About the Henderson Historical Society

The Henderson Historical Society and Museum located at 12581 Co. Rte 72 Harborview Road in the former Henderson Universalist Church building is always a delightful surprise. The Society holds its monthly meetings in the Museum at 4 PM on the third Monday of each month (April through November [and January through March contact the Secretary for time and location]). The Society welcomes new members. The Museum and Genealogical Research Center are open to all visitors and researchers: Wednesdays-Noon to 3 PM; and Saturdays-9 AM to Noon; researchers by appointment. Avid researchers will be taken with the extensive collection of 19th Century Town records, Family Genealogies, inventory material, maps, census records, military files, cemetery lists, vital records, gazetteers and county histories. For those looking into local history or lore, the local history binders have wonderful articles and photos from the settlement period to the present. There are also available ledgers of Henderson businesses and clubs. Visitors will enjoy touring the interior of the building. The Church built and designed by Joseph Barnes in 1839, has the original bell made in Troy, New York and Horwood Studio stain glass windows with the names of many prominent Henderson families. The altar table, clergy chairs and lectern are original to the building. Displays in the cases change each season but always on display are one of the famous Henderson made coverlets designed and woven in the 1800’s by Harry Tyler. Be sure to take a look at the gadget and tool wall and test your knowledge of 19thCentury equipment used in our grandparent’s era. The Henderson Central School memorabilia corner is always a favorite spot. There are PTO scrapbooks and sports trophies, and yearbooks for both Henderson Central School and Union Academy Belleville. Centered in the midst of all the framed photos of HCS graduation classes is the oil painting of the "First School House" by Henderson native Frank W. Springsteen. Frank’s love for his home town can be seen in his large mural painting " Champlain Landing on Henderson Shore 1615" (given to the former Henderson Central School and now in the custody of the HHS) housed in the Community Hall of the Henderson Fire District Building. [It can be viewed through the hall’s window or during Library hours.] Be sure to ask for a tour of the 1820’s log cabin in the Society’s maple grove. The cabin, a gift of the Eileen De Lavergne family, was transported in 2004 from Ray’s Bay Road, Henderson. The interior has been furnished with original settler items from the ancestors’ of Society members as well as 18th century furniture reproductions created for the cabin by the LaCrosse cabin re-constructors: the hutch, rope beds, ladder, table and benches. There has been some speculation that the cabin with its military hand hewn planning and square-notched corners was built by the military out of Sackets Harbor during the War of 1812 as an outpost on the Ray’s Bay shore. Of peculiar interest are the sloop carvings that have been discovered on three of the cabin’s the exterior walls. The final building of the Society complex is the Peters-Stevens Boat Annex built in 2013. The pole barn houses a dozen historic Henderson made wooden recreation and work boats. The "seed" money for the building came from the estate of Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Peters. Some of the boats on display were built by: Hammond, Howard & Lane, Irwin, Montague, Peters, Stevens, Tyler, etc. The Society’s Museum and buildings are open late May to early October. A handicap ramp is available for the church building, and handicap restrooms are available at the Town’s Park Recreation Pavilion across the parking lot. Come and see all things "Henderson" and ‘Be a part of History!’