Steuben County Historical Society

05/29/2026

According to the 1899 directory, J. H. Gilmore operated his steam laundry at 23 West Steuben Street in Bath, with his home around the corner at 9 Howell Street. By 1906 he had moved his home to 108 Howell. Moggie Gilmore, laundress (presumably a grown daughter), boarded at the same address.

05/28/2026

A church… a school… a cemetery... Risingville (in the Town of Thurston) had the typical anchors of a small community. A “from the rear” view is uncommon, which in many ways makes it more informative. There’s no one-room school nowadays, and the cemetery is inactive, but Risingville United Methodist Church is still in operation.

05/27/2026

Our Wednesday mini-series on The Motoring Age observes that when you’re on the road, sooner or later you need something to eat. This 1920s filling station (possibly near Bath) offers pop corn, pea nuts, ice cream, soft drinks (including Whistle), candy… plus ci**rs and tobacco… not to mention gasoline and motor oil, which also might come in handy on a long drive.

05/26/2026

We would like to welcome Jamie as the new Director of the Dormann Library. We look forward to a long and continued successful relationship!

The Dormann Library Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Jami Long as the library’s next Director.

Jami has been an important part of the Dormann Library team since January 2023, beginning as a Programming Assistant before stepping into the roles of Programming Coordinator and, most recently, Assistant Director. Over the past year, she has worked closely alongside retiring Director LeighAnn Rumsey, taking on increasing leadership responsibilities and helping guide many of the initiatives that have contributed to the library’s growth and success.

A Bath resident with roots in both Bath and Hammondsport, Jami brings a deep commitment to community and is an active member of both the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs. Professionally, she brings a strong combination of creativity, management experience, and a thoughtful, hands-on approach, along with a background in art and programming. She recently earned her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) with a perfect 4.0 GPA, all while continuing her work at the library.

Jami has played an active role in the library’s growth over the past several years and is passionate about continuing that momentum while building the structure and support needed for long-term success. Her vision for the library includes strengthening community partnerships, pursuing funding opportunities, maintaining high standards of service, and ensuring the library continues to be a welcoming community center for Bath.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are excited to welcome Jami into this new role and look forward to the future of the Dormann Library under her leadership.

Please join us in congratulating Jami Long on her appointment as Library Director.

05/26/2026

If you’re from Addison… or if you spend much time in Addison… this 1890s photo may look familiar. Many of our downtown areas were largely built between the Civil War and the Great Depression. At 4 PM on Friday, June 5 (weather permitting!) we plan the first of this year’s free historic walks, meeting by the parking lot at Main Street and Valerio Parkway. We’ll see how today’s view compares with this one!

05/25/2026

The name Decoration Day... originally honoring the Union Civil War dead... was still in wide use until 1967, when it officially became Memorial Day. You might be interested to see our Youtube video, "The Faded Coat of Blue." Brad Ordway sings the touching lament, interspersed with photos of Steuben soldiers from the Civil War, along with their monuments, spread across the county.

Kirk House, Director of the Steuben County Historical Society, introduces the Civil War song "The Faded Coat of Blue" in his monologue. The Civil War brough...

05/23/2026

We have a booth at The Finger Lakes Antique Show! Stop by today and tomorrow to buy some old and new books.

Speaking of new books, we will be having a book signing with Kirk House and Helen Brink. Make sure to stop by and say hello!

05/22/2026

During the Great Depression, Anderson Health Home (in the Town of Canisteo) worked through the summers with malnourished children from Steuben County. The cornerstone was a good and healthy diet – when combined with exercise programs, just about all children showed increased healthy weight by the end of the summer. Recreation, field trips, and time to rest were also on the program. This montage is from 1941.

05/21/2026

On May 21, 1908, Glenn Curtiss had his thirtieth birthday, AND his first airplane flight. He and his colleagues in the Aerial Experiment Association had set up shop in Pleasant Valley as they developed their second airplane, the White Wing (seen here). Curtiss startled his colleagues by flying straight and level for a thousand feet, on his first try. And there was plenty more to come!

05/20/2026

Stop by and see us this weekend, Saturday or Sunday, at this huge antique dealership event. We will be in the main big white barn.

📣 Calling all antique enthusiast! Get ready for The Finger Lakes Antique Show THIS weekend, May 23rd & 24th. $5 for the entire weekend and kids under 17 are FREE!

📍 Steuben Country Fairgrounds, 15 East Washington Street, Bath, NY 14810

To learn more, visit https://www.earlybirdantiques.com/.
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05/20/2026

As rapidly as America dove into The Motoring Age, many people still had no personal autos. So our weekly mini-series introduces the BUSES that you might have taken around Steuben, roughly a hundred years ago.
* (Photo 1) We don't know much about this first bus, except that it operated around Bath, and out to the Soldiers Home... judging by the passengers, it also went to the Davenport Girls Orphanage. We wonder whether the curious little vehicle might have been a home-built.
* (Photo 2) School buses made it practical to get education beyond the one-room school level. This bus takes Buck Settlement students (Bath District 18) down to Haverling and back.
* (Photos 3 and 4) The Dansville-Hornell Auto Transit Line connected those two municipalities. Once in Dansville you could transfer to the Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad, using very similar rolling stock, retrofitted for rail. (White gasoline is a highly-refined product, similar to Coleman Fuel.)