named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Lincoln and New York: The Indispensable Relationship
Exhibition exploring New York's role in Lincoln’s elections and the Civil War, featuring rare maps, photos, ephemera, and a Lincoln-signed order.
The Art of Paul R. Martin III
Exhibit featuring watercolors and paintings by Paul R. Martin III depicting Civil War figures and historical scenes.
The Brian D. Caplan Collection
Display of more than 100 artifacts, images, and ephemera from Caplan’s collection, focusing on Lincoln, the Civil War, and related history.
The Cipollina Collection
Display of over 30 Civil War artifacts and munitions from Dr. John Cipollina’s collection, including life masks of Lincoln and a Union officer’s sword.
The Testa Collection
Exhibit of over 30 artifacts highlighting local history and figures such as Chauncey M. Depew and William Nelson, with connections to Lincoln.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Equitable Access Admission Programs 1 activity
- Offer museum access programs for military and veteransProvides free admission to active-duty military personnel, National Guard, Reserve members, and their families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day as a designated Blue Star Museum. Offers a special reduced admission rate for veterans.
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Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Operate the Lincoln Depot MuseumOperates a museum in Peekskill, New York, seasonally from April to November, focused on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and the Underground Railroad, featuring permanent and traveling exhibitions, artifact collections, and historical programming. The museum is housed in the restored historic Peekskill Train Depot, with site development beginning in November 2014.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Provide educational programming and public eventsHosts ongoing educational programming including monthly "First Saturdays" lectures, bi-monthly events, living history encampments with reenactment regiments, expert speaker series, and special events such as the "Military Antiques Roadshow." Also participates in the America 250 celebration with monthly historical presentations and co-hosted traveling exhibitions.
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Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Provide year-round private group toursOffers private group tours of the museum year-round for schools, senior centers, scouting groups, historical societies, and other organizations.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Secure funding and manage historic site restorationSecured property and obtained grants from Empire State Development Corporation and New York State Department of Environmental Protection to finance the transformation of the Lincoln Depot site. Spearheaded fundraising and oversaw the restoration and renovation of the historic Lincoln Exedra on South Street in Peekskill.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Curate and display historical artifact collectionsDisplays multiple curated collections including the Testa Collection (30+ Lincoln and Civil War artifacts), the Brian D. Caplan Collection (100+ artifacts and images), the Cipollina Collection (Civil War munitions and artifacts), and rotating exhibits such as Civil War medicine and nurses. Also features artistic works like Paul R. Martin III’s watercolors and a life-size bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln unveiled in October 2007.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$61K
Contributions & grants$56K93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1K2%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$129K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$1.53M
Cash$85K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.53M
Liquid reserves7.9 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -13.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 8
- BARBARA KERASIOTES — TREASURER
- BRIAN D KAPLAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- CAROLYN GEISEL — TRUSTEE
- CATHERINE PISANI — SECRETARY
- JOHN G TESTA — PRESIDENT
- MICHAEL BENNETT — TRUSTEE
- PAUL MARTIN III — DIRECTOR
- THERESA KNICKERBOCKER — TRUSTEE
relationships · 29
Who they work with
- 5th NY Duryee’s Zouaves Partner — Living history regiment that participates in encampments, drills, and educational events at the museum.
- Blue Star Families Partner — Partner organization in the Blue Star Museum program.
- Brian D. Caplan Partner — Provider of a collection of over 100 Lincoln and Civil War artifacts, images, and ephemera
- Department of War Government — Collaborating federal agency in the Blue Star Museum program.
- Dr. John Cipollina Partner — Provider of the Cipollina Collection of Civil War artifacts
- Empire State Development Corporation Government — Grant funder that provided financing for the transformation of the Lincoln Depot site.
- Empire State Development Corporation Government — Provided grants that financed the transformation of the Lincoln Depot site.
- Empire State Development Corporation Government — Provided grants to finance the restoration of the Peekskill Train Depot.
- Empire State Development Corporation Government — Received grants from the Empire State Development Corporation for the transformation of the Lincoln Depot.
- Field Library Partner — Contributed an original 1852 map of Peekskill, the earliest known map showing the depot visited by Lincoln.
- Ginsburg Development Corporation Funder — Provided funding for the creation of the bronze Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Depot site.
- Grant Cottage NY State Historic Site Partner — Partnered to present a special program on Ulysses S. Grant and Thomas Nast at the 2026 opening.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Board members have served as leaders and board members of the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, indicating a collaborative relationship.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Collaborates with the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, a long-standing historical organization involved in preservation efforts and leadership for the museum.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Collaborates with the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, whose members have held leadership roles in the foundation and contributed to historic preservation efforts.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Collaborates with the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, whose members have held leadership roles in the museum foundation and contributed to preservation efforts.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Leadership and board members of the Lincoln Depot Museum Foundation have held leadership roles in the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, indicating a close organizational relationship.
- Lincoln Society in Peekskill Partner — Shared board membership and collaborative involvement in historic preservation projects including the Lincoln Exedra and the Lincoln Depot Museum.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Designated the Lincoln Depot Museum as a Blue Star Museum.
- New York State Department of Environmental Protection Government — Grant funder that provided financing for the transformation of the Lincoln Depot site.
- New York State Department of Environmental Protection Government — Provided grant funding for the Lincoln Depot site transformation.
- New York State Department of Environmental Protection Government — Provided grants to finance the transformation of the depot into a museum.
- New York State Department of Environmental Protection Government — Received grants from the New York State Department of Environmental Protection for the transformation of the Lincoln Depot.
- Paul R. Martin III Partner — Artist whose Civil War-themed paintings and watercolors are displayed in the museum
- Peekskill City School District Partner — Contributed the salvaged and restored Abraham Lincoln Emancipation section of a 1930s WPA mural.
- Peekskill Museum Partner — Partner organization that has loaned artifacts to the Lincoln Depot Museum, including a Civil War uniform and other historical items.
- Richard Masloski Partner — Commissioned to create a life-size "Lincoln in Peekskill" statue
- West Point Chapter of the Company of Military Historians Partner — Collaborated to co-host the "Military Antiques Roadshow" series.
- Westchester Community College Partner — Shared board membership with leadership from the Lincoln Depot Museum Foundation.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Driven Historical Engagementmethodology: community-engaged historical educationBy involving the public in artifact assessment, community-sourced collections, and monthly programming, we deepen public investment in history, because personal and communal participation transforms passive observation into active stewardship of historical narratives.
- Historic Preservation as Civic Educationmethodology: historic_preservationBy preserving and commemorating American historical events through museum exhibits and public programming, we foster deeper community engagement and sustained public curiosity about history, because experiential connection to the past strengthens civic identity and encourages ongoing learning.
- Military Recognition Through Accessmethodology: military-recognition-through-accessBy offering free and reduced admission to military personnel and veterans, we honor service and sacrifice while expanding access, because recognition through inclusion fosters civic connection and encourages veteran engagement with historical narratives.
- Volunteer Expertise as Institutional Capacitymethodology: volunteer-driven operationsBy engaging volunteers with specialized historical and outreach skills, we enhance the quality and reach of public programming, because leveraging community expertise strengthens institutional capacity and deepens authenticity in historical interpretation.