The Tioga County Historical Society Museum
The Tioga County Historical Society was founded in 1914. We are a research- and collections-based museum with over 80,000 objects (and counting!) in our collection. TCHS serves many audiences within our community, including Tioga County residents, visitors to Tioga County, K-12 educators and students, researchers, scholars, and history enthusiasts.
The Tioga History Museum collections are used in many ways, including:
- Education: In the past, the museum has been host to a number of classrooms from schools around Tioga County. From early learning to high school curriculum, teachers value the age-appropriate lessons that help them meet state learning standards.
- Research: The Tioga History Museum is an active research museum. Not only are the collections used by local university researchers, but by researchers around the country who respect and rely on our collections. Family genealogy research is the most popular request from visitors to the Research Center.
- Cultural Heritage: The beautiful and unique artifacts that we care for teach us about the past while helping new generations discover their heritage.
History
The Tioga County Historical Society was formed on July 8, 1914 when a certificate of incorporation was issued by the New York Secretary of State. The Society’s purpose was to collect, preserve, and exhibit artifacts and items relating to the history of Tioga County. An article in the July 9, 1914 issue of the Owego Gazette stated that when plans for the Coburn Free Library were made, a provision was made for a room to be used by the Historical Society. The article also stated: “In the distant future the Society may be in a condition to erect a handsome building of its own”. The Society’s collections were housed in the library until 1952 when they were moved to 314 Front Street, the former residence of Miss Minnie B. Wade that she bequeathed to the Historical Society. The current building at 110 Front Street was erected in 1959 with funds from the Wade-Gaskill Endowment.