Howland Stone Store Museum

Howland Stone Store Museum
"1837 - A National Historic Landmark"

Mailing address:
Box 124
Aurora, NY 13026
Phone (315) 364-8307

Howland Stone Store Museum
is a proud member of the

Howland Stone Store Museum
is a site on the
The Underground Railroad Heritage Trail

Howland Stone Store Museum

Howland Stone Store Museum
2956 State Route 34B, Hamlet of Sherwood, NY
Hours: June through September
THURSDAY and SATURDAY
from 1-4 pm.

Download our 2008 Brochure (PDF File)

The Museum's History

The store was built in 1837 by Slocum Howland and is important as a graceful and virtually unaltered example of a simple Greek revival cobblestone building. Slocum, who arrived in this area in 1798 with his parents, was a devoted Quaker, wool buyer and entrepreneur, anti-slavery advocate, local banker, large landowner, prohibitionist, and local leader. His daughter, Miss Emily, was avidly involved in women's rights, temperance, education, world peace, abolition, Political Equality clubs, and rights for Negroes. Members of the Howland family maintained the store for a hundred years.

The building served as a store from 1837-1881. When "the block" next door was built, the cobblestone store was relegated to storage use. In 1942, it was renovated to accommodate a library and museum of the items that had been collected by Miss Emily and Isabel Howland, her niece, during their travels. For twenty-three years, Mrs. Alice Koon oversaw the library and museum; upon her death the building and its contents were left to the Cayuga County Museum in Auburn, NY. In 1987, the Cayuga Museum wished to divest itself of the Cobblestone Store, at which time the Friends of the Howland Stone Store was formed and accepted ownership. The group has charged itself to maintain the store as a vital part of the community -a tangible reminder of history and the many causes supported by the Howland family.

What's New at the HSS Museum?

We are pleased to announce that the Howland Stone Store Museum and the entire hamlet of Sherwood NY have been named to the state and national registers of historical places.

The current phase of renovation work is nearly complete. Note the extensive restoration to the cobblestones on the southeast corner of the building, the new access ramp being constructed at the rear door, and ultraviolet storm windows on the west. What you won't easily see are a new furnace, a concrete floor in the basement, and a security system.

Funds from Assemblyman Gary Finch will enable us to continue exterior cobblestone work during the summer.

2008 Exhibit
"Treasures of the Museum"

Despite its small size, the HSSM holds a surprising amount of archival material and artifacts dating to the early decades of the 19th century. Curator, Bradley Mitchell, is probably the only person to have a firm grasp of the breadth of the collection. To that end, he's unearthed a number of items that he considers to be our "treasures." Pay a visit and see what he's gleaned from drawers, trunks, and storage cabinets.

As always, the amazing collection of ephemera from the travels of Miss Emily and Miss Isabel, will be on display as well as a number of original posters promoting women's suffrage.

Southern Cayuga Museum Tour
Saturday, June 7 10-4
Sunday, June 8 1-4

This spring several of the historical sites in southern Cayuga County will be open for a "grand tour" to stimulate interest and encourage awareness of local museums. Pick up a flyer at one of the participants, and plan to stop by one of the museums that you've somehow never managed to visit. The following sites will be open: Genoa Historical Association, Venice Center Railroad Station, Cayuga-Owasco Lakes Historical Society, Smith's General Store Museum and the Howland Stone Store Museum.

Programs for 2008

Note: This year, thanks to the installation of our new heating system, we plan to have all meetings and socials at the museum. Though donations are gratefully accepted, entrance to The Howland Stone Store Museum and its programs are free unless otherwise indicated.

May 18, 2008 7:30 p.m.
"Cobblestone Buildings: Construction and Preservation"
Paul Briggs, an historic cobblestone mason for sixteen years, is the craftsman who made extensive repairs to the HSSM last season. He will explain and illustrate techniques used in the many cobblestone buildings constructed in the Finger Lakes prior to the Civil War and what he's gleaned while working to preserve many of them.

