COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

TOWN OF ONTARIO HISTORICAL & LANDMARK PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Ontario, NY · EIN 222137923 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Micro (<$100K) · heritagesquaremuseum.com
revenue
$32K
expenses
$51K
net assets
$491K
employees
0
volunteers
35
program ratio
0%
mission · from form 990

Preservation of the history of the Town of Ontario, Wayne County, New York through collection of documents, histories, artifacts and buildings of the town and education of residents, visitors and students of the history preserved at the museum

profile · synthesized from sources

Historical society dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Town of Ontario, New York, through the operation of Heritage Square Museum. The organization collects and interprets historical buildings, artifacts, and documents from the 19th century. It offers educational tours, public events, and building rentals, focusing on local history and community engagement.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Building Rentals
Rental of the Crombe Exhibit Barn and Hojack Train Station for weddings, reunions, parties, and meetings
Fall Fiddlers Festival
Annual music festival celebrating local heritage through traditional fiddle music and community gathering
Halloween Happening
Seasonal family-friendly event held at the museum grounds during the fall
Heritage Square Museum Tours
Guided tours of ten historic buildings on the museum grounds, offering visitors a firsthand experience of 19th-century life in Ontario, NY
School Field Trips
Educational tours for student groups, available in spring and fall, featuring rotating visits to historic buildings with hands-on learning
Stepping Back in Time
Public history programs and events that immerse participants in 19th-century life and historical themes
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Educational programming for youth and the public
      Provides educational programming for students and the public, including guided school tours and the 'Stepping Back in Time' program, which allows public registration. The organization also hosts annual events and educational programs focused on local history and heritage.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operation of Heritage Square Museum
      Operates the Heritage Square Museum at Brick Church Corners, open to the public on weekends from June through October, featuring ten historic buildings that house household and industrial items from early settlers. The museum offers guided school tours to immerse students in 19th-century life, with lunch facilities available on-site.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Operation of museum gift shop
      Operates a gift shop located in the train station at Heritage Square Museum, offering products from local vendors and crafters.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Preservation and curation of historic buildings and artifacts
      Collects, preserves, and restores historic buildings, artifacts, and documents related to the Town of Ontario, NY. The organization has relocated and restored multiple historic structures—including the Ontario Train Station, Warner Farm House, and Lockup building—to Heritage Square Museum, and has constructed replicas of period buildings such as an 1800s apple dry house and a 19th-century blacksmith shop.
  • Event Venue Rental Services 1 activity
    • Rental of historic facilities for events
      Offers the Crombe Exhibit Barn and the Hojack Train Station as rentable spaces for private events such as weddings, reunions, parties, and small business meetings.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$32K
Contributions & grants$28K90%
Program service revenue$3K10%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$51K
Program expenses0%
Admin / overhead100%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$491K
Cash$300K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$491K
Liquid reserves71.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -26.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 11
  • Barbara Sanger — Trustee
  • Cindy Kukukva — Vice President
  • Elizabeth Albright — Town Historian
  • Frank Robusto — President
  • Gail Fannis — Publicity Trustee
  • James Codding — Trustee
  • James Graves — Secretary and Collection Manager
  • Nancy Haak — Treasurer
  • Philip McTigue — Trustee
  • Richard Denison — Trustee
  • William Slocum — Trustee
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • Ann Welker Partner — Contact person for coordinating school field trips to Heritage Square Museum.
  • Earl and Bernice Watson Partner — Donated the Ore Miner’s House to the Historical Society in 1977.
  • Heritage Square Museum Partner — Collaborates on heritage preservation and public programming under shared branding and communication channels.
  • Heritage Square Museum Partner — Jointly maintains the Heritage Square Museum as part of its historic preservation efforts.
  • Hojackline1874 Partner — Facebook page used by the Town of Ontario Historical & Landmark Preservation Society to share historical content and engage with the community.
  • Jackie Stauring Partner — Contact person for event registration and payment assistance.
  • Michael Robusto Partner — Donated the Ruffell Log Cabin to the Ontario Historical Society in 1970.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Hollingsworth Partner — Donated the Warner Farm House to the Historical Society in 1991.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Stevens Partner — Donated the Baptist Meeting House to the Historical Society in 1973.
  • New York State Education Department Government — Chartered the Town of Ontario Historical & Landmark Preservation Society
  • Ontario Public Library Partner — Collaborates by housing historical publications related to Ontario's history.
  • Pat Codding Partner — Manages the gift shop at Heritage Square
  • The Town of Ontario Government — Supports Heritage Square Museum, indicating an affiliation or partnership with the Town of Ontario
  • Willis (Bill) and Christine Butler Partner — Donated the Lockup building to the Historical Society for relocation to Heritage Square.
  • Zeffy Partner — Uses Zeffy for payment processing and event confirmation for building rentals.
strategies · 2

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.

  • Event-Based Community Engagement & Revenue Generation
    methodology: event-based public engagement
    By hosting public events and renting historic buildings for special occasions, the organization increases community involvement and generates sustainable revenue because experiential participation strengthens public ownership of heritage sites and creates direct financial support for preservation.
  • Immersive Living-History Interpretation
    methodology: living-history-interpretation
    By recreating and interpreting a 19th-century settlement through guided tours, experiential activities, and period-specific cultural practices (e.g., "latch string out"), the organization fosters deeper public engagement with local history because immersive, sensory experiences make historical concepts more relatable and memorable than passive learning.