, research library.
Website: www.abm.org
Antwerp Town Historian
Address: 34542 County Rt. 22, Theresa, NY 13691
Telephone: (315) 287-2293
Contact: Nancy Raymon
Position: Town Historian
Business hours: By appointment
Collection: Scrapbooks, cemetery records, county histories, atlases, several years of tax indexes. Some Town of Rossie cemetery records. Obituaries from 1992 and up; work being done on 1880s and up.
Restrictions: Materials may be seen by appointment.
Bodman Memorial Library and Museum
Address: 8 Aldrich St., Philadelphia, NY 13673
Telephone: (315) 642-3323 (Library), (315) 642-5502 (Historian)
Contact: Gwen Acheson; Christina Pease
Position: Town and Village Historian; Library Manager
Business hours: Business hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Collection: Scrapbooks from 1904, school and church records, genealogy file, pictures, Quaker artifacts, tools, clothing and textiles, Jefferson County histories. The library has four computers with Heritage Quest, a searchable database with census records back to 1790, for the use of patrons; large print books, DVDs and audio books.
Restrictions: The historian is available by appointment. All materials are for on-site use only and may be copied.
Brownville Town Historian
Address: 16431 Star School House Rd., Dexter, NY 13634-3066
Telephone: (315) 639-6266
Contact: June McCartin
Position: Town Historian
E-mail: townbr@tds.net
Business hours: Monday thru Friday, noon - 5:00 p.m.
Collection: Birth, death, and marriage records from 1883 to present.
Restrictions: Normal restrictions.
Cape Vincent Historical Museum
Address: P.O. Box 302, James Street, Cape Vincent, NY 13618
Telephone: (315) 654-4400, or 654-3640
Contact: Mary Hamilton
Position: Village Historian
Business hours: July and August, Monday thru Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 3:00 p.m. Other times by appointment.
Collection: Artifacts, scrapbooks, obituaries and marriage files and records.
Restrictions: To be used in museum only. Copies available.
Carthage Free Library, Heritage Room
Address: 412 Budd St., Carthage, NY 13619
Telephone: (315) 493-2620 (library), or (315) 493-0406 (home)
Contact: Laura M. Prievo
Position: Heritage Room Director
Email: carlib@nnyln.net
Business hours: Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Collection: Microfilms: local newspapers from 1860-1885, 1905-2005 (some gaps in sequence); published histories: New York State, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence counties; published and unpublished genealogies, scrapbooks, cemetery records, village and county directories, some church records, locally published histories, proceedings of Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, Adjutant General's Report (GAR); historical society newsletters: Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties; maps: Jefferson and Oswego counties, 1864; Sanborn map, Carthage and West Carthage, Fort Drum. Federal Census Returns on microfilm through 1920.
Restrictions: Materials may not leave the premises, but may be used in the presence of library personnel. Copies may be made.
Website:www.nc3r.org/carlibrary
Carthage Village Hisorian
Address: 672 Adelaide St., Carthage, NY 13619
Telephone: (315) 493-0406
Contact: Laura Prievo
Position: Village Historian
Business hours: By appointment.
Collection: Manuscripts, photos, booklets, newsletters, scrapbooks, video tapes, directories, brochures and playbills.
Restrictions: Materials may not leave the premises.
Champion Town Historian
Address: 10 N. Broad St., Carthage, NY 13619
Telephone: (315) 493-3675
Contact: Lynn Thornton
Position: Town Historian
E-Mail: lthorn@earthlink.net
Business hours: By appointment only, Tuesday thru Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Collection: Contact the historian for genealogical data on pioneer Champion families, Jefferson County histories, and descendants still in the town.
Restrictions: Materials must be used on premises.
Website: townofchampion.info
Deferiet Village Historian
Address: 34390 Pleasant Lake Dr., Carthage, NY 13619
Telephone: (315) 493-3675
Contact: Suzanne C. Wiley
Position: Village Historian
E-mail: rscwiley@gisco.net
Business hours: By appointment only.
Collection: Genealogical data from earliest residents (1901) and descendants through today. Jefferson County Histories.
Restrictions:
Dexter Free Library
Address: East Kirby Street, Box 544, Dexter, NY 13634
Telephone: (315) 639-6785
Contact: Suzette Cumoletti
Position: Library Director
E-mail: dexlib@nnyln.net
Business hours: Summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): Tuesday and Thursday, noon - 5:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, noon - 6:00 p.m.
