Onondaga Historical Association

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Onondaga Historical Association OHA exists to inspire the notion that the history we share is the foundation for our future together.

Onondaga Historical Association exists to inspire people’s understanding that the history we share as a community is the foundation for our future together. Our purpose is to educate and encourage the exploration, appreciation, and utilization of the past in order to add value throughout our community and bring the great stories of Onondaga County’s history to a worldwide audience. To do so, we offer engaging exhibits, publications, products, and programs; we pursue partnerships with other organizations; and we develop and care for definitive collections related to local history. We are an association of heritage-related museums, research and educational centers, and retail stores in Onondaga County, New York.

The Onondaga Historical Association’s Downtown Museum will close at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9. We apologize for any...
10/09/2026

The Onondaga Historical Association’s Downtown Museum will close at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding!

Join us for presentations by the finalists of The Full Circle Design Competition, get a first look at their proposed con...
10/07/2026

Join us for presentations by the finalists of The Full Circle Design Competition, get a first look at their proposed concepts, and give feedback on their designs!

* Date:  Thursday, November 10th, 2026

* Time: 6:00 p.m. (doors at 5:30 p.m.)

* Location: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 220 E. Fayette St., Syracuse        

Designs will be on exhibit at OHA November 10th-24th.  An opening reception will be held immediately after the program at the museum located at 321 Montgomery St., across the street from St. Paul’s.

Admission is free but please RSVP at 315-428-1864. Visit fullcircledesigncompetition.org for more details. 

On October 4, 1864, the National Convention of Colored Men was held at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Syracuse.The con...
10/06/2026

On October 4, 1864, the National Convention of Colored Men was held at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Syracuse.

The convention brought Black leaders from across the country together to organize for freedom, equality, and political rights.

The gathering came at a critical moment in the nation’s history. Nearly two years after Lincoln’s Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and three years into the Civil War, Black Americans were serving in the Union Army while still being denied the right to vote in most of the country.

A total of 144 delegates attended, representing 18 of the nation’s 35 states, including Southern states like Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Among them were Frederick Douglass, who served as convention president, William Wells Brown, and Henry Highland Garnet.

Arguably the largest and most significant gathering of prominent Black leaders in the United States up to that point, the convention produced a Declaration of Wrongs and Rights, documenting generations of oppression and calling for the freedom, equality, and political rights long denied to Black Americans.

10/02/2026

Join us October 22 for Our Glorious Workplaces: Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial, celebrating the War Memorial’s 75th anniversary!

🎟️ Tickets are available at shop.cnyhistory.org/events.

Seeking Actress for OHA Gala PerformanceThe Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is seeking an actress in her 20s to po...
10/01/2026

Seeking Actress for OHA Gala Performance

The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is seeking an actress in her 20s to portray a 1940s USO girl during its Our Glorious Workplaces Gala at the War Memorial on Thursday evening, October 22, 2026.

The ideal candidate should be comfortable with singing, dancing, and improvisation. This is a paid performance opportunity.

To audition, please contact Scott Peal at [email protected] and submit a resume and photograph. Audition candidates should be prepared to sing a song and participate in an improvisational exercise.

Today marks 175 years since Syracuse residents stood together in defiance of the Fugitive Slave Act, helping freedom see...
10/01/2026

Today marks 175 years since Syracuse residents stood together in defiance of the Fugitive Slave Act, helping freedom seeker William “Jerry” Henry escape in an act that would become a defining moment in our community’s history and the national abolitionist movement.

Pictured here are the original manacles used to shackle William “Jerry” Henry following his arrest on October 1, 1851. After Jerry's escape, local blacksmith Peter Lily filed open the shackles at the Watson home on Irving Avenue. The manacles were later donated to the Onondaga Historical Association and are now on display at OHA's downtown museum.

To commemorate the anniversary, join the Erie Canal Museum, New York Power Authority, and New York State Canal Corporation for the Jerry Rescue 175th Anniversary Forum tonight at the Everson Museum of Art.

The program will feature a multimedia presentation by Yao Kahlil Newkirk on Buffalo abolitionist Peyton Harris, followed by a panel discussion with Newkirk, playwright Kyle Bass, educator Ckristina Bennett, and OHA Curator of History Robert Searing.

Tonight at 6 p.m. | Everson Museum of Art

In-person and virtual registration available.

Learn more and register: eriecanalmuseum.org/events

09/30/2026

The next Tour Stop in our new series is the Carnegie Library.

The Carnegie Building was constructed in 1905–06 with a donation from Andrew Carnegie as the city’s first public library. Designed in Beaux-Arts style, it served as the Syracuse and Onondaga County library until 1988. Later adapted for other uses, it remains a historic landmark in the Montgomery Street–Columbus Circle Historic District.

The structure is also another facet of local history taken into consideration during The Full Circle Design Competition.

In addition to this brief video (others to come!), we encourage you to use the link below to watch other project site videos narrated by OHA's Curator of History, Robert Searing. While you're there, explore the other pages and resources relevant to The Full Circle Design Competition!

https://fullcircledesigncompetition.org/history-context/interactive-project-site/

The next two films in our “Strides Toward Democracy" film series are coming up this October!October 6, 6:45 p.m. | "Will...
09/28/2026

The next two films in our “Strides Toward Democracy" film series are coming up this October!

October 6, 6:45 p.m. | "Will to Win: Syracuse Basketball’s Unlikely Rise from Underdogs to National Champs"

Tickets are selling fast!

Go behind the scenes of Syracuse University’s unforgettable 2003 NCAA Championship season in Will to Win, which follows a team that went from underdogs to national champions. Featuring interviews with Carmelo Anthony, Jim Boeheim, Hakim Warrick, Gerry McNamara, and members of the championship team, the documentary captures the triumphs, setbacks, and determination behind one of college basketball’s most memorable Cinderella stories.

Following the screening, join us for a special post-show Q&A with “Voice of the Orange” Matt Park and legendary coach and SU commentator Jim Satalin.

October 18, 3:30 p.m. | "Erie: The Canal That Made America"

Discover the remarkable story of the Erie Canal, a 363-mile engineering feat that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and helped transform New York into the Empire State. "Erie: The Canal That Made America" explores how the canal reshaped commerce, connected communities, and propelled New York City into a leading role as an economic hub.

Tickets for both films are available at manliuscinema.com

The "Strides Toward Democracy" film series is presented in partnership with Manlius Cinema, Of Moose & Mind Bookshop, EDR, and WAER Syracuse Public Radio.

We’re pleased to introduce TEN x TEN, MASARY & partners — the last of three finalists in The Full Circle Design Competit...
09/25/2026

We’re pleased to introduce TEN x TEN, MASARY & partners — the last of three finalists in The Full Circle Design Competition!

This team brings together landscape architecture and urban design firm TEN x TEN, interdisciplinary art and design practice MASARY Studios, and Rochester-based engineering firm LaBella Associates. Together, they bring expertise in landscape, public art, engineering, community engagement and the design of culturally significant places.

Visit their profile to learn more about the team, explore examples of their work, and read their own perspective on The Full Circle Design Competition.

https://fullcircledesigncompetition.org/design-teams/ten-x-ten-and-partners/

Address

321 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY
13202

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

(315) 428-1864

Website

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