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

HOWLAND STONE STORE MUSEUM
Aurora, NY · EIN 161355567 · Form 990 · FY2025 · Micro (<$100K) · howlandstonestore.org
revenue
$62K
expenses
$73K
net assets
$1.3M
employees
0
volunteers
40
program ratio
0%
mission · from form 990

The Howland Stone Store Museum tells the story of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, a crucible for reform in the century following 1830. The Howlands and other area residents, inspired by Quaker values, were pioneers in pursuing abolition of slavery, voting rights for women, and education for all. The Museum is housed in the 1837 Slocum Howland Cobblestone Store and in Opendore, the 1910 Isabel Howland estate. The Museum preserves historic sites and makes archival material available for study. Exhibits and programming for all ages, often in partnership with schools and other institutions, connect the cultural heritage of Southern Cayuga County to the world of today. Its collections feature nationally significant women's suffrage campaign materials and the Gutchess women's history archive.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Howland Stone Store Museum preserves and interprets the history of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District in Aurora, New York, focusing on 19th-century social reform movements including abolition, women's suffrage, and education. Housed in a historic 1837 cobblestone building and the 1910 Isabel Howland estate, the museum offers exhibits, public programs, and tours that connect local history to broader national narratives. It serves the public through educational events, archival access, and community partnerships.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    Maintain museum open to the public two days per week during summer. Offer additional access by appointment and for scheduled programs.
  2. #2 $0
    Offer public programs concerning local history, the women's suffrage movement, and other topics.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Docent Program
Volunteer-led tour guide initiative training community members to lead public tours of museum exhibits and historic sites
Museum Seasonal Opening
Annual seasonal reopening of the Howland Stone Store and Opendore estate with regular weekend hours and docent-led tours from May through October
Public Lecture Series
Hosts educational events and presentations by historians on topics including Quaker reformers, women's suffrage, the War of 1812, and local history
Reading & Discussion: The Semiquincentennial of the Revolution
Winter/spring discussion series exploring the American Revolution through selected readings, with sessions held at Opendore
Sherwood Treasures Market
Annual flea market event co-sponsored with the Hazard Library to raise funds for both organizations, featuring vendors, food trucks, and community participation
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Local History Preservation and Education 3 activities
    • Display Underground Railroad and abolitionist history
      Highlights the museum’s documented role as an Underground Railroad site, including display of the original “ticket” carried by two escaped slaves in 1840 to Slocum Howland’s home in Sherwood, and interprets shipping connections used to assist Black freedom seekers in reaching points north.
    • Host public educational programs and exhibits
      Hosts public programs focused on local history, the women's suffrage movement, and related subjects, along with rotating exhibits such as one on view until Spring 2025, connecting Southern Cayuga County’s cultural heritage to contemporary issues for audiences of all ages.
    • Support regional historical collaboration
      Co-founded and participates in the Southern Cayuga Historical Consortium, a collaboration of local historical societies and museums established in 2023, to strengthen regional preservation and education efforts.
  • Local History Archival Access 2 activities
    • Preserve and provide access to historic collections and archives
      Maintains and preserves nationally significant collections including women’s suffrage posters, political cartoons, abolitionist memorabilia, anti-suffrage materials, the Gutchess women's history archive, Howland family letters, business ledgers from the 19th century, and a historically intact "cabinet of curiosities" assembled through global travel; provides access to archival materials for research and public education.
    • Provide audio and archival materials for public access
      Offers audio files featuring segments from Emily Howland's letters and maintains extensive archival holdings for public and research use, supporting engagement with primary historical sources.
  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Co-sponsor community fundraising events
      Co-sponsors the Sherwood Treasures Market, a fundraising flea market event to support museum projects, leveraging community partnerships for financial sustainability.
  • Historic Site Designation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Document and advocate for historic district recognition
      Documented and supported the listing of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its significance in education and social reform history.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operate Howland Stone Store Museum for public visitation
      Operates a museum facility located at the four corners in Sherwood, NY, open two days per week during summer months with additional access by appointment and docent-led tours during the seasonal schedule from May through October.
  • Museum Volunteer Engagement & Operations Support 1 activity
    • Recruit and train volunteer docents
      Recruits and trains volunteer docents to lead tours during the museum's open season from May through October, supporting public interpretation and educational programming.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Restore and maintain historic properties
