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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN DELAWARE COUNTY
MARGARETVILLE, NY · EIN 010834413 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A80 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · mtownhistory.org
revenue
$73K
expenses
$28K
net assets
$506K
employees
0
volunteers
8
program ratio
15%
mission · from form 990

The purpose of the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown, Delaware County is to build awareness and appreciation of the heritage of the Town by discovering, preserving and making accessible historical information and materials related to the Town and its environments. These objectives will be achieved through educational programs and preservation projects, and through collaboration with other local organizations.

profile · synthesized from sources

Historical Society of the Town of Middletown, Delaware County preserves and shares the heritage of Middletown, NY through educational programs, historical collections, and preservation projects. The organization maintains archives, publishes a newsletter, and restores local historic sites such as the Arkville Cemetery. It collaborates with community groups to promote awareness of the town's cultural and historical legacy.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1K
    Collections and projects
  2. #2 $922
    Publication of "The Bridge" newsletter three times a year.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Arkville Cemetery Restoration
Restored and maintains the historic Arkville Cemetery, preserving the gravesites of early Middletown settlers and prominent local families.
Collections and Projects
Maintains historical collections and conducts preservation projects related to the heritage of Middletown, including archival materials and local landmarks.
Publication of "The Bridge"
Produces and distributes "The Bridge" newsletter three times a year to share historical information and updates about the society's activities.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
    • Commemorative and educational public events
      Organizes and hosts public events including living history cemetery tours with costumed performers, a two-day Revolutionary War living history event, film screenings, and storytelling gatherings for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to engage the community in local history.
    • Community historical engagement initiatives
      Creates and distributes educational materials such as downloadable scavenger hunt guides for Margaretville, hosts anniversary celebrations like the 150th-anniversary event in 2025, and supports the re-creation of the Mountain Athletic Club for vintage baseball to foster community connection to local history.
  • Local History Preservation and Education 2 activities
    • Historical documentation and research
      Conducts and publishes historical research on local communities, including geographic development, family homesteads, businesses, and infrastructure. Projects include documenting Kelly Corners’ historical development, the Hubbell family homestead, creameries, school districts, and property records related to reservoir claims.
    • Historical exhibits and public programming
      Produces and presents historical exhibits such as the history of cauliflower farming at the Annual Cauliflower Festival, a 2009 exhibit on dairies and creameries, and video content including "Margaretville Memories" to educate and engage the public.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Historic site preservation and restoration
      Preserves, restores, and maintains historic structures and sites, including the District 10 stone schoolhouse (rebuilt 1862), Arkville Cemetery (restored 2008), and the Wawaka Grange Hall, which was refurbished and reopened in 2010 for community use.
  • Historic Site Designation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Historical marker and register advocacy
      Advocated for and secured the listing of the Mountain Athletic Club grounds and the entire hamlet of New Kingston on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, promoting recognition and preservation of significant local sites.
  • Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
    • Oral history and personal account collection
      Records, preserves, and shares oral histories from local elders and former residents, including memories of Arena and experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. Has conducted and archived over 65 interviews, including 13 in 2020.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Preservation and curation of local historical materials
      Collects, preserves, and makes accessible historical documents, photographs, personal accounts, and memorabilia related to the Town of Middletown and surrounding areas, including archival materials from 30 former school districts. Digitized and published the complete run of The Catskill Mountain News (1902–1985) for public research.
  • Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Publication and dissemination of historical diaries and records
      Published and made accessible online a historical diary documenting life in Halcottsville from 1877 to 1928, enhancing public access to primary source material on local history.
  • Local History Publishing 1 activity
    • Publication of "The Bridge" newsletter
      Produces and publishes "The Bridge," a newsletter issued three times per year that features historical research, first-person accounts, historic maps, and photographs related to the Town of Middletown.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Military and veteran historical documentation
      Documented the service of 243 Civil War veterans from Middletown, recorded burial information for over 730 veterans across 16 local cemeteries, and researched the post-war lives of 40 Revolutionary War veterans who settled in the area.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$73K
Contributions & grants$70K95%
Program service revenue$2K3%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$1K
expenses
Total expenses$28K
Program expenses15%
Admin / overhead85%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$506K
Cash$93K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$506K
Liquid reserves40.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +25.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 8
  • DIANE GALUSHA — President
  • DORIS WARNER — Vice President
  • ELI TAYLOR — Trustee
  • GARY SMITH — Trustee
  • IRIS MEAD — Secretary
  • JOSEF SCHOELL — Trustee
  • MICHAEL FAIRBAIRN — Trustee
  • PATRICIA MOORE — Treasurer
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • Advent Christian Church in Margaretville Partner — Collaborates in preserving and continuing use of the historic Bedell Advent Christian Church for seasonal services.
  • American Legion Post 216 Partner — Hosts an exhibit of WWII-era veterans documented by the Historical Society.
  • Bill Birns Partner — Guest speaker and editor of “Peter Pan in the Catskills and Other Historical Essays,” who presented at the HSM Annual Meeting.
  • Catskill Center for Conservation and Development Partner — Shared space in the Erpf Catskill Cultural Center and later merged into a single nonprofit organization with the Historical Society.
  • Delaware & Ulster Turnpike Government — References the proposed route of the Delaware & Ulster Turnpike as a source for mapping early 19th-century settlements in Middletown.
  • Delaware County Genealogy and History website Partner — Collaborated to make historical documents, including a diary from 1877–1928, accessible online.
  • Fairview Public Library Partner — Holds the original bound volumes of The Catskill Mountain News for preservation.
  • Izaak Walton League Government — Originally built the clubhouse now used by HSM; relocated it in 1965 before transferring ownership through subsequent organizations.
  • John Biruk Partner — Historian who led a field history program on bluestone quarrying.
  • NYC Department of Environmental Protection Partner — Source of photos and information on properties claimed for the reservoir in Arena and surrounding areas.
  • National Register of Historic Places Government — Co-administers historic designation for the Mountain Athletic Club grounds.
  • National Register of Historic Places Government — Collaborates with national historic preservation program in listing New Kingston on the register.
  • New Kingston Valley Grange Partner — Gifted the hall and seven acres to HSM in 2012 after receiving it from the Izaak Walton League.
  • Other local organizations Partner — Collaborates with other local organizations to achieve heritage preservation and educational goals.
  • Sheffield Farms Partner — Operated the Eureka Creamery in Kelly Corners in the early 1900s.
  • Standard Dairy Co. Partner — Operated the Eureka Creamery in Kelly Corners in the early 1900s.
  • State Register of Historic Places Government — Co-administers historic designation for the Mountain Athletic Club grounds.
  • State Register of Historic Places Government — Collaborates with state-level historic preservation authorities in listing New Kingston on the register.
  • Todd Pfleger Partner — Supplied images used in the 2025 Margaretville scavenger hunt activity.
  • Ulster & Delaware Railroad Partner — Provided freight and passenger rail service to Kelly Corners, supporting local businesses including the Hubbell enterprises.
  • Victoria Kupchinetsky Partner — Filmmaker who participated in a post-screening conversation about her film "Calico Rebellion: The Second American Revolution."
strategies · 5

