Richardson-Bates House Museum

09/05/2026

Two anniversaries are taking place at the Oswego County Historical Society this week!

Laurence Richardson's 186th birthday was yesterday, September 4th. He is the son of Naomi and Jacob Richardson and the middle child between Maxwell and Harriet. As our volunteers and interns work on digitizing more family photos, hopefully we will find more images of Laurence. If you would like to learn more about him, come visit the museum and take our guided tour!

On September 5th, 1975, our house was approved for the National Register of Historic Places designation. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, which started this list to protect important historical buildings, sites and districts. Since then, Oswego County has had 65 different distinct places added to the list with 35 of those within the City of Oswego. If you would like to see the National Registry check out this link- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/database-research.htm

The Oswego County Historical Society is open on Thursdays- Saturdays from 1pm-5pm. We have several exciting events coming up this Fall & Winter so stay tuned for future event posts.

08/28/2026

HISTORY ON TAP AT G.S. STEAMERS! 📜

Join us in the Riverside Room at G.S. Steamers Bar & Grill for a night where Oswego history meets your favorite local gathering place!

History on Tap returns in collaboration with the Oswego County Historical Society and Friends of Fort Ontario.

🏛️ Mary Kay Stone presents:
Neil McMullen — First Permanent Settler in Oswego City, 1796

📅 Tuesday, September 1
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 Riverside Room at G.S. Steamers
🎟️ FREE EVENT — OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Grab a drink, settle in, and discover a piece of the history that helped shape the city we call home. 🍻⚓

Come early and enjoy dinner at Steamers before the presentation!

Tag your local history-loving friends and join us for History on Tap! 📚🍺

08/22/2026

Landmark Lawn sale last day! Today, Saturday, August 22 until 1 PM at the Richardson-Bates House Museum 135 E. 3rd St.
This video is from yesterday. Not all items may still be there but there’s still a lot of great stuff.
Stop by before it’s all gone!
Fort Ontario
H. Lee White Maritime Museum at Oswego
Oswego County Historian's Office

08/20/2026

August 20 is Maxwell Richardson's birthday! Richardson was a local attorney, real estate broker, and two-term mayor of Oswego. He's also the namesake of our wonderful house museum on E. 3rd St. in Oswego as he commissioned this villa for his family.

08/13/2026

Ready for something different?
Veronica Gould, recent graduate of History at SUNY Oswego and volunteer at the Richardson-Bates museum, created and will guide a specialized lunchtime tour at 12:15 pm on Thursday August 20th and Friday September 4th.
Centering on animal symbolism through the lens of Renaissance and Egyptian/ Greek Revival styles of the Victorian era, she will take a group through specific artifacts on the first floor of the museum. This is a chance to see the art, culture, and natural world through Max Richardson’s chosen decor. Richardson built and decorated his home on E. Third St in the 1870 and 1880’s and he collected exotic items from around the world.
No reservations are necessary and no admission will be charged, but donations are appreciated. It will last about 45 minutes.

08/07/2026

Happy National Lighthouse Day! We encourage everyone to support H. Lee White Maritime Museum at Oswego on Lighthouse Day and every day. Learning about the history of this historic landmark on their lighthouse tours is a great experience and helps reinforce the importance of the lighthouse in Oswego’s history!

08/04/2026

Can’t wait to see everyone tonight at 7pm at GS Steamers for Emma’s History on Tap presentation!

🍻 History on Tap is back! 🍻

Join us and Emma Green this Tuesday at Steamers for an engaging look at John Laurance, one of our nation's founding fathers, and his connection to Oswego!

Come early to grab dinner, enjoy your favorite beverage, and settle in for an entertaining and educational evening.

Thank you to the Oswego County Historical Society and the Friends of Fort Ontario for putting on this amazing event!

08/01/2026

Happy August from the Richardson-Bates House Museum! We can't wait to see you this month:
📚 Tues. Aug. 4, 7 PM History on Tap at GS Steamers (free talk, grab a drink or dinner to show your appreciation for Steamers and their continued support of History on Tap)
🍨 Sun. Aug. 16, 1-3 PM Free Family Fun Day on the museum lawn
🛍️ Fri. Aug. 21 9-1 PM & Sat. Aug. 22 9- 1 PM, Landmark Lawn Sale on the museum lawn.

🧑‍🏫Museum Tours: Thursdays - Saturdays, 1-5 PM. Museum admission starts at $12 and includes a guided tour of our period rooms and gallery spaces. Discounts available for seniors, students, and children!

Looking for other ways to connect with us this month? Contact us about volunteering at Family Fun Day or the Landmark Lawn Sale. It’s also not too late to become a supporting member!