named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Annual Dinner
Yearly event featuring presentations on significant historical figures and events, such as Lucy Knox, combining education and community engagement.
Archives and Research Services
Provides access to historical collections and documents for members and qualified researchers, including fee-based custom research and licensing services.
OCHS Journal
Annual publication featuring original scholarly research on Orange County and Hudson Valley history, available to members and for purchase by the public as a PDF.
Public Lecture Series
Regularly scheduled lectures by historians and authors on topics related to local history, such as Winslow Homer and Revolutionary War figures, held at the Society's headquarters.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
- Hosts public lectures and educational programsHosts public lectures, slide-show presentations, and educational programs on historical topics, including Revolutionary War-era figures and regional history, featuring guest speakers and historians.
- Organizes annual dinner events with historical programmingOrganizes an annual dinner event in Monroe, NY, featuring a speaker on historical topics, as part of member engagement and public education efforts.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Acquires and preserves historic buildings and sitesAcquires, preserves, and protects historic buildings and sites in Orange County, NY, through security measures and continuous rehabilitation efforts.
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Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Operates historical exhibitsOperates exhibits on the 19th-century iron industry in Orange County, NY, and other historical topics, providing educational content to the public.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Places historical markers and monumentsInstalls historical markers and monuments at significant locations in Orange County to commemorate historical sites and events.
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Local History Archival Access 1 activity
- Provides access to historical collections and research servicesGrants members and the public access to historical research archives by appointment, maintains digital collections with online indices, and offers fee-based custom research services using its collections.
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Local History Publishing 1 activity
- Publishes and distributes annual historical journalPublishes an annual journal featuring original, independently researched articles on the history of Orange County and the Hudson Valley, distributes copies to members, sells digital editions, and provides online access through an indexed archive.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$438K
Contributions & grants$35K8%
Program service revenue$402K92%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$930
expenses
Total expenses$259K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$129K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.14M
Cash$565K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$2.14M
Liquid reserves26.1 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -16.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle P Figliomeni | President | 40 | $129K |
board members · 11
- Clifton Patrick — Trustee
- Donald Bayne — Trustee
- Edward P Connor — Trustee
- Grant E Miller — Trustee
- James Nelson — Second Vice President
- Jay A Campbell — Trustee
- Kathleen Christensen — Trustee
- Leslie Rose — Secretary
- Robert Cornelius — Chair, First Vice President
- Sue Gardner — Treasurer
- William Hodges — Trustee
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Alice Desmond Center for Community Enrichment Partner — Collaborates with the Alice Desmond Center for Community Enrichment for art and history presentations.
- Board of Trustees Coalition — oversees the preservation, analysis, and research activities of the Historical Society
- CatalogIt Partner — Hosts the society's digital collection on the CatalogIt platform.
- Clove (Greenwood) Furnace and Ironworks Partner — Site housing the Society's collections and exhibits, reflecting shared historical focus on Orange County's iron industry.
- Eric Sloane Museum Partner — Collaborates with the Eric Sloane Museum by hosting speakers affiliated with the museum.
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook as a platform for public inquiries and engagement.
- Goshen Public Library and Historical Society Partner — Co-hosts a public lecture on Henry Wisner at its location in Goshen, NY.
- Monro Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on joint historical events, including a mine tour co-hosted with the Monro Historical Society.
- New Windsor Cantonment Partner — Partner organization whose manager is featured as a speaker at the Society's annual dinner.
- OCHS Journal Network — Primary publication outlet for the Orange County Historical Society's research and articles.
- Tiffanie Sutton Partner — Guest speaker and historical interpreter presenting on Lucy Knox at the 2025 Annual Dinner.
- West Point Foundry Partner — Entity associated with Gouverneur Kemble, who acquired Greenwood Furnace property; linked through historical industrial operations in the region.
- regional historical societies in Orange County Partner — Cooperates with regional historical societies in Orange County to advance the cause of history.
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 Engagement through Volunteer-Driven Programmingmethodology: volunteer-driven operationsBy relying on volunteer committees and member participation to design and deliver programs, the organization strengthens community ownership and program relevance, because local involvement fosters sustained engagement and leverages diverse expertise.
- Digital Accessibility for Expanded Historical Reachmethodology: incremental_digitizationBy incrementally digitizing materials and improving online indexing, the organization enhances public access to historical resources over time, because digital discoverability removes geographic and logistical barriers to research and engagement.
- Historic Preservation through Continuous Rehabilitationmethodology: continuous_rehabilitationBy conducting ongoing maintenance and security measures on historic buildings, the organization ensures their long-term protection and structural integrity, because sustained intervention prevents deterioration more effectively than reactive restoration.
- Public Education via Historical Interpretation and Rediscoverymethodology: historic_site_interpretationBy interpreting physical sites and rediscovering underrepresented historical figures, the organization increases public interest in local history, because storytelling around tangible remains and overlooked narratives creates emotional resonance and inclusive connection.
- Scholarly Publication and Archival Access as Knowledge Advancementmethodology: scholarly publication and archival preservationBy publishing scholarly research and providing access to historical collections, the organization advances public and academic understanding of local history, because sustained documentation and dissemination create cumulative knowledge and enable deeper inquiry.