New York - Westchester County: Historical Societies of Westchester Co.

From Native hunting ground, to a country village, to various name-changes, and finally to a modern suburban community, the Society researches and preserves the history of its hometown.

"The unique character of Bedford Village is largely a result of our preservation efforts since our founding in 1916. The Society maintains 10 historic properties around the Village Green, operates museums at the 1787 Court House and 1829 School House, and offers a wide variety of educational programs and events for students of all ages."

"Founded in 1974 on the occasion of the village’s 75th anniversary, the mission of the the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society is to promote lasting interest in the history and traditions of the community."

"...established in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the Village of Bronxville.... furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the Village’s architectural, artistic and cultural heritage."

"The Croton Historical Society has been preserving the history of our beloved village and sharing it through exhibits, books, DVDs and newsletters. Our growing archival collection includes yearbooks, newspapers, maps, photos and one of the largest collections on the construction of the New Croton Dam."

'We invite you to use this website to discover the rich heritage of the Village of Dobbs Ferry. The mission of our Society is to keep account of village history and to make that history live through articles and books, photographs and maps that we preserve and display, speakers programs & public events.'

'Established to further the understanding and appreciation of the history of Eastchester (town) and the Villages of Tuckahoe and Bronxville, N.Y. The Society maintains the Marble School House and the Historical Society Library, concerning the history of the Town of Eastchester.'

"The Board collects and preserves photographs, documents, maps, diaries and other artifacts which relate to the historical events or personalities of Harrison, West Harrison and Purchase."

The Village of Hastings offered the Historical Society a lease of Observatory Cottage in Draper Park, which contains their permanent collection of photos and local artifacts.

"...founded in 1972 as a direct result of renewed interest in the history of our village during the Irvington Centennial Celebration. The mission... is to discover, collect, preserve, and make accessible... materials that serves to illustrate and explain the history of the village and its people."

'The Historical Society was chartered in 1981 to discover, preserve and distribute information concerning the natural, social & civic history of Larchmont and to promote the preservation of historical sites and structures. The Society maintains an archive, and offers outreach lectures to the community.'

One of the older societies in Westchester, its mission is "to preserve local historical landmarks and public records; to encourage the study of local history and stimulate historical scholarship; to assemble genealogies of old families; to collect, assemble and provide for the display of historical objects and data and to inculcate reverence and respect for contributions of the past to the present."

"Our society's main objective is to answer the question "Do You See?" ... As history preservers and educators, our work helps open the community's eyes to Mount Kisco's exciting story"

Physically located in Elmsford, the Westchester County Historical Society also includes online exhibitions, virtual archives, databases, and other valuable community resources.

"The Mount Vernon Public Library Virginia McClellan Moskowitz Local History Room is the primary archival and research center for Mount Vernon History."

"The mission of the New Castle Historical Society is to discover, collect, preserve and communicate the history of the Town of New Castle." (under seven general purposes)

The Society is the administrator of the Thomas Paine Cottage Museum and property.

The NCHS has grown over the past fifty years to include five historic local buildings, which also help to exhibit society artifacts.

The Society oversees a local cemetery as well as sponsoring a number of local historical events.

Another early historical societies, "the OSHM remains a precious repository for those parts of Ossining lost to fires, bulldozers, and wrecking balls."

"The Peekskill Museum is a community-supported cultural organization, which had its beginnings in 1946 with the acquisition of the former Herrick family home. Its mission is to collect, preserve, study and display objects, documents, photographs and other items relating to the history of Peekskill."

"Together, our Society investigates and shares its research on the history of Port Chester, Rye Brook and the Town of Rye."

Offers programs and events to feature the history of Pound Ridge, and its preservation efforts to keep it a small town, low density community.

'RHS was founded by a group of concerned citizens who banded together to preserve, restore and protect the Square House, an 18th century inn located on the Village Green in Rye. The Society serves the community through, lectures, exhibits, [and] walking tours.'

"The Scarsdale Historical Society exists to discover, preserve and disseminate historical information, as well as inspire others to learn about and contribute to the history of Scarsdale and the Central Mid-Westchester Region."

Offers a Digital Collections and Local History page, while physically Closed during the pandemic.

"The Scarsdale Historical Society exists to discover, preserve and disseminate historical information, as well as inspire others to learn about and contribute to the history of Scarsdale and the Central Mid-Westchester Region."

"The Van Cortlandtville Historical Society was founded in 1921 and has been headquartered in The Little Red Schoolhouse (Cortlandt Manor) since 1972."

"The discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about history, past and present, of the City of White Plains. Particularly the preservation of historic buildings, sites, monuments, and cemeteries; and to promote public interest, awareness and to generate pride in our historic heritage."

'Yonkers Historical Society has been working to save Yonkers’ rich heritage for future generations. The Society maintains the Sherwood House (circa 1740), sponsors special events, advocates for the preservation of historic landmarks & neighborhoods, and fosters a greater appreciation of the city’s unique heritage.'

"Yorktown Historical Society is an incorporated educational organization that was established to bring together those people interested in the history of the Yorktown area. We believe every community has a story to tell and the preservation of the past helps to define the individual character of our Town."

'The Historical Society of the New York Courts was founded in 2002. Its mission is to preserve, protect and promote the legal history of New York, including the proud heritage of its courts and the development of the Rule of Law."

"Since its beginnings in 1963, the National Maritime Historical Society has been celebrating the sea – raising awareness of our maritime heritage and the role seafaring has played in shaping civilization."