Orleans County Department of History

The Department of History will be closed to the public starting today (3/19). Those who need to access materials in the office are encouraged to set up an appointment by calling 585-589-4174 or emailing [email protected]. Please note that the Historian is able to scan and email/mail materials and researchers/interested parties are encouraged to submit inquiries via email with a preferred method of contact (either phone, email, or mail) rather than visit the off...ice. Regular activities will continue (e.g. articles, virtual resources, etc.). Stay safe!

The "weight social" provided 19th-century men and women the opportunity to come together for supper. The catch? Each couple was paired by chance and the man paid, per pound, for the privilege of enjoying the meal. Ladies' societies often organized these social gatherings in order to raise funds for charitable or religious organizations. Therefore, it was not unusual for a few ladies to "pad" their weight in order to increase the donations...

This post-mortem photograph of Tracy Bogue was recently donated to the Department of History. The nephew of Virgil Bogue of Albion, Tracy's life was cut short by croup in March of 1892. A Victorian-era practice, post-mortem photography provided parents with an opportunity to capture a likeness of their dearly departed child... http://orleanscountyhistorian.org/19th-century-post-mortem/

On January 5th, a fire destroyed a house in the Village of Holley once owned by a prominent livestock dealer and banker from Orleans County... http://orleanscountyhistorian.org/architecture-destroyed-s/