The annual meeting of HSSM will be conducted prior to the program and will include presentation of the budget and election of trustees.

Thursday, June 5, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Please note the out-of-the-ordinary day and time of this program.
"Honoring the Past and Acknowledging the Present"
The hamlet of Sherwood has recently been designated the Sherwood Equal Rights Historical District on the National Register of Historic Sites. Judith Wellman, professor emerata at SUNY Oswego, will share stories learned in preparing the nomination and Nancy Todd, New York State OPRHP, will conduct an official National Register ceremony and award certificates to property owners in the district.

July 20, 2008 7:30 p.m.
"Before the Underground Railroad - Slavery in New York"
Michael Groth, professor of history at Wells College, will present an overview of the little-known history of slavery in early New York - -slave life, slave resistance, and the ordeal of gradual emancipation in the state, focusing on the geographic area of the Hudson River valley. Professor Groth is currently working on a manuscript pertaining to this subject.

August 17, 2008 7:30 p.m.
"Mark Twain: His Life, His Views, His World"
Barbara Wiggans Taylor became interested in Mark Twain when she researched and wrote a master's theses on Olivia Langdon Clemens (Twain's wife). Ms Wiggans, a cataloguing librarian at Cornell, will talk about Twain's travels, his family, and his impact as an author.

September 21, 2008 7:30 p.m.
"Women's Rights Advocates Opposed to Women's Colleges: Arguments from the 19th Century"
Since the mid-80's Leslie Miller-Bernal has researched the history of women's higher education and has written three books on the subject: Separate by Degree, Going Coed, and Challenged by Coeducation. Ms Miller-Bernal, who earned her Phd from Cornell, is vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Wells.

October 19, 2008 7:30 p.m.
"More Treasures of the Howland Stone Store Museum"
At this program you'll have an opportunity to see and learn even more about treasures that have been hidden in the far reaches of our buildings for many years. Bradley Mitchell, a "founding father" of the HSSM and one of its curators, will dig a little deeper and explain in a bit more depth some of the surprising items he's come across during the twenty years of the museum's existence.

Though donations are always gratefully accepted, entrance to the Stone Store Museum and its programs are free unless otherwise indicated.

2008 Fundraiser

As a fund-raiser this year, the Cayuga Quilt Guild (of Aurora and Union Springs) volunteered to make a quilt based on the book Underground Railroad Sampler, by Eleanor Burns. The quilt will make its premier appearance May 15th at the Union Springs fire house and will be displayed in several locations during the season. Raffle tickets for "The Underground Railroad Sampler" quilt will be sold for $5 each or 3/$10 and are available at the HSSM, from board members, and at any of the monthly programs. The drawing will take place at the October program.

Links To Some Related Websites

The Cayuga County Historian's Office in Auburn NY has published a website containing Emily Howland's 1880 essay about the Early History of Friends in Cayuga County. They also included some photos of the Howland Family and Friends (Quaker) meeting houses, etc. See website: http://co.cayuga.ny.us/history/friends/index.html

The biography of Slocum Howland as found in the 1894 Biographical Review book is found at website: http://co.cayuga.ny.us/history/friends/slocum.html

Project report about the house that was sold to Herman Phillips by Slocum Howland is also now on the Internet at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nycayuga/ugrr/phillips.html

A transcription of the diary of Clarinda Murdock is on the Internet at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nycayuga/misc/murdock.html

GOOD NEIGHBORS BLACK STREET, SCIPIO CENTER, NY C. 1900
Links to external web sites are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval of any of the products, services or opinions contained in any external web site. Neither the Howland Stone Store Museum nor its members are responsible for the contents of any "third party" site which you may access from a link on this page."

You are our # visitor to this website since August 1st, 2004 --

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Brad Mitchell, Archivist for the
HOWLAND STONE STORE MUSEUM
MOGGYR@JUNO.COM