Civic Center
2 Park Street PO Box 5168
Potsdam, NY 13676-5168
(315) 265-6910

Welcome to Potsdam Public Museum, Potsdam, N.Y.

The Potsdam Public Museum was founded in 1940 and is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of local history and decorative arts. The Museum is a department of the Village of Potsdam, supported by the Town of Potsdam and governed by an independent board of trustees. Its extensive collections span the history of the village, and includes artifacts from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century including: tools, books, maps, photographs, textiles, paintings, dolls, furniture, burial records, family histories and decorative arts collected by area residents.


 

  

LOCOMOTION :

A History of Trains and Railroads in Northern New York
December 6, 2009 - March 15, 2010 


Above Image: P 228 Engine No. 2 affectionately called "Old Betsy"
The Bell from this train is on view at the museum!


 

Early History of Potsdam

Written by Mauguerite Gurley Chapman in 1955, this book is now available online for your enjoyment...Early History of Potsdam


Indiginous People of Northern New York

Long before Europeans came to North America, the St. Lawrence River Valley was a meeting place for the various indigenous nations such as the Huron, Algonquin, and Iroquois. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of numerous campsites and villages that date back thousands of years.http://www.wampumchronicles.com/history.html

Courier & Freeman Newspapers now on line!
The Friends of the Potsdam Museum funded the Courier & Freeman Newspaper scanning project partnering with the Northern New York Library Network. You can now search the Courier& Freeman newspapers from 1861 to 1989 by linking to: http://news.nnyln.net/index.html