About Us

basic information: location, hours, access, membership

• Visit Us:   Hours and location
• Museum Board:   Members of the Board of Trustees serving the museum
• Museum Staff:   Museum Staff Members

Archives and Library

Potsdam Public Museum Archives

• Our Lending Library:  
• Archives Outline:   Outline of Archives
• List of Family Surnames:   describes the resources available at the museum to research your family history.
• S-Z:   Family Surnames (page 2)
• Cemetery Records:   List of local cemeteries with links to sites that contain detailed information and photographs of gravestones when available.
• Bayside Cemetery:   Interment records, map, photographs when avaialable of Bayside Cemetery.

Historical Maps

Maps from the museum collections. Great for research and time-lines. Provided in PDF format for multiple browser compatibility and enhancement.

Potsdam Sandstone

The Origin of Potsdam Sandstone includes geological information by James Carl, professor emeritus at SUNY Potsdam. The Sandstone Time Line Illustrated includes images from the archives and dates of construction and types of construction. The Heritage Map will identify the locations of existing buildings, lost buildings, bridges, dams, and other uses. It will also show sandstone sidewalks, foundations and quarry locations to the best of our knowledge. There are also images from the Potsdam Sandstone festival 2009,'10 and '12.

• Sandstone Festival 2014:   Images from events Sept 18-21, 2014
• Sandstone Festival 2012:  
• Sandstone Festival 2010:   Images from 2010 Sandstone Festival
• Sandstone Festival 2009:   Images from the 2009 Sandstone Festival
• The Origin of Potsdam Sandstone:   Brochure written by Dr. James Carl, Geologist Emeritus, on the history of the sandstone formation.
• Sandstone Building Styles:   Changes in style of local Sandstone buildings, 1868 to 1934
• References:   References
• 1st Quarry and Trinity Chrurch:   Sandstone Quarries and the Federalist-Gothic style of Trinity Church in 1835
• Rock Structures and Fossils:   Rock Structures and Fossils
• Composition and Qualities:   Geological Composition, qualities and formations
• Bedrock Geology:   Bedrock Geology of the St. Lawrence Valley
• Introduction:   Origin of Potsdam Sandstone by James Carl
• Sandstone Time Line Illustrated:   Historic images of Potsdam Sandstone buildings.
• Sandstone Interactive Map:   An interactive map featuring images from the museum archives, Google Maps and historical facts about the sandstone industry, location of quarries, houses, businesses, sidewalks, foundations, bridges, dams and lost structures.

History of Potsdam

Documents & Museum Publications

• Early History of Potsdam:   Written by Marguerite Gurley Chapman in 1956, Early History of Potsdam, is an historical sketch of Potsdam.
  
• Forward:   Forward to the Reader
• Indian Stories:  
• Thatcher Milk Bottle:  
• Azel Lyman:  
• Sandstone Quarries:  
• Newspapers:  
• Museum, Library and Civic Center:  
• Prominent Homes:  
• The First Clarksons:  
• Bridges, Churches and Schools:  
• First Settlers:  
• Land Purchases:  
• The Civil War:   Gallantry in the Field
  Potsdam and the Civil War
• Gallantry in the Field:   Potsdam and the Civil War
• Potsdam and the Civil War:  
• 92nd Has Proud Record:  
• 60th Regiment / Gen Merritt:  
• 106th Regiment / Capt Priest:  
• 164th Regiment / Capt Hickey:  
• 11th New York Cavalry:  
• 142nd 193rd Regiments:  
• Ladies Aid Society:  
• Potsdam Jubilant:  
• Licoln Assassination:  
• Regiment Gets Set to Go:  
• The 92nd Regiment:  
• Lincoln Arranged Wedding:  
• 16th Regiment NYV:   a.k.a. "The Straw Hat Men of History"
• Straw Hat Regiment Losses Heavy:  
• Col. Marsh Mortally Wounded:  
• Funeral of Colonel Marsh:  
• Outstanding Officers:  
• Straw Hat Men Return:  
• Reunion of the 16th in 1886:  
• Memorial Day Established by GAR:  
• Marsh Wowen's Relief Corps:  
• Post-War Potsdam:  
• The Irvingite Chapel:   The Catholic Apostolic Church in Potsdam
• Historic Potsdam:  
• Potsdam Sandstone:  
• Lyman Exodus:   Potsdam to Illinois, Made History on 2 Frontiers in 1833 by Marguerite Gurley-Chapman
• Hannawa Falls Railroad:   Gone but not forgotten 1975 Quarterly

Exhibitions

View Current Exhibitions, Recent Exhibitions and Exhibition Schedule.

