The Museum staff designs and installs exhibitions utilizing artifacts and archives from the museum collection. The Potsdam community has loaned artifacts to the museum to enrich exhibitions.

Exhibitions rotate seasonally. We highlight the holiday season each year with a special exhibit that is visited by hundreds of area school children.

For more information about our exhibitions call the museum at (315) 265-6910

Currently on exhibit at the Potsdam Public Museum

MEDICAL

 MIRACLES MYSTERIES AND MALADIES

MAY 2 TO OCT 15, 2010

Dec 6, 2009 to March 20, 2010

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LOCOMOTION:

A History of Trains and Railroads in Northern New York

Dec 6, 2009 to March 20, 2010

Above: "Old Betsy No. 2" was a famous steam engine that was used on the Hanawa Falls Power Company Railroad. According to Robert Leete, Black River, who served as fireman for the Hanawa Railroad and appears in some pictures of Old Betsy, the engineer was Elmer Beatty.

According to the archives at the Potsdam Public Museum, this locomotive was built in Vermont in 1872 for the Central Vermont Railroad. It later served on the Rutland Railroad and was the first engine owned and operated by the Norwood and St. Lawrence Railroad. It was sold to the Hanawa Company in 1911 and chugged back and forth between Potsdam and Hanawa Falls, carrying passengers and freight until 1915. 

When the railroad was abandoned, "Old Betsy" was sold. Since then, all track of her has been lost. Potsdam has heard that she was eventually shipped to Russia.

An exhibition of photographic images, swords, diaries, bibles, personal items, uniforms and a quilt made by the family of John A. Vance.

Officers of Company A of the 164th Regiment c.1863

(Photograph by Mathew Bradey)

At the same time the 106th Regiment was being formed in St. Lawrence County, a company of men of Irish heritage was being organized in Potsdam by Captain James O'Connor and Lt. Thomas Hickey, to join General Michael Corcoran's Irish Legion. By September 18, 1862, the Company was fully recruited and left for Camp Scott in Staten Island, to become Company A of the 164th Regiment, commanded by Colonel John E McMahon. It was mustered into the Army of the Union on November 19, 1862, for a term of three years. Lt Hickey was promoted to Captain and assumed command of the Company in February, 1863.                                 

Captain Luther Priest of Company E of the 106th Regiment  P2929

Captain Priest and his wife and family made thier home on the Priest farm on the Norwood Road.

Luther Priest died of lung fever on March 14, 1863 at Martinsburg, Virginia. His body was returned to Potsdam where the funeral services were held at the Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 21,1863. They were conducted by the Reverand I.N. Hobart of Adams, N. Y.                                                     

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OLD GLORY

An Exhibition of American Flags, banners, and pennants 

from the collection of the Potsdam Public Museum

May - October 2007

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