The Grindstone Island Research and Heritage Center is excited to announce the establishment of the new Grindstone Island Heritage Museum. The museum will showcase the rich history of the island and its people and provide a tangible experience for visitors to enjoy various aspects of Island life. We anticipate a grand opening by the summer of 2022.
The Heritage Center has been fortunate to purchase the Lower Schoolhouse District #1, built in 1880, at the corner of Cross-Island Road and Schoolhouse Road. We are in the process of renovating the interior which will become an attractive exhibit space.
The museum will present rotating exhibits providing new material every two years, creating a fresh experience for museum visitors.
Future exhibit highlights:
• Photo and video histories of early island families
• Archival photo and video displays featuring the schools, farms and farming, fishing, horse racing, and Victorian summer homes in the early years
• Live programs featuring tales of early experiences from some of our islanders
• Drone flights over the island showing views of the beautiful topography and homes
• Collections of interesting artifacts, tools, art and crafts owned by native Americans and island families
• Programs and discussions about the culture, history and geographical features of Grindstone
Help the Heritage Center launch our first exhibit in the new Heritage Museum in 2022!
The Grindstone Island Research and Heritage Center is gathering materials for the first exhibit at the Grindstone Island Heritage Museum, to open next year in the Lower Schoolhouse.
The focus of the exhibit will be “The First and the Last—the Story of the One-room Schoolhouses of Grindstone Island.” The exhibit will also include a timeline of the history of Grindstone Island around the perimeter of the exhibition room.
We would like to borrow old photos and artifacts related to the schoolhouses, which we will return to the lenders, or receive scanned photos, for this exhibit.
Do you have any of the following related to either the Upper Schoolhouse (District #15) or the Lower (District #1)?
- Photographs that show the exterior, interior, students, teachers, activities and sports etc. when the schoolhouses were in operation;
- Photos of the Lower School House at its original site before the fire
- Photos that show the Lower Schoolhouse in dilapidated condition between closing and becoming a summer cottage.
- Photos at different periods related to the Upper Schoolhouse
- Artifacts related to the schoolhouses
In addition we are beginning to collect photos of all the historic activities on Grindstone. Do you have any historic photos of the following historical activities?
- Quarrying
- Farming
- The Cheese Factory
- Ice harvesting and ice fishing
- Fishing
- Logging
- Horse racing
- World War I and II photos of island men and women who served
GIRHC will sign a permission agreement with you, scan your photos, input them to our cataloging system and return them to you. Alternatively, you can scan them on a high quality scanner and send them scanned. We are especially looking for photos that have not been widely circulated, and we will credit you with any photos we use.
Contact Kelly Rusho Boyer by email: info@grindstoneisland.org
GIRHC would like to thank the many islanders and island family foundations who made the purchase and renovation of the Lower Schoolhouse possible. We would also like to thank the Northern New York Community Foundation for its generous grant for the purchase of technical equipment needed to bring the museum to life.