• Gunsmiths of Potsdam:   Since its founding, Potsdam has had a history of fostering inventive gun makers. Some even went on to be part of important early gun companies like Remington.
• Roy D. Graves Post #1194:   Potsdam's resident Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post.
• ONLINE Steven Cayey Exhibit:   Online exhibit about Steven George Cayey who was lost at sea on the USS Thresher in 1963.
• Can You Hear Me Now :   Can You Hear Me Now: A History of Telecommunications
• Tattoos:   Flesh & Ink Exhibition
  
• Nostalgia-The 1960s:   Images and Artifacts from the 1960's July - October, 1012
• Medical:   Medical Miracles, Mysteries and Maladies.
• Morbid Curiosity:   A three week extravaganza of the extraordinary and eclectic from the museum
• Old Glory - flag exhibit:   An exhibition of flags, banners and pennants form the collection of the Potsdam Public Museum.
• ICE COLD POTSDAM:   ICE COLD POTSDAM: A History of Ice Cutting, Ice Carnivals, Ice Storms and Ice Hockey
• Victorian Christmas:   Victorian Style
• Victorian Wedding:   Exhibition Spring 2013
• Ruth Haley Postcards:  
• William Beebe Paintings :   William Beebe Paintings February 2011
• Spinning-Weaving Exhibit:   A new spin on Weaving
• Ancient Musical Instruments:   MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF ANCIENT TIMES: The Charles Lanphere Collection
  
• Potsdam People:   The men and women of Potsdam who's contributions weave our strong fabric.
• Past and Present Images:   Collaboration between Potsdam High School Advance Photography class and the museum to rephotograph downtown Potsdam from photo archives. Enjoy! It's fun to look at.
• Locomotion:   A History of Trains and Railroads in Northern New York
  
• Automobiles:   INTO THE MODERN AGE: 100 YEARS OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN POTSDAM
  
• St. Nicholas:   St. Nicholas - The Legend
• Merritt Memorial Window:   The Story of the Merritt Memorial Window

Sandstone Map

Interactive map showing the sandstone industry, buildings, sidewalks, foundations, bridges, dams and architectural structures. Includes a timeline.

Civil War

A collection of publications, photographs, enlistments, muster out records, diaries, artifacts and related information about the people of Potsdam who served in the civil war and reference material donated or purchased.

• Capt Hickey Letters:   Transcription of letters written by Captain Thomas Hickey 1864
  Mickey Champagne 2011
• Hickey Biography:   by Mickey Champagne (May 2009)

Pin Point Potsdam 1865

Map that highlights People, Places, and events in 1865

Education

Our museum is an educational institution that strives to make our collections accessible to the public to make history come alive! We offer tours to area schools and interested groups for our holiday exhibit each December. In the spring we offer a Spinning and Weaving Program, and in the fall, the Potsdam Sandstone Festival. There are teacher kits available to sign out that are made up of artifacts that can be used in the classroom.

• Spinning-Weaving:   Annual Spinning and Weaving program to area 4th graders.
• School Tours December 2012:   Group photographs of the event and children.

Friends of The Museum

Describes the Friends of the Potsdam Museum organization, membership information, address and contact information, board members

• Purchases to support the Friends:   list of items offered for sale by the friends

Links

Links to cemetery records, genealogy resources, arts organizations and other useful websites!

• Museums/Historical Societies:   contact information of local museums and historical societies/associations.
• Arts Organizations:   List of local arts organizations and contact information.
• Cemetery Records:   Local Cemetery Records and contact information.

Can You Hear Me Now

Can You Hear Me Now: A History on Telecommunications

• ONLINE Surveying to Mapping:   Mini Online Exhibit from "Can You Hear Me Now?: A History of Telecommunications"