Collection: Local, Jefferson County, and New York state histories, (1911) "New York in the War of the Rebellion."
Restrictions: Materials must be used on premises.
Dexter Village Historian
Address: P.O. Box 145, 417 Liberty St., Dexter, NY 13634
Telephone:
Fax: (315) 639-6977
Contact: Pamela Kostyk
Position: Village Historian
E-mail: pkostyk@twcny.rr.com
Business hours: Week days, 3:30 p.m. and after; Saturday or Sunday, or by appointment. Village office hours, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 100 Locke St., Dexter.
Collection:
Restrictions:
East Hounsfield Free Library
Address: 19438 NYS Rt. 3, Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone (315) 788-0637
Contact: Sandy Farrington
Position: Library Manager
Business hours: Monday and Thursday, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Collection: Shipping records (circa 1865), state legislature men (1910), variety of printed material from the county - World War I (1914-1918).
Restrictions: Not loaned.
Flower Memorial Library
Address: 229 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 788-7705
Contact: Barbara J. Wheeler
Position: Director
E-mail: bwheeler@ncls.org
Business hours:Winter: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; closed Sunday and most legal holidays. Summer: Monday thru Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Winter: Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Collection: Local and New York State history.
Restrictions: Some material may not circulate.
Website: www.flowermemoriallibrary.org
Flower Memorial Library, Genealogy Department
Address: 229 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 788-7705 (library)
Contact: Alice Corbett
Position: Chairman of the Committee
Business hours: Monday thru Friday, noon - 4:00 p.m., other hours by appointment only.
Collection: Census (covers four counties), census indexes, church records, cemetery records, funeral records, county histories, military records (War of 1812, Civil War, WW I & WW II), Revolution War, Jefferson County Poorhouse records, Canadian records, French-Canadian marriages, some census Canadian records of other areas.
Restrictions: No material circulates.
Hawn Memorial Library of Clayton
Address: 220 John St., Clayton, NY 13624
Telephone: (315) 686-3762
Contact: Alice Barton
Position: Sr. Library Clerk
E-mail: hawnlibrary@hotmail.com
Business hours: Summer: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - noon. Winter: Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - noon
Collection: Local history, books, pamphlets, pictures, some genealogy, CDs, books on tape, DVDs and videos.
Restrictions: Genealogy resources may not circulate.
Website: www.nc3r.org/clayton/
Henderson Free Library
Address: P.O. Box 302, Route 178, Henderson, NY 13650
Telephone: (315) 938-71689
Contact: Cheryl A. Shutts
Position: Manager
Business hours: Monday, 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. - noon; Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - noon; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Collection: Published local histories.
Restrictions: In-house use only, during regular library hours.
Henderson Historical Society & Museum
Address: P.O. Box 322, 12581 Co. Rt. 72, Henderson, NY 13650
Telephone: (315) 938-7163 (during Museum season and hours); Martin Clark, (315) 938-5217
Contact: Eric Anderson or Martin Clark
Position: Town Historian/Museum Director, President
E-mail: Town Historian: hendersonhist@yahoo.com; Historical Society: hendersongenealogy@yahoo.com
Business hours: Mid-May thru mid-October: Wednesday, noon - 3:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - noon. Off-season visits by appointment only; e-mail or call Eric Anderson at (315) 938-5183.
Collections: Museum is housed in former Universalist Church, circa 1839. Collection includes reconstructed 1820s log cabin next to museum; binders of family history and institutional history; Dulles family materials; Henderson Civil War roster; large collection of town documents dating back to 1820s; cemetery census; maps from 1850s, 1860s and 1890s, six old Henderson-made boats on display, including an ice boat; large collection of historic household tools and utensils; microfilm of Jefferson County Journal dating back to 1850s and federal census for Jefferson County back to 1810; two Tyler coverlets; two Frank Springsteen paintings, one on Museum display, and one off-site. Museum is wheelchair accessible.
Restrictions: Materials may not be removed. Microfilm reader available, but no printer. Photocopies are 20 cents each.
Website: www.hendersonhistoricalsociety.com
Historical Association of South Jefferson
Address: 29 East Church St., Adams, NY 13605
Telephone: (315) 232-2616
Contact: Debbie Quick
Position: Secretary
E-mail: hasjeff@imcnet.net
Business hours: Monday thru Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Collection: Manuscripts, documents, and other materials illustrating the history of our six town area (Adams, Ellisburg, Henderson, Lorraine, Rodman, and Worth). "Jefferson County Journal" and related newspapers from 1856 to the present. Family genealogies, census - Federal and Jefferson County. The museum has 25 rooms of displays, three floors, and a garage with agricultural displays.
