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

Exhibitions


CURRENT EXHIBITION:

On Exhibit from December 2019 - November 2020


Telecommunication is communication over a distance by cable, telegraph, telephone, or broadcasting. On display, we have object from radios to cassette tapes to typewriters to telephones to cell phones and things in between!

Things that play music and tools used to map areas and find your way. We also have a small display featuring written communication with quill pens and carrier pigeons.

We have something for everyone here from technology from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. Whoever you are, get ready for a trip down memory lane!

Many items are on loan from local people, so you might see your friend's stereo or computer on display!

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Thomas S. Clarkson, Julia Ettie (Etta) Crane, Melinda Knowles and Benjamin Raymond, Helen Hosmer, Liberty Knowles, Linda Richards, and George Wing Sisson. These individuals and their families greatly influenced the history of Potsdam.

This exhibit is was funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Fenner Family, the Friends of the Potsdam Museum and the Village of Potsdam.


 THE MERRITT MEMORIAL STAINED-GLASS WINDOW

Civil War General Edwin Atkins Merritt and his wife Eliza Rich Merritt were two prominent Potsdam residents and congregational members of the Universalist Church on Park Street in the village; now the site Potsdam Public Museum.  In 1928 a stained-glass window was commissioned and then donated to the Church in the Merritt's name. When the church was disbanded in 1934, the window was removed, but its whereabouts unknown for 43 years...



ONLINE EXHIBITS:

Click on the link below to go to the Northern New York Library Network's New York Heritage Digital Potsdam Collections. We have over 500 images on view including: Horse Drawn Transportation, The Automobile in Potsdam,  Early History, Churches of Potsdam, Potsdam in the 1940s and Railroad from 1850 to 2000, Potsdam Fire Department, the Burnap Collection of English Pottery and Benjamond Raymonds records of Land Sales 1803 to 1818.


PAST EXHIBITIONS 

FLESH  & INK: TATTOO HISTORIES

APRIL through SEPTEMBER 2016

Explored the cultural, artistic, and personal significance of tattoos, past and present. The multimedia exhibit  included historical and  contemporary examples of tattoo flash art and equipment, videos documenting the tattoo process, a photo-documentary project about tattoos and identity, and the work of local tattoo artists.

Some local residents of Potsdam submitted photos of their tattoos were included in the show.

The image to the left is taken from a collection of tattoo flash art and equipment from the 1920s and 30s donated to the Museum in 1985. The works, by Schofield, will be included in the exhibition.


RUTH HALEY COLLECTION OF POSTCARDS

AUGUST 29TH through NOVEMBER 25TH

The "Ruth Haley Collection of Postcards". Ruth Haley (1912-2009) was the beloved Guidance Counselor of the Potsdam High School from 1961 to 1979. The postcards that will be featured in this interesting new exhibit were mostly sent to her by her students when they went traveling, and she acquired others when she went traveling herself, and some were sent by family members..  The postcard shown is a rare "circular" postcard sent from Rome, Italy.



HISTORIC DOWNTOWN POTSDAM POSTCARDS 
 

Market Street Showing Knowles Residence (Facing North)

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN POTSDAM POSTCARDS - is the first of a series of topical postcard displays featuring the Museum’s extensive collection of Potsdam postcards.  This exhibit features cards from the business area of Potsdam, focusing on Market Street, Main Street, Elm Street, and Water Street.  Among the more interesting postcards that are featured in this exhibit are one of Market Street looking north, with a photograph of New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes superimposed, dating to October 20, 1908.  Another fascinating postcard features a World War I parade on Market Street, dating October 6, 1917.  Another intriguing postcard of Market Street looking North depicts the old Knowles Residence, which was torn down in the 1930’s.  Other interesting cards depict the Water Street area before Urban Renewal.

NOTE: The WW I Postcard (to the right) was originally printed from the reversed negative.  Click Here to see our digitally modified / corrected version.

