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Holland Land Office Museum

HLOM offers new exhibits from the Mason family, Ingham University, and World War II

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM) is proud to announce the opening of three new exhibits in the month of April.

“Embossers and Painters: The Mason Family” is now on display through the end of the year. It features paintings from the members of the Mason Family, (Frank, Nina, Roy and Max), along with items from the F.E. Mason Embossing Factory. The Mason family created nationally known and recognized art, but also a business that allowed growing artists in Genesee County to express themselves with their creativity and their skills. The F.E. Mason Embossing Factory gave way to numerous locally famous artists. Charter members of the Batavia Society of Artists, art in Genesee County would not be the same without the Masons!

“Ingham University” is a new mini-exhibit featuring artifacts from the women’s university that spent much of its 65 year history in Le Roy, 1837-1892. It grew over time, graduated hundreds of students. It was the first women’s college New York State, and the first chartered women’s university in the United States. Though designated as a women’s university, men were also enrolled it its highly regarded Fine Arts program. Many of its alumni went on to teach at institutions like Wellesley and Vassar College. The exhibit features catalogs and bound histories from the 1880s.

“World War II on the Home Front: Propaganda and Rationing” will be opening mid-April and running through December. The Home Front was just as vital to the Allied powers victory in World War II. Poster campaigns and rationing in the United States, instilled by the government, were two of the biggest reasons as to why the Home Front was just as determined and motivated to win the war as the men fighting across the ocean! The exhibit features a wide array of propaganda posters as well as rationing items, along with other aspects of the Homefront.

April events at the HLOM include baseball trivia night, concerts, and guest speakers

By Press Release

Press Release:

Come to the Holland Land Office Museum between 5 and 8 p.m. for extended hours on Wednesday, April 2 for those who cannot make it during our regularly scheduled ones! You will get personal tours from staff and volunteers! We hope to see you there! Admission is the regular pricing listed on our website! 

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. With the coming of the opening day of the baseball season, test your knowledge of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the players enshrined there. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next act of our Concert Series on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. Classical guitarist Tom Torrisi will be showcasing his amazing talents, performing a concert of solo guitar music dating from the 17th to the 21st century. The program will include a selection of original compositions as well as music by giants of the classical guitar.

Tom Torrisi is a guitarist and composer based in Buffalo. Tom is currently a member of the faculty at SUNY Fredonia and teaches Balinese gamelan classes with Nusantara Arts in Buffalo. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next presenter in its Guest Speaker Series on April 17 at 7 p.m. Greg Kinal will be presenting "Target Tokyo" on the Doolittle Raid that bombed Tokyo in 1942. Mr. Kinal, a former teacher at Pembroke Central Schools, will deal with General Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Among the pilots was Edward York, a Batavia native. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of the Java with Joe Series on Thursday, April 24 at 9 a.m. This month's presenter is Jo Louis Wilkes, a former nurse at the VA Medical Center in Batavia and a historian of the VA system particularly in Batavia. Admission is free with coffee and donuts provided by Tim Horton's of Batavia. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next presenter in our Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Ben Kemp, of U.S. Grant's Cottage Historic Site will be presenting, "A Yankee Galvanized Yankee: The Man Who Fought on Both Sides of the Civil War." He will share the incredibly unusual tale of Hugh Clemons. Learn about the circumstances that brought a man born and raised in the Southern Adirondacks of New York State into the service of the Confederate army and how he eventually ended up on the other side of the fight. 

Ben Kemp has been a staff member at Grant Cottage Historic Site since 2014, has published numerous online articles, and is a contributing author to the book "Grant at 200: Reconsidering the Life and Legacy of Ulysses S. Grant." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Holland Land Office Museum now accepting applications for the Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship for 2025. This scholarship was created in honor of Garth Swanson, who was the Stafford Town Historian, History professor at Genesee Community College, and a former board member and officer of the museum.

This $500 scholarship is open to any graduating senior in Genesee County planning to attend Genesee Community College, or current student attending Genesee Community College, and have an expressed interest in history, or plan on working in the history field in the future.

Completed applications should be mailed or emailed no later than May 1. They can be emailed to Ryan Duffy at duffyhollandlandoffice@gmail.com; or Mailed to Ryan Duffy, Executive Director, Holland Land Office Museum, 131 W. Main St., Batavia.

The application is available on both the museum’s website and social media pages. You can also contact the museum for the application or further information.

Holland Land Office Museum offers No Blarney, guest speakers, trivia in March

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Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to welcome Dr. Michael Boston of SUNY Brockport as our next Guest Speaker on Saturday, March 1st at 11 am. Dr. Boston of SUNY Brockport will be presenting on “Female Conductors of the Underground Railroad in Western and Central New York”; Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. 

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next presenter in its Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Dr. Ann Bunch a forensic anthropologist of SUNY Brockport Criminal Justice Department, will be presenting on her new book,
"The William Morgan Affair: Masonic Mystery in Upstate New York." The book takes an investigative science approach to the mystery of William Morgan's disappearance to demystify and highlight ways to resolve his fate following his last known sightings in 1826. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, March 13 at 7 p.m. This month's topic is the First Ladies of the United States. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to welcome back No Blarney for our St. Patrick's Day tradition, as they play all your favorite Irish music tunes from throughout the years. The concert will be Friday, March 14 from 7-9 pm. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. Seating is limited so reserve your spot early.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to welcome back Civil War historian and author Chris Mackowski on Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. This presentation has been rescheduled from its original date of January 21. Chris will be presenting on his book, "The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson" of the Emerging Civil War series. The presentation will cover Jackson's military career and the last fateful days during the Battle of Chancellorsville that led to his mortal wounding. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. If you plan on attending, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum on March 27, at 9 a.m., come hear HLOM Curator Tyler Angora for our FREE morning coffee program Java with Joe. Tyler will be explaining the newest exhibit at HLOM in greater detail and why this was the exhibit he chose to begin in 2025! Learn about his research and the clothing in the exhibit Admission is FREE, and Tim Horton’s of Batavia will provide coffee and donuts. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

New book investigates Batavia's famous cold case, the William Morgan Affair

By Ryan Duffy
william morgan affair

The William Morgan Affair: Masonic Mystery in Upstate New York, by Ann Webster Bunch, was released this month by The History Press. Dr. Bunch uses her background as a forensic anthropologist to analyze the extreme cold case of what happened to William Morgan after he was last seen in Batavia in 1826. 

She takes particular care to comb over the evidence, or lack thereof, surrounding the mysterious circumstances of Morgan’s last days, and the many legends that surround what became of him. The author’s focus is to delve deeply into the scientific and investigative methods that were employed during the various investigations conducted following Morgan’s vanishing in September 1826. 

The story of William Morgan is one steeped in so much speculation and hearsay that very little is known about the man himself.  This has led to many theories on what happened to him, and has left many heroes and villains surrounding the ordeal. 

Dr. Bunch focuses on the case as a