Restrictions: Library use only. Handicapped accessibility to the first floor only.
Website: hasjny.tripod.com
Historical Society of Mannsville/Town of Ellisburg
Address: P.O. Box 121, 110 Lilac Park Dr., Mannsville, NY 13661
Telephone: (315) 465-4049 (Library ), or (315) 387-8027 (Miller), or (315) 465-6375 (Joyner)
Contact: Cheryl E. Miller, Marge Joyner
Position: Secretary/Treasurer, Trustee
Business hours: Open June thru September. (Hours are subject to change annually.)
Collection: Mainly early history of Village of Mannsville (former businesses and residents) and surrounding area (Town of Ellisburg), pictures, cheese making equipment, tools used in blacksmithing and weaving. Equipment used in the horse and buggy era, a few Indian relics found in our area, and things used in the home years ago. Some genealogy records of former residents of our area. Several scrapbooks and some old account books. Many issues of Mannsville's first newspaper and some old newspapers of the local area.
Restrictions: In-house use only.
Jefferson County Historical Society
Address: 228 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 782-3491
Contact: Christine Lamendola
Position: Curator of Collections
Business Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May thru November, noon - 5:00 p.m.
Collection: Manuscripts and documents pertaining to Jefferson County. Areas of special interest include French emigres, papers of Roswell P. Flower and early settlers.
Restrictions: Library and archival materials available on Tuesday and Friday or by appointment.
Lyme Heritage Center
Address: PO Box 285, Main Street, Chaumont, NY 13622
Telephone: (315) 649-2241 or 649-5452
Contact: Julie Gosier
Position: Director
Business hours: Monday, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Collection: Family files, subject files, cemetery records, news clippings, ledgers, diaries, histories, photos, maps, and local and county-wide materials.
Restrictions: Material does not circulate. Queries will be answered.
Macsherry Library
Address: 112 Walton St., Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
Telephone: (315) 482-2241
Contact: Ceil Cunningham
Position: Librarian
E-mail: ccunningham@ncls.org
Business hours: Monday thru Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Monday thru Thursday extended hours, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Collection: Jefferson County and Northern New York histories. Reference books on the St. Lawrence and Thousand Islands, George C. Boldt and Boldt Castle. Cornwall family history.
Restrictions: To be used in library only.
Website: www.macsherrylibrary.org
Melvil Dewey Library,
Jefferson Community College
Address: 1220 Coffeen St., Watertwon, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 786-2224
Contact: Connie Holberg
Position: Assistant Librarian
E-mail: cholberg@sunyjefferson.edu
Business hours: Call for appointment.
Collection: Histories of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence and other contiguous North Country counties; also, New York State county histories, local folklore, local fiction, New York State history. A local periodical collections also available. Jefferson Community College archives. Fort Drum Steering Council Papers and Frank Augustine Papers. Harold Sanderson Civil War Database.
Restrictions: Accessible to borrowers who register. Reference books, periodicals, and manuscript materials must be used on premises.
Website: www.sunyjefferson.edu, click on "Community Members" then "Library"
Northern New York Agricultural Historical Society
Address: P.O. Box 108, 30950 NYS Rt. 180, LaFargeville, NY 13656
Telephone: (315) 658-2353 (office), or (315) 658-4783 (home)
Contact: Marguerite Raineri
Position: Director
E-mail: agstonemills@usadatanet.net
Business hours: Monday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Wednesday thru Sunday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - except during event weekends. (Open June 1 thru Sept. 25)
Collection: Home and farm equipment indicative of rural living from early 1880s to 1940s. Many books and records, diaries, and other materials of family and area interests.
Restrictions: Materials are not loaned out; they remain on the property.
Website: home.usadatanet.net/~agstonemills/
Orleans Public Library
Address: P.O. Box 139, Sunrise Avenue, LaFargeville, NY 13656
Telephone: (315) 658-2271
Contact: Kelly Orvis
Position: Director
Business hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - noon, and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday evening 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. - noon.
Collection: We have a nice collection of children's fiction and nonfiction books and adult fiction and nonfiction books to meet the needs of patrons.
Restrictions: Most historical research material must remain in the library.
