Preserving and celebrating the history of Vestal New York!
History of the Vestal Historical Society (VHS)
The first meeting of the Vestal Historical Society (VHS) was in June of 1974 at the Vestal Town Hall where temporary officers were put in place for three months until an election could take place and the Constitution and By-Laws adopted.
With new officers in place, the Society met with the Town Supervisor and Town Board in October 1974 to plan tentative programs. At that time the Society was asked to help finish restoring the former Vestal Depot and to operate the Museum for the Town when it opened.
In 1975 the Society became a 501C3 tax exempt organization. Throughout the years the Society has held fundraising programs, set up exhibits, and kept the Museum open to the public with volunteer hours. The Town, as owner of the Museum, maintained the building and provided a small working budget for a part time curator. In order to increase hours open and offer additional activities, the Society and members of the community asked the Town to hire two part time Museum employees, a director and a curator. The two positions were filled in 2000 and when combined with the volunteer hours by Society members the Museum saw an increase in attendance and was able to offer more exhibits and programs.
The Society celebrated its 41st anniversary June 2015. Throughout the years the Society has donated volunteer hours and financial support to the Museum as well as sponsoring other community activities. In 2006 after the community suffered severe flood damage, the Society distributed monetary donations and household goods for affected community members. Other types community activities offered by the VHS have included a local “Antiques Road Show”, free concerts for the community, and scholarships for Vestal seniors. When possible, the Society has supported the Museum and staff with financial donations for supplies, equipment, training, and volunteer hours.
The Society publishes a quarterly newsletter featuring a column by the Museum Director and advertises Museum events for members. They continue to collaborate with the Museum and Town of Vestal to enrich the community as a whole.
The mission of the Vestal Historical Society is to discover and collect material that may help to establish or illustrate the history of the Town of Vestal and surrounding areas.
