Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes

Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes Village includes: 1796 Patterson Inn, 1850s Wixon Log Cabin, 1878 Browntown Schoolhouse, 1870s Blacksmith Shop, Starr Barn, Agriculture Exhibit, and Gardens

Founded in 1976, a joint project led by the Corning-Painted Post Historical Society to restore an 18th century frontier inn, We've since expanded to include the 1876 Browntown School House, the 1850's Wixon Hill Road Cabin the Charles Cooley Blacksmith shop, our Starr Barn and Agricultural Exhibition and attached Joiner's Shop. Here you get a taste of Early American life from the founding of America up until the end of the 19th century.

๐—ฆ๐—”๐—ฉ๐—˜ ๐—ง๐—›๐—˜ ๐——๐—”๐—ง๐—˜ โ€” ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐—™๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฒ๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฒ โ€ข ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฌ ๐—”๐— โ€“๐Ÿฐ ๐—ฃ๐— Join us for our 48th Annual Heritage Festival a...
08/27/2026

๐—ฆ๐—”๐—ฉ๐—˜ ๐—ง๐—›๐—˜ ๐——๐—”๐—ง๐—˜ โ€” ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐—™๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฒ
๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฒ โ€ข ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฌ ๐—”๐— โ€“๐Ÿฐ ๐—ฃ๐— 

Join us for our 48th Annual Heritage Festival as we celebrate our nationโ€™s 250th anniversary alongside major community milestones โ€” from Corning Incorporatedโ€™s 175th to Corning Museum of Glassโ€™s 75th and The Rockwell Museumโ€™s 50th. This yearโ€™s theme, โ€œCelebrating 250 | Our Nation, Our Story, Our Milestones,โ€ honors the shared history that shaped Corning.

Spend the day exploring traditional craftsmen demonstrations, live music, handsโ€‘on childrenโ€™s activities, farm animals, homemade treats, raffles, food, and special exhibits inspired by this milestone year. The festival is free for kids and filled with familyโ€‘friendly experiences that bring history to life.

Come celebrate community, heritage, and the stories that connect us!

*๐——๐˜‚๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜, ๐˜„๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ฏ๐—ถ๐˜ ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป.*We love the charm and authenticity of our his...
07/01/2026

*๐——๐˜‚๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜, ๐˜„๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ฏ๐—ถ๐˜ ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป.*

We love the charm and authenticity of our historic buildingsโ€”but, with that comes a lack of modern-day air conditioning!

With an Extreme Heat Warning in effect through Friday evening, we've made the decision to postpone the opening reception for ๐™Š๐™ฃ๐™˜๐™š ๐™๐™ฅ๐™ค๐™ฃ ๐™– ๐™Ž๐™ช๐™ข๐™ข๐™š๐™ง: ๐˜พ๐™ค๐™ง๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™Ž๐™ช๐™ข๐™ข๐™š๐™ง ๐™๐™๐™š๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ง๐™š ๐™๐™š๐™ข๐™š๐™ข๐™—๐™š๐™ง๐™š๐™™, ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ“๐Ÿโ€“๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for everyone.

The good news? We won't have to wait long!

๐ŸŽญ Please join us instead on ๐—ง๐˜‚๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—๐˜‚๐—น๐˜† ๐Ÿณ, ๐—ณ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—บ ๐Ÿฑ:๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฌโ€“๐Ÿณ:๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฌ ๐—ฝ.๐—บ. as we celebrate this special exhibit honoring the people, performances, and community that made Corning Summer Theatre such a beloved tradition.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to welcoming you for a much cooler celebration next week!

๐ŸŽญ The curtain is about to rise on our new exhibit! ๐ŸŽญJoin us for the opening reception of ๐Ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐”๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐š ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ: ๐‚๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ...
06/29/2026

๐ŸŽญ The curtain is about to rise on our new exhibit! ๐ŸŽญ

Join us for the opening reception of ๐Ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐”๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐š ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ: ๐‚๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ซ๐ž ๐‘๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐, ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ“๐Ÿโ€“๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ on ๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ, ๐‰๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ, from ๐Ÿ“:๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽโ€“๐Ÿ•:๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ ๐ฉ.๐ฆ. at the Benjamin Patterson Inn.

For 40 summers, Corning Summer Theatre was more than a theatreโ€”it was a beloved community tradition. Families filled the seats, volunteers worked behind the scenes, local residents shared the stage with professional actors, and each season created memories that have lasted for generations.

It also attracted some remarkable talent. James Earl Jones, William Shatner, Lana Turner, Eve Arden, Arte Johnson, Bob Denver, Patty Duke Astin, and many other acclaimed performers appeared on the Corning stage, making our small city part of the national theatre scene.

Now you can relive those unforgettable summers!

Explore photographs, costumes, programs, memorabilia, and personal stories that celebrate four decades of laughter, applause, friendships, and community spirit.

Whether you remember attending performances, volunteering, performing yourself, or are discovering Corning Summer Theatre for the first time, we invite you to experience this special exhibit and celebrate a cherished piece of Corning's history.