VICTORIAN BRIDES

Spring 2013

The women who wore these dresses left very little to tell us what their lives were like. What dreams did they have? What were their thoughts regarding the rapidly-changing world in which they lived? Through old newspaper articles, souvenir school-books, family scrapbooks, and the internet we have been able to piece together some of their stories. What we have uncovered to date, is documented in this flyer.   

by Mickey Champagne  [This article is "under construction". Additional photos will be added soon]


VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS 

December 2012 through February 2013

Includes: Victorian Parlor Display, Nightgowns, Top Hats, Canes, Shoes, Dolls, Teddy Bears, Mercury Glass, Silver, Silouettes, Hair Wreaths, a spectacular 10-foot Christmas Tree, and a life-size Father Christmas.



NOSTALGIA - THE 1960's

August 1, through Oct 1, 2012

The Potsdam Museum celebrated the 1960s with an exhibit of artifacts, art and music from the 1960s. This coincided with the Mega Reunion of the Potsdam High School which encompasses all classes EVER to graduate from PHS.



THE COVER UP: COVERLETS, LOOMS AND SPINNING WHEELS

June 2011 through spring 2012


An exhibition of spinning and weaving tools and equipment from the Potsdam museum's collection, to include: spinning wheels, niddy noddies, yarn winders, scutching boards, hatchels, carders, weasels, and flax breakers. Weaving accoutrements include; looms, warping boards, shuttles, heddles, harnesses and beaters. A blanket loom c. 1800 will be reconstructed on site.


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ICE COLD POTSDAM: ICE HARVESTING, ICE HOCKEY, ICE CARNIVALS, AND ICE STORM   

Dec 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011

Ice wagon with horse, Sam Goldberg, Bill Cornell, Willow St.


PAINTINGS BY WILLIAM BEEBE

December 2010 - May 2011

Bill with paintings on east wall of the museum





MEDICAL MIRACLES, MYSTERIES AND MALADIES

May 2 - October 15, 2010

A History of Local Contributions to the Medical Community

Dr. Max Thaler of Parishville making his rounds on foot, c. 1950, he has stops to speak with his neighbor Era Converse on Catherine Street.




LOCOMOTION

Dec 6, 2009 to March 20, 2010

A History of Trains and Railroads in Northern New York

"Old Betsy No. 2" was a famous steam engine that was used on the Hannawa Falls Power Company Railroad. According to Robert Leete, Black River. 



PAST AND PRESENT IMAGES

Spring 2009

Photography teacher, Mrs. Sutter, and museum curator, Mimi Van Deusen, worked together to create a project with students at Potsdam High School's  Advance Photography class to utilize the museum archives and the students digital photography skills for a little history and alot of fun for all to explore the changes in Potsdam landscapes.


ST. NICHOLAS: THE LEGEND
 
DEC 1, 2008 through MARCH 15, 2009

The History of St. Nicholas.




INTO THE MODERN AGE: 100 YEARS OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN POTSDAM

MAY 15  through SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Photographs from the museum archives show the automobile in the streets of Potsdam.

Chief Nelson King "ties one on," a parking ticket that is, with a string. Taken on the east side of Market Street across from what is now the Isle of You. Behind the Chief you can what are now, Josie's Pizzaria, The Bagelry, and Maxfield's.

 MORBID CURIOSITY: Fright Night

OCTOBER 2008

A casket basket used by the Foote Funeral Home in Potsdam to pick up the body of the deceased at the place of death to transport to the funeral home. 


MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF ANCIENT TIMES: The Charles Lanphere Collection

 Winter 2007

This collection of musical instruments represents a passion of one man's life, Charles Lanphere. Born in Lewis Country, NY with a keen interest in music, he built his first violin at age 10.

OLD GLORY: Flags from the Museum Collection

MAY through October 2007

An exhibition of flags, banners and pennants form the collection of the Potsdam Public Museum.