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

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:  
• Staw Hat Men Return:  
• Reunion of the 16th in 1886:  
• Memorial Day Established by GAR:  
• Marsh Wowen's Relief Corps:  
• Post-War Potsdam:  

Archives

Potsdam Public Museum Archives

• Archives Outline:   Outline of Archives
• List of Family Surnames:   describes the resources available at the museum to research your family history.
• Boxes 33 - 40:   Family Surnames (page 2)
• Cemetery Records:   List of local cemeteries with links to sites that contain detailed information and photographs of gravestones when available.

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.

Exhibitions

View Current Exhibitions, Recent Exhibitions and Exhibition Schedule.

• Potsdam People:   The men and women of Potsdam who's contributions weave our strong fabric.
• William Beebe Paintings :   William Beebe Paintings
  February 2011
• ICE COLD POTSDAM:   ICE COLD POTSDAM: A History of Ice Cutting, Ice Carnivals, Ice Storms and Ice Hockey
• Medical:   Medical Miracles, Mysteries and Maladies.
• 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
• Morbid Curiosity:   A three week extravaganza of the extraordinary and eclectic from the museum
• Ancient Musical Instruments:   MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF ANCIENT TIMES: The Charles Lanphere Collection
  
• Flag Collection:   An exhibition of flags, banners and pennants form the collection of the Potsdam Public Museum.

Potsdam Sandstone

The Potsdam Sandstone Industry, locations of structures, industry time line, quarrying, stone construction techniques, stone masons, geological origins, historic photographs,and walking tour of Potsdam buildings.

• 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.

Historic Potsdam

Walking Tour of Potsdam and gems of architecture saved and lost.

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

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.

Education

The Potsdam Public Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting objects important to Potsdam and the surrounding area. The museum offers teaching kits to area school teachers, home schools and practice teachers.

• Teacher Kits:   The museum has circulated teacher kits to area schools for over thirty years. We are currently working to update, inventory, and digitize the kits. If you are a retired teacher, love technology and would like to volunteer - we need your help. Give us a ca

Teacher Kits

The museum has circulated teacher kits to area schools for over thirty years. We are currently working to update, inventory, and digitize the kits. If you are a retired teacher, love technology and would like to volunteer - we need your help. Give us a call at (315) 265- 6910.

• WWI Teacher Kit:   Description of the teacher kit and contents.
• Artifacts:   WWI kit artifacts (images)

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.