Historical artifacts and archival materials, books, maps, photographs, manuscripts, and other materials relating to Warren County or NYS.
Exhibits & Collections
Visitors will walk through the gallery experiencing the history and heritage of Warren County.
Members & Supporters
The WCHS sincerely appreciates the generous support of many individuals, families, businesses, and organizations who fund our programs and activities.
What’s Happening
Warren County Historical Societies Events Calendar.
Mission
The mission of the Warren County Historical Society (WCHS) is to promote the history of Warren County, New York and its environs by supporting research and preservation efforts and encouraging public participation. The historical society was chartered in 1997 by the New York State Education Department for the collection, preservation, and promotion of the heritage of Warren County. The Society offers a permanent exhibit as well as temporary displays, historical collections and archives, a comprehensive resource center, publications, a book and gift shop, an oral history project, community history and culture initiatives, and a student internship program.
The WCHS is a non-profit, 501C (3) membership organization funded through dues, donations, grants, and gifts.
Rewind
Rewind: October 1, 2022 – “The Hermit of Dogtown – Archie ‘Bobcat’ Ranney”
Rewind: October 1, 2022: The Hermit of Dogtown Archie “Bobcat” Ranney by Dave Waite Hermits are tough to come…
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Rewind: September 15, 2022 – “A Most Fascinating Person”
Rewind: September 15, 2022 “A Most Fascinating Person” A friend of the Society recently shared a copy of a newsletter…
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Our permanent exhibit, “Warren County 360: Celebrating Place and People,” depicts the evolution of the region through the lens of cultural geography, showing how our natural resources led to the development of our County’s economy and society. View Current Exhibits
Our vision for the future includes a robust and collaborative program named Warren County Center for History & Leadership. Our programs will pursue useful leadership skills and responsible citizenship. Learn more from one of our principal supporters of the The Warren House Visitors Museum. We hope to see you there in the future…making history with us!
In October 2019, Shane Newell met with the Warren County Historical Society (WCHS) to discuss the idea of gifting his extensive collection of Joseph Warren paintings, engravings and sculptures to the society. Shane is a native of Warren County and former owner of the Historic Grist Mill in Warrensburg. In order to accommodate the collection for public display, the idea of converting the vacant house adjacent to WCHS into a museum was born. The small 2-story house resembles the birthplace and childhood home of Joseph Warren in Roxbury, MA. The original Warren House is an apartment house with only a small marker honoring its original owner and Son of Liberty.
Shane suggested they work together to convert the Warren County structure into a replica of Joseph Warren’s birthplace to be named the Warren House Visitors Museum. Shane’s collection will serve to decorate the interior of the house in a way that honors Joseph Warren similar to the houses of Philip Schuyler, John Adams and Paul Revere. The Warren House Visitors Museum will add something new to the well-known historic sites of Warren County and invite tourism for the upcoming 250th anniversary celebration of our Independence from England.
Warren’s extraordinary leadership in the years leading up to the American Revolution will be highlighted in the programs offered at the museum. The Newell-WCHS partnership plans to develop a “Freedom Library” as part of the Warren House. Beyond the house, WCHS hopes to add “Gardens of the Apothecary” and sidewalks to connect the buildings on their campus. The group hopes for to construct an “Independence Theater” that will serve as a meeting house for events and leadership seminars. The future encampment will be named The Joseph Warren Center for History and Leadership.
The acquisition and preservation (including digital) of historical artifacts and archival materials, books, maps, photographs, manuscripts, and other records or materials relating to Warren County or New York State acquired through purchase, gifts or exchange, and follows “best practices” preservation and collection management. View Our Collections
A comprehensive library (dedicated to the Society’s founding member, past president, and longtime executive director) of books, files, and genealogical materials is available to researchers, historians, authors, students, and all who are interested in local, regional, New York State, and US history. Featured items are a comprehensive study of the Old Military Road (2003), and the complete collection of War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.
The Society publishes a quarterly newsletter for our members, called Pasttimes, and we offer a twice-a-month Rewind column in the Blog. Each year, we print and sell a new manuscript about area history from a local author selected by our Publications Committee.
Our store offers a wide selection of history titles by local authors, along with merchandise. View Our Publications
Named after one of the Society’s most distinguished presidents, this oral history program is an ongoing effort to collect and preserve the stories of our region’s citizens and their experiences and memories. If you have an interesting story, or wish to share some local history, contact us to schedule an interview.
We invite our members and the public to help us document and preserve history through our “20/20 in 2020” project. Send your smartphone images of houses of worship in Warren County (and surrounding communities that serve area residents) to [email protected].
Our student intern program offers area high school students the opportunity to learn the skills of professional historians through working on actual projects within areas of individual interest.