Friday, July 24, 2026 Historically and today, Massena has been defined by its relationship with the mighty St. Lawrence Seaway. Water power aided the pivotal development of aluminum company Alcoa, which has maintained a major presence in Massena since 1902. Today, Alcoa is the oldest continuously operating aluminum smelting operation in the world. Access to…
Monday, August 17 For centuries, Indigenous peoples have guided the work of placemaking in what is today the Akwesasne territory. Kanienʼkehá:ka (Mohawk) peoples have inhabited this part of the St. Lawrence River Valley since the mid 18th century after moving from settlements farther east. Today one community straddling both sides of the United States-Canada border,…
Friday, August 21, 2026 In the world of historic preservation, using the right mortar is one of the most important features in the upkeep and maintenance of masonry structures. Understanding the needs of mortar in your historic masonry can make all the difference in avoiding major structural issues and planning the best to approach repairs….
Thursday, July 24, 2025 In two distinct St. Lawrence County communities, historic structures carry forward the defining story of North Country life. In the rural community of Rossie, iconic industrial ruins dot the landscape and reflect the small town’s booming past. Following the rushing water of the Indian River, we will explore the infrastructure and…
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 The charming hamlet of Wanakena was established in 1902 by the Rich Lumber Company on the southwest side of Cranberry Lake. When the company relocated to Vermont in 1912, workers’ houses were sold to residents and seasonal visitors for summer homes. On this outing, local experts from the Wanakena History Center…
Thursday, August 14, 2025 William Seward Webb and Frederick William Vanderbilt originally founded the Kildare Club in 1892 as a 10,000-acre rustic hunting preserve near Tupper Lake. After the original lodge burned down, the Saranac Lake architectural firm of Scopes and Feustmann designed the current complex in 1906. The architects departed from the more traditional…
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Located just beyond the Blue Line, the Village of Potsdam remains architecturally dominated by its vibrant red sandstone structures. Prior to a more permanent white presence here in the 19th century, Indigenous peoples of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, chiefly the Mohawk, seasonally occupied this part of the Raquette River watershed. In the…
Last Offered 2019 Isaac Johnson’s arrival in the North Country during the late 19th century came after an eventful and tumultuous life. Born enslaved to his father, a Kentucky farmer, Johnson lived a relatively free life until his father sold him, his mother, and his three siblings into slavery for $1,100. After an unsuccessful escape…
Last offered 2016. Not currently being offered. Sackets Harbor, a picturesque village on the coast of Lake Ontario, was a naval center for the American military during the War of 1812. A battle here in 1813 for control over the shipyard was narrowly won by the Americans. The town is known for its National Register-listed…
Last Offered 2018. Not currently being offered. In the late 1800s, a religious fervor swept America resulting in a proliferation of church building and ornamentation. Small towns along the St. Lawrence were no different, although they were blessed to have within the North Country a glass-art studio of prodigious talent. For over 80 years, the…