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-Based Historical Preservation
    methodology: community-archiving
    By engaging community members in the collection and sharing of oral histories, personal stories, and photographs, we preserve local heritage more authentically and foster broader public investment in history, because community-sourced materials strengthen collective memory and inclusivity in historical narratives.
  • Experiential Public History Engagement
    methodology: interactive public history engagement
    By using interactive and immersive methods—such as location-based scavenger hunts, first-person historical interpretation, and video storytelling—we increase public engagement with local history, because experiential and narrative-based learning makes the past more accessible, memorable, and personally relevant.
  • Geographic and Genealogical Contextualization of Local History
    methodology: geographic-history-analysis
    By analyzing settlement patterns through geographic features, historical maps, and familial lineages, we deepen understanding of Middletown’s development, because spatial and kinship networks reveal how environmental and social factors shaped community formation over time.
  • Heritage-Driven Community Revitalization
    methodology: heritage-based community revitalization
    By restoring and repurposing historic buildings and cultural institutions, we strengthen community identity and civic engagement, because physical continuity with the past fosters pride, place-based belonging, and sustainable cultural participation.
  • Public Education as Historical Stewardship
    methodology: public_education_outreach
    By delivering educational programs such as talks, workshops, tours, and panel discussions, we ensure the transmission of local history across generations, because structured public outreach transforms historical knowledge into shared civic value and active preservation.