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THE RYE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
RYE, NY · EIN 136156446 · Form 990 · FY2025 · Small ($100K-$1M) · ryehistory.org
revenue
$284K
expenses
$228K
net assets
$1.2M
employees
4
volunteers
10
program ratio
62%
mission · from form 990

TO DISCOVER, COLLECT AND PRESERVE ANY MATERIAL WHICH MAY HELP TO ESTABLISH OR ILLUSTRATE THE HISTORY OF THE AREA; TO DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL HISTORY AND TO FOSTER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF AND PRIDE IN, THE HERITAGE OF THE RYE COMMUNITY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Rye Historical Society preserves and promotes the history of Rye, New York through museum operations, educational programs, and historic preservation. It maintains historic properties including the 1670 Timothy Knapp House and the Square House Museum, offering public tours, school programs, and community events. The organization fosters public awareness and pride in Rye's heritage through research, publications, and public programming.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $5K
    EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS-ALL PROGRAMS DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE OF AND APPRECIATION FOR LOCAL HISTORY. MUSEUM TOURS INCLUDE SCHOOL TOURS OF THE SQUARE HOUSE AND THE KNAPP HOUSE.
  2. #2 $500
    HISTORIC PRESERVATION-RESEARCH, STABILIZATION AND PRESERVATION OF TIMOTHY KNAPP HOUSE, 1670, THE OLDEST HOUSE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, INCLUDES ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION, RECONSTRUCTION OF FRONT PORCH, LANDSCAPING AND GROUNDS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Historic Preservation of the Timothy Knapp House
Ongoing research, stabilization, and preservation of the 1670 Timothy Knapp House, the oldest house in Westchester County, including archaeological investigation and reconstruction projects.
Little Historians Story Hour
Recurring children's program for ages 3-7 at the Square House Museum featuring storytelling, hands-on activities, and exploration of historic exhibits to introduce local history.
Member Mornings
Exclusive early access events for RHS members to visit exhibitions at the Square House Museum before public hours, held weekly on Saturdays.
Rye Sound Series
Free concert series at the Square House featuring young musicians from The Music Conservatory of Westchester performing classical, baroque, jazz, and colonial-era music.
Square House Museum Tours
Guided public and school tours of the Square House Museum, including specialized tours in Spanish and educational visits for students.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Local History Museum Operations 2 activities
    • Curating exhibitions and displays
      Curates and presents permanent, rotating, and annual exhibitions at the Square House Museum, including themed displays on tea, Valentine cards, Barbara Bush, Revolutionary War artifacts, hat fashions, fan language, and influential Westchester women.
    • Operating the Square House Museum
      Operates the Square House Museum with regular public hours Tuesday through Saturday, offering free admission with a suggested $10 donation, and maintains permanent and rotating exhibitions featuring historical artifacts and themes from Rye's past.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Administering scholarships
      Provides two annual $500 scholarships to Rye High School seniors—one for community service and love of history, and one for passion in historical research and preservation—awarded at the Senior Awards Night.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Delivering educational programs and school tours
      Provides on-site and in-school educational programs, including guided field trips for students at the Square House and Knapp House, curriculum development, and classroom visits using primary sources and replicas to teach local and colonial history.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Hosting public events and lectures
      Organizes public events such as lectures, book discussions, walking tours, workshops, and performances including the Rye Sound Series and historical reenactments to engage the community with local history.
  • Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
    • Operating a museum library and publishing newsletters
      Runs a museum library open three days per week and publishes three newsletters annually featuring historical articles to promote understanding of local history.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Preserving historic properties
      Conducts historic preservation of the Timothy Knapp House (1670), including archaeological investigations, reconstruction projects such as the front porch, and ongoing landscaping and grounds maintenance.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Providing historical research services
      Offers fee-based historical research services to the public at a rate of $35 per hour, including up to five scanned documents, and charges $2 per page for additional scans; supports access to an archive of over 25,000 historical documents.
  • Nonprofit Internship Programs 1 activity
    • Running youth and family programs
      Offers family and youth-focused programs including the weekly Little Historians Story Hour for children ages 3–7 and a four-week immersive internship for high school seniors focused on historical research and civic engagement.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$284K
Contributions & grants$124K44%
Program service revenue$44K16%
Investment income$73K26%
Other revenue$43K
expenses
Total expenses$228K
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead38%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$103K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.26M
Cash$81K
Investments$741K
Liabilities$14K
Net assets$1.25M
Liquid reserves43.4 mo
7 years on record · 2018–2025 · YoY revenue -5.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 22
  • ALLISON YOUNG — SECRETARY
  • ANDREW PADOVANO — TRUSTEE
  • BILL ERNEST — TRUSTEE
  • DAN KRUP — CO-TREASURER
  • DAN O'DAY — TRUSTEE
  • DUNCAN HENNES JR — TRUSTEE
  • JACKIE JENKINS — PRESIDENT
  • JIM BEHA — CO-TREASURER
  • JOIE COONEY — TRUSTEE
  • KENDRA MORAN — TRUSTEE
  • LORI HUTSON — TRUSTEE
  • MELINDA MEHFAR — TRUSTEE
  • MICHAEL TORREGROSSA — TRUSTEE
  • PATRICIA GEOGHEGAN — TRUSTEE
  • PATRICK MORAN — TRUSTEE
  • PAULA SCHAEFER — TRUSTEE
  • ROBERT KAPLAN — TRUSTEE
  • SARAH SMITH — TRUSTEE
  • SUSIE MORISON — TRUSTEE
  • TERESA MAY — TRUSTEE
  • THERESA VEGA — TRUSTEE
  • VANESSA MAYO — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 27

