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NEWCOMB HISTORICAL MUSEUM
NEWCOMB, NY · EIN 812053129 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A54 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · newcombhistoricalmuseum.com
revenue
$230K
expenses
$183K
net assets
$171K
employees
3
volunteers
4
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

HISTORICAL MUSEUM IN NEWCOMB, NEW YORK.

profile · synthesized from sources

Historical museum located in Newcomb, New York, dedicated to preserving and sharing local history through curated exhibits, archival collections, and educational programs. The museum maintains artifacts, documents, and photographs related to the Adirondack region, with a focus on the National Lead Company, Tahawus, Great Camp Santanoni, and community heritage. It operates seasonally and supports public research and genealogical inquiry.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Books & Research Program
Provides public access to archival collections including maps, diaries, family Bibles, and photographs; supports genealogical research and offers staff-assisted Ancestry.com research.
Cemeteries and Genealogy Project
Initiative funded by Marvin Bissell to install grave markers for unmarked burials and maintain genealogical records of Newcomb residents for public research.
Great Camp Santanoni Collections
Preservation and display of materials related to the Santanoni Preserve, including architectural drawings, photographs, and historical narratives of the Adirondack great camp.
McCoy House Exhibits
Historic house exhibit space featuring period rooms and special displays, such as President Theodore Roosevelt’s Library, commemorating his 1899 departure from Newcomb.
National Lead/Tahawus Exhibit
Annual exhibit exploring the history of the National Lead Company and the relocation of the Tahawus village to Newcomb in 1963, featuring photographs, documents, and oral histories.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Local History Museum Operations 2 activities
    • Curating and hosting historical exhibits
      Designs, installs, and maintains annual exhibits and special displays on local history, significant events, influential figures, and natural resources, including commemorative exhibits such as the 125th anniversary of President Theodore Roosevelt’s departure from Newcomb. Exhibits are hosted at the McCoy House and Seeley Exhibit Hall.
    • Operating a historical museum in Newcomb, NY
      Operates the Newcomb Historical Museum, including the Seeley Exhibit Hall and McCoy House, as a public-facing institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting local history, natural resources, and community heritage. The museum is open six days a week during its main season (June 1 to mid-October) and offers limited winter hours at select locations.
  • Cemetery Preservation and Maintenance Funding 1 activity
    • Installing grave markers for unmarked graves
      Identifies unmarked graves in Newcomb that have been without markers for at least 20 years and installs new grave markers as part of its historical preservation mission.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Participating in community events
      Engages with the local community through participation in annual events such as TR Weekend, including commemorative programming for the 125th anniversary in 2026, to promote local history and heritage.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Preserving and managing historical collections
      Collects, preserves, and interprets artifacts, documents, and photographs from Newcomb and surrounding areas. Holdings include maps, technical drawings, family Bibles, diaries, newspapers, article clippings, photographs (including tintypes and glass plates), genealogy records, school yearbooks, obituaries, and the complete Cloudsplitter Magazine collection.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Producing and selling historical publications
      Produces, sells, and distributes the book "Tahawus Memories" by Leonard A. Gereau, with proceeds benefiting museum operations. The book has reached a fifth printing as of 2019.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Providing educational access and group tours
      Hosts scheduled visits for school classes and community groups, offering educational programming and guided tours focused on local history and heritage. These visits are part of the museum’s public engagement and outreach efforts.
  • Cemetery Records and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Supporting genealogical research
      Provides public access to genealogy records and offers staff-assisted research support using Ancestry.com to help visitors trace family histories. Maintains extensive genealogical materials including family files, obituaries, and historical documents.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$230K
Contributions & grants$229K99%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$183K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$128K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$172K
Cash$172K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2K
Net assets$171K
Liquid reserves11.3 mo
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue -0.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
JOAN BURKE MUSEUM DIRECTOR 40 $57K
board members · 8
  • BARBARA KEARNS — DIRECTOR
  • CHARLOTTE DEMERS — DIRECTOR
  • JAMES MONTANYE — DIRECTOR
  • JILL VALLEE — DIRECTOR
  • LIZ MCGUINNESS — DIRECTOR
  • MICHAEL TRACY — DIRECTOR
  • TOM HARRINGTON — DIRECTOR
  • WESTER MIGA — DIRECTOR
relationships · 4

Who they work with

  • Leonard A. Gereau Partner — Author who contributed rights and proceeds from book sales to the museum.
  • Marvin Bissell Foundation Partner — Provides funding and direction for grave marker installation and genealogy record preservation.
  • McCoy House Partner — Collaborated with McCoy House to host exhibits.
  • Newcomb Central School Partner — Hosts class visits from Newcomb Central School as part of educational programming.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Artifact-Based Education
    methodology: artifact-based education
    By using physical artifacts in exhibits, the museum facilitates deeper engagement with local history and strengthens public connection to the past, because tangible objects serve as accessible, sensory-rich entry points to historical understanding.
  • Community Heritage Preservation as Education
    methodology: community-heritage-preservation
    By collecting, interpreting, and preserving community artifacts and unmarked graves, the museum educates future generations about local history, because preserving physical and ancestral traces fosters public appreciation and continuity of cultural memory.
  • Local Historical Narrative Engagement
    methodology: local-historical-narrative
    By centering exhibits on local historical narratives and industrial heritage, such as mining history, the museum increases public understanding of regional identity and change, because place-specific stories make abstract historical forces personally relevant and memorable.