named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Antique Tractor Exhibit Building
Multi-use facility housing vintage tractors, featuring a front showroom, a year-round restoration shop, and space for demonstrations during exhibitions.
Goolden-Mann Farmhouse Restoration
Ongoing preservation project stabilizing and restoring the historic farmhouse and outbuildings as part of the museum’s rural heritage campus.
Old Fashioned Harvest Days Exhibition
Annual event showcasing historical equipment, demonstrations, and living history activities, including the dedication of new museum buildings.
Paul E. Merrill Horse-Drawn Equipment Building
T-shaped timber-frame building housing horse-drawn equipment and implements, designed to reflect historical construction methods and provide secure, covered exhibit space.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Local History Museum Operations 2 activities
- Construct and maintain exhibit and storage facilitiesBuilds and maintains dedicated buildings for exhibits and collections, including the Horse-Drawn Equipment Building (5,800 sq ft), Collections Building (2,400 sq ft), Print Shop (960 sq ft), Heritage Fibers building (1,280 sq ft), and Equine Education Building, to house and display historical artifacts and equipment.
- Operate historical museum with exhibits and collectionsOperates museum buildings, exhibits, and collections that document the history of the people who built, operated, and traveled in the North Country of New York, including interpretive displays, living history demonstrations, and preserved artifacts.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Acquire, restore, and display historical buildings and structuresRelocates, restores, and installs historic buildings such as the Nevin Memorial Church, Goolden-Mann Farmhouse, and replica 1920s gas station as permanent exhibits on museum grounds, including structural stabilization and functional refurbishment.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Collect, catalog, and exhibit historical artifacts and equipmentAcquires, documents, and displays historical items such as antique oil tank trucks, printing equipment, shoe and leather repair tools, timepieces, windmills, and horse-drawn equipment, integrating them into formal museum collections and public exhibits.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Host annual exhibitions, events, and educational demonstrationsOrganizes and hosts public events including the Spring and Fall Exhibitions, annual banquets since 1978, church services at the restored Nevin Church, and demonstrations of traditional crafts such as textile work and historic printing, engaging visitors and former community members.
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Regional Tourism Promotion 1 activity
- Support regional tourism and community engagementPromotes and supports tourism in the North Country region of New York through museum operations, public events, and historical preservation efforts that attract visitors and foster community participation.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$299K
Contributions & grants$225K75%
Program service revenue$56K19%
Investment income$16K5%
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$135K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$2.37M
Cash$373K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$2.37M
Liquid reserves33.1 mo
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue +32.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 11
- AARON GRAVELLE — TRUSTEE
- ALEXANDRIA R RIVERS — TRUSTEE
- BRUCE THOMPSON — TRUSTEE
- CURTIS SMITH — TRUSTEE
- KENNETH FRIEDEL — TRUSTEE
- LEE W DEZELL — TREASURER &
- ROGER S AUSTIN — SECRETARY &
- RONALD SHEPPARD — PRESIDENT &
- SCOTT A WILSON — VICE PRESIDE
- TERRY TIERNAN — TRUSTEE
- THEODORE RITZKO — TRUSTEE
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- Alford's Sash & Door Co. Partner — Reproduced windows for the replica gas station to match the original architectural specifications.
- Allen Mitchell Partner — Contributed to the development of the cobbler shop exhibit.
- Bill Tiernan of K-T Power of Waddington Partner — Donated use of a boom truck to assist in retrieving and installing the museum's windmill.
- Burns Construction Partner — Provided construction services for the Equine Pavilion project.
- Burns Construction Co. Partner — Contractor responsible for constructing the Collections Building, including earth moving and steel framing.
- Burns Construction, LLC Partner — Contracted to erect the frame and pour concrete footwalls for the Antique Tractor Building.
- Chuck Goolden Partner — Provided contributions for the cobbler shop exhibit.
- Clarkson University Partner — Supported Matthew Parno's public service project involving the preparation of construction plans for the replica gas station.
- Curtis Family Partner — Donated a historic windmill to the museum in memory of Ellis Curtis.
- DT Construction Partner — Contributed to the construction of the cobbler shop exhibit.
- Farm Credit East Funder — Contributed $500 toward the construction of the Antique Tractor Building.
- Haggett Construction Partner — Loaned a man-lift to assist with high-reaching construction tasks on the gable ends of the building.
- Hunter Family Partner — Family members who contributed a personal collection of timepieces and supported its public display.
- Kinney Drugs Partner — Donated a box trailer used to store salvaged church furniture and architectural elements during the Nevin Church relocation project.
- Leon and Carole Goolden Partner — Offered the museum a historic farm at half appraised value to support the development of permanent museum facilities.
- Maine Community Foundation Funder — Administered an advised grant from the P.E. Merrill family to support construction of the Horse-Drawn Equipment Building.
- Merriman’s, Inc. Partner — Provided contributions in support of the cobbler shop exhibit construction.
- Morley Grist Mill Association Partner — Transferred historical shoe and leather repair items to the museum for preservation and public display.
- NY State Senator Darrel J. Aubertine Government — Attended and participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Collections Building, recognized for supporting the museum’s development.
- NY State Senator Patty Ritchie Government — Attended the dedication of the Horse-Drawn Equipment Building and presented a proclamation from the State of New York.
- Northern New York Community Foundation Funder — Provided a $10,000 grant to support Phase 1 of the Nevin Church relocation and restoration.
- RSI Roofing, Inc. Partner — Donated 6,000 square feet of commercial-grade standing seam roofing and labor for installation on the Antique Tractor Building.
- Reg & Mary Jean Chester Partner — Contributed to the cobbler shop exhibit development.
- Robert Marshall Partner — Project chair and coordinator responsible for fundraising and collecting exhibit items for the General Store.
- SLPEM Network — Member organization using acronym in branding and communications
- SMALLER HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS Partner — Collaborates by providing opportunities for smaller historical organizations to create their own programs and facilities.
- Saint Lawrence County Government — Donated a steam engine to the museum for $1.00.
- SeaComm Federal Credit Union Funder — Provided multiple financial contributions totaling at least $8,000, including a $3,000 gift in 2013 and a $5,000 donation in 2014 to support construction of the Antique Tractor Building.
- Seaway Timber Harvesting, Inc. Partner — Donated a truckload of 14-foot long logs used to produce lumber for the building’s siding.
- St. Lawrence-Adirondack Section of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Partner — Collaborates with the museum on the design and construction of the replica gas station and contributes labor, materials, and expertise.
+ 5 more
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.
- Capacity-Building Partnerships with Smaller Historical Groupsmethodology: capacity-building-for-smaller-historical-groupsBy supporting smaller historical organizations with shared facilities and operational experience, we produce stronger regional heritage stewardship, because empowering local groups multiplies preservation impact beyond the museum’s direct reach.
- Context-Rich Preservation to Sustain Regional Heritagemethodology: historical_preservation_with_contextBy preserving not only artifacts but also donor records, original building layouts, and local materials, we produce a more authentic and meaningful connection to the North Country’s industrial and rural past, because contextual integrity enables visitors and former community members to experience history as lived reality rather than isolated objects.
- Living History Demonstration for Engaged Learningmethodology: living-history-educationBy operating historical equipment and re-creating period-specific activities as working exhibits, we produce deeper public understanding of industrial and rural life, because immersive, hands-on experiences make abstract historical concepts tangible and memorable.