      Acquired and rehabilitated the Isabel Howland House beginning in 2008, conducted partial restoration including structural stabilization, engaged 41 volunteers who contributed over 13,000 hours, and led the Opendore restoration project through committee leadership and volunteer efforts, culminating in the 2021 dedication of the restored property.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conduct historical and cultural landscape research
      Commissioned a historical cultural landscape report for the nine-acre Isabel Howland House property, resulting in a design featuring historic plantings and public trails, with findings available to the public in the HSSM gift shop.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$62K
Contributions & grants$56K90%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$6K10%
Other revenue$1
expenses
Total expenses$73K
Program expenses0%
Admin / overhead100%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$1.29M
Cash$135K
Investments$458K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.29M
Liquid reserves97.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -49.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 5
  • Andrew T Simkin — Trustee
  • Bill Schmitt — Trustee
  • Kirsten W Gosch — Trustee
  • Lorrie Butcher — Trustee
  • Marilyn Post — Trustee
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • Aurora/Ledyard Historical Society Partner — Collaborates as part of the Southern Cayuga Historical Consortium to promote local history.
  • Carrie Putnam Partner — Long-time friend and fellow abolitionist whose correspondence with Emily Howland is referenced in the exhibit.
  • Cayuga County Political Equality Club Partner — Active local affiliate of the National American Woman Suffrage Association based in Sherwood.
  • Cayuga Museum Government — Received the Howland Stone Store and museum collection in 1965 and later transferred stewardship to a community-based nonprofit in 1988.
  • Cayuga Museum of History and Art Partner — Shared leadership through board service; HSSM trustee also serves as Executive Director of Cayuga Museum of History and Art.
  • Everson Museum Partner — Shared expertise; HSSM trustee is a long-time docent at Everson Museum.
  • Frontenac Museum Partner — Collaborates as part of the Southern Cayuga Historical Consortium to promote local history.
  • Genoa Historical Association Partner — Collaborates as part of the Southern Cayuga Historical Consortium to promote local history.
  • Hazard Library Partner — Co-sponsors the Sherwood Treasures Market fundraising event with the Howland Stone Store Museum.
  • Judith Wellman Partner — Collaborated with the Museum to document the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District for National Register listing.
  • National American Woman Suffrage Association Partner — National suffrage organization with strong ties to Sherwood reformers, including Emily Howland.
  • National Park Service Network — Member of the National Park Service Network to Freedom as a documented Underground Railroad site.
  • New York State Funder — Provided funding for the rehabilitation of Opendore into a museum facility.
  • Oneida Community Mansion House Partner — Hosts guest speaker Thomas A. Guiler, Director of Museum Affairs, for a program on women in the Oneida Community.
  • Pandita Ramabai Partner — Corresponded with Emily Howland, whose letters are featured in the museum's exhibit.
  • Pandita Ramabai Mukti School Partner — Indian school for young women in Pune, India, supported by the Sherwood Ramabai Circle.
  • Preservation Society of NYS Funder — Provided a grant for the commission of a historical cultural landscape report for the Isabel Howland House property.
  • Schools and other institutions Partner — Collaborates with schools and other institutions to develop and deliver exhibits and educational programming.
  • Schools and other institutions Partner — Collaborates with schools and other institutions to develop exhibits and programming that connect local cultural heritage to contemporary issues.
  • Seward House Museum Partner — Shared institutional connection; HSSM board member is a past board member of Seward House Museum.
  • Sherwood Equal Rights Association Network — Core member organization formed in 1891, central to the historic district's reform activities.
  • Slocum Howland Government — Provided safe haven to escaped slaves via the Underground Railroad; central figure in historical records and artifact provenance.
  • Society of Friends Network — Member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), adhering to its beliefs and practices.
  • Southern Cayuga Instant Aid Partner — Shared board membership; HSSM board members serve in leadership roles at Southern Cayuga Instant Aid.
  • Women’s Christian Temperance Union Partner — Local chapter active in Sherwood, aligned with women’s rights and reform movements.
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.

  • Community Stewardship Model for Historic Preservation
    methodology: community_stewardship
    By combining volunteer-led governance, community-engaged volunteerism, and public-private partnerships, the museum sustains historic preservation and programming, because local ownership and accessible participation build long-term resilience, capacity, and cultural relevance.
  • Historical Narrative as Civic Education
    methodology: historical-narrative-interpretation
    By using personal narratives and locally rooted historical content to interpret national ideals like equality and democracy, the museum fosters civic idealism and intergenerational engagement, because relatable stories make abstract democratic principles tangible and actionable in today’s context.
  • Values-Based Historical Interpretation for Social Relevance
    methodology: values-based historical interpretation
    By grounding historical interpretation in Quaker values such as equality, dignity, and the inherent worth of every individual, the museum connects 19th-century reform movements (e.g., abolition, women’s suffrage) to contemporary social issues, because this moral continuity fosters deeper public engagement and makes history a living framework for civic reflection.