Who they work with

  • Ambassador John L. Loeb Partner — Co-presented "The Unforgiving Yardstick" exhibition with the Rye Historical Society and ArtsWestchester.
  • American Reclaimed Partner — Participating organization in the "Crafted in America" exhibit.
  • ArtsWestchester Partner — Co-presented "The Unforgiving Yardstick" exhibition on women’s roles in Westchester County.
  • Lady Blue Quilt & Stickbulb Partner — Participating maker organization in the "Crafted in America" exhibit.
  • Leaders of Tomorrow Partner — Collaborated on hosting the July 4th 250th Celebration on the Village Green.
  • Manhattanville University Partner — Representative from Manhattanville University participates in the RR250 Steering Committee.
  • NY Assembly Office Government — Representatives from the New York State Assembly Office are members of the RR250 Steering Committee.
  • Natalie Hofstedt Partner — Director of Programming overseeing the High School Internship program
  • Office of State Senator Mayer Government — Staff from the Office of State Senator Mayer are active participants in the RR250 Steering Committee.
  • Purchase College Partner — Faculty and staff from Purchase College are involved in the RR250 Steering Committee.
  • RR250 Partner — Co-presented the "Danger in Divisions" exhibition on Rye’s Revolutionary War history.
  • Revolutionary Rye 250 Partner — Cosponsored a book discussion with historian Richard Brookhiser on John Trumbull and the American Revolution.
  • Revolutionary Westchester 250 Partner — Collaborates on programming and commemoration efforts related to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
  • Rye Arts Center Partner — Collaborated on the "Art for Purchase" program to display local artists' work in museum space.
  • Rye Arts Center Partner — Participating organization in the "Crafted in America" exhibit.
  • Rye Country Day School Partner — Staff and students from Rye Country Day School participate in RR250 initiatives.
  • Rye Free Reading Room Partner — Hosts RR250 public events, serving as a venue for educational programming on local history.
  • Rye High School Partner — Collaborates with Rye High School to award scholarships during Senior Awards Night.
  • Rye High School Partner — Staff and students from Rye High School are involved in RR250 activities and planning.
  • Rye Library Partner — Cosponsored a book discussion with historian Richard Brookhiser on John Trumbull and the American Revolution.
  • Square House Museum Network — Operates the Square House Museum as a permanent exhibition space and historic site.
  • The Music Conservatory of Westchester Partner — Features young musicians from the conservatory in the Rye Sound Series concerts.
  • Timothy Knapp House Archives Network — Maintains the Timothy Knapp House Archives as part of its historical properties, currently closed for restoration.
  • Town of Rye Government — Local government representative from the Town of Rye serves on the RR250 Steering Committee.
  • Wainwright House Partner — Committee members affiliated with Wainwright House participate in RR250 planning and initiatives.
  • Westchester County schools Partner — Provides in-school history programs and field trip opportunities to schools in Westchester County.
  • Westchester Historical Society Partner — Shares personnel and archival resources, with leadership overlap in committee participation.
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.

  • Civic Heritage Engagement Through Exhibitions
    methodology: curated_exhibition
    By curating rotating and thematic exhibitions of material culture, the organization makes local history accessible and fosters public pride, because presenting diverse narratives in an engaging format increases public connection to shared heritage.
  • Community-Based Historical Education
    methodology: community_based_learning_linked_to_national_themes
    By connecting local history to national themes and using site-specific storytelling, the organization fosters historical thinking and civic engagement, because relevance and personal connection deepen understanding and community investment.
  • Experiential Learning with Primary Sources
    methodology: guided_inquiry_with_primary_sources
    By using guided inquiry with primary sources and hands-on activities, the organization builds historical thinking skills in students, because direct engagement with authentic materials fosters deeper cognitive and emotional connection to the past.
  • Preservation Through Education and Stewardship
    methodology: preservation-through-education
    By promoting archival thinking and collection stewardship through scholarships and educational programming, the organization strengthens long-term preservation, because educating future generations in historical methods ensures continuity of care for cultural heritage.