๐Ÿ“ Benjamin Patterson Inn Exhibit Room
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Admission is free, and everyone is welcome!

We hope to see you thereโ€”and don't forget to share your own Summer Theatre memories with us!

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, Union Pacificโ€™s 4014 Big Boy will pass through Corning in a moment that connects todayโ€™s com...
06/09/2026

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, Union Pacificโ€™s 4014 Big Boy will pass through Corning in a moment that connects todayโ€™s community with one of the most celebrated eras in American railroading. This extraordinary visit is part of America's 250th anniversary celebration and marks the first time this route has been traveled by the 4014 Big Boy. For railfans, families, and history lovers alike, it is a rare and unforgettable opportunity to witness living history in motion.

The 1.2 million pounds 4014 Big Boy was originally built at the ALCO plant in Schenectady, New York, in 1941, during the golden age of American railroading. Big Boy locomotives were designed to haul heavy freight over demanding mountain grades, combining immense power with remarkable engineering. This 2026 journey marks the first time the last remaining operational Big Boy has returned to the Eastern United States since leaving the factory 85 years ago.

This once-in-a-lifetime event offers a thrilling viewing opportunity for the entire community. Whether you are a dedicated rail enthusiast or a family looking to share in a memorable local experience, this historic passage promises to be a spectacle worth seeing.

To allow staff and volunteers the opportunity to witness this momentous occasion, our office and museum will close at 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11.

For the most recent route updates, timing information, and announcements, please visit the Union Pacific website at www.up.com. Be sure to check out their safety guidelines for viewing.

What a wonderful success our "Petticoats, Patriots, and Pastries" Victorian Tea Party was! We extend our heartfelt grati...
05/08/2026

What a wonderful success our "Petticoats, Patriots, and Pastries" Victorian Tea Party was! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended and helped make the day so memorable.

A special thank you goes to our dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the event, and to our exceptional tea committeeโ€”Debbie Amati, Diana Fee, Chris Hoyler, Sheri Golder, Rachel Goyette, Soni Lacey, Karen Rowe, and Jean Walkerโ€”whose creativity, time, and generosity brought the event to life. They created and donated most of the food and dรฉcor, making the entire experience truly special.

A highlight of the day was our guest speaker, Dr. Melinda Grube, who delivered a captivating first-person interpretation of Elizabeth Cady Stanton that transported us back in time.

Congratulations to our raffle winners:
Hilda Allington โ€” Table Quilt, Hot Pads and Napkins (provided by Pat Starzec)
Lynne Hatch โ€” Ellen & Michael's Gift Certificate (provided by our Board of Directors)
Joanne Coombs โ€” Forged Shepherd's Hook and Massi's Gift Card (provided by Leon Golder and Debbie Amati)
Mary Ann Garlock โ€” Patriotic Home Decor (provided by Diana Fee and Chris Hoyler)

Our sincere appreciation to the following volunteers who made this event possible:
Debbie Amati
Meghan Bourke
Christine Cullen
Diana Fee
Sheri Golder
Rachel Goyette
Cory Gromulus
Brian Hoyler
Chris Hoyler
Jean Krebs
Alison Merkl
Nancy Magrath
Karen Rowe
Pat Starzec
Cheryl Stephenson
Jean Walker
Darby Webster
Penny Wilson

Reminder: Join us tonight at 6:30 in the Patterson Inn for our program with Kirk House on the history of slavery in Steu...
04/28/2026

Reminder: Join us tonight at 6:30 in the Patterson Inn for our program with Kirk House on the history of slavery in Steuben County.

We also have exciting newsโ€”one seat has opened for our May 2 previously soldโ€‘out Victorian Tea! This yearโ€™s theme, Petticoats, Patriots & Pastries, invites you into the charm of our 1796 Benjamin Patterson Inn for a threeโ€‘course experience of breads & scones, sandwiches, and desserts. Enjoy an exclusive exhibit featuring pieces from our archives and vintage clothing collection, and hear Dr. Melinda Grube bring Elizabeth Cady Stanton to life as she explores the Declaration of Sentiments and its bold call for equality. With raffles, door prizes, and a special keepsake, the afternoon is set to be a delight from start to finish.

Tickets are $45. Call 607โ€‘937โ€‘5281 now to claim the last seat!

Join us on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 at the Patterson Inn for Kirk Houseโ€™s program on Slavery in Steuben County. The pro...
04/22/2026

Join us on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 at the Patterson Inn for Kirk Houseโ€™s program on Slavery in Steuben County. The program will delve into the lesser-known history of slavery in this region, shedding light on the complex and often overlooked stories of those who lived and labored in Steuben County. Kirk House, Director of the Steuben County Historical Society, will guide us through an exploration of the county's past, revealing how these narratives fit into the broader tapestry of American history. Refreshments will be served, and there will be time for questions and conversation following the presentation. The program is FREE and open to the public.

Address

73 W Pulteney Street
Corning, NY
14830

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10am - 2pm
Wednesday 10am - 2pm
Thursday 10am - 2pm
Friday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

(607) 937-5281

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