Philomathean Library
Address: P.O. Box 27, 8086 Co. Rt. 75, Bellville, NY 13611
Telephone: (315) 846-5103
Contact: Linda Strader
Position: Philomathean Library
Business hours: Monday, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Friday, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Collection: History of the village, Union Academy, churches, area Indians, cable carry route of War of 1812, maps, information on the Civil War involvement - i.e. Stonewall Jackson.
Restrictions: In-house use only.
Pickering-Beach Museum
Address: P.O. Box 204, 510 West Main St., Sackets Harbor, NY 13685
Telephone: (315) 646-1529
Contact: Jeannie Brennan
P.O. Box 127, Sackets Harbor, NY 13685
Position: Chairperson
E-mail: sacket1812@aol.com
Business hours: Late June thru Labor Day: Wednesday thru Saturday, 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Collection: Ledgers, paintings, almanacs, journals, account books, bibles, scrapbooks, school and religious books.
Restrictions:Materials may not be removed from premises.
Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site Library
Address: 504 West Main St., PO Box 27, Sackets Harbor, NY 13685-0027
Telephone: (315) 646-3634
Fax: (315) 646-1203
Contact: Constance B. Barone
Position: Site Manager
E-mail: constance.barone@oprhp.state.ny.us
Business Hours: Year-round by appointment only.
Collection: Manuscripts, documents, maps, archeological reports and microfilm records pertaining to the Sackets Harbor Battlefield, the War of 1812 in Northern New York and the Sackets Harbor Naval Station, 1810 to the 1950’s. Includes transcriptions of Isaac Chauncey’s letterbooks and of military letters written during the War of 1812. Also documents and reports concerning the history of the Navy Yard Commandant’s House and its furnishings. Biographical information on soldiers and sailors who served at Sackets Harbor during and after the War of 1812. Materials related to New York State ownership 1960’s to present. Library also includes site-relevant books on architecture, period furnishings, biography and local and regional history.
Restrictions: In-house use only.
Theresa Free Library
Address: 301 Main St., Theresa, NY 13691
Telephone: (315) 628-5972
Contact: Christine Rajner
Position: Library Director
E-mail: crajner@ncls.org
Business hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Collection: Two file cabinets with family names in alphabetical order; cemetery records. History of Theresa and Jefferson County.
Restrictions: To be used in the library only.
Thousand Islands Museum
Address: 312 James Street, Clayton, NY 13624
Telephone: (315) 686-5794
Contact: Linda Schleher
Position: Executive Director
E-mail: timuseum@gisco.net
Business hours: Weekdays for office, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Gallery and gift shop, (May thru December) Monday thru Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., daily (July and August).
Collection: The museum houses special exhibits of world class muskies and hunting decoys from the past and present. The museum Gallery offers history of life along the St. Lawrence River and the new Archival Library is open for research of river heritage. The gift shop is the "Home of the St. Lawrence Tartan," that was designed for the river and woven in Scotland. The museum is the proud owner of the registered trademark.
Restrictions: The research library is on the second floor - there is no elevator.
Website: www.timuseum.org
Watertown City Historian
Address: 245 Washington St., Municipal Bldg., Room 101, Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 785-7769 or 7780
Contact: Donna M. Dutton
Position: City Historian/City Clerk
E-mail: ddutton@watertown-ny.gov
Business hours: Thursday and Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., or by appointment by calling the city clerk's office at 785-7780.
Collection: Bound volumes and scrapbooks pertaining to city history, as well as several volumes of genealogical research.
Restrictions: Material must be used in room. Volunteers will make any necessary copies of which ther is a copy fee
Watertown Daily Times
Address: 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
Telephone: (315) 782-1000
Fax: (315) 661-2523
Contact: Lisa M. Carr
Position: Chief Librarian
E-mail: chieflibrarian@wdt.net
Business hours: Tuesday, Wednedsay and Thurdsay, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Collection: Newspaper clip files filed by subject dating from the early 1920s to 1988. After that date, the information is available on-line.
Restrictions: For genealogy research, there is a 10-name limit. There is a $1.00 charge per copy made. Wives are always filed under husband's names so we must know this information. It is also helpful to have middle initials when possible.
Website: www.watertowndailytimes.com
Wilna Town Historian
Address: 672 Adelaide St., Carthage, NY 13619
Telephone: (315) 493-0406
Contact: Laura Prievo
Position: Town Historian
Business hours: By appointment
Collection: Business ledgers and account books, scrapbooks, photos, postcards, maps, brochures, and pamphlets.
Restrictions: Materials may not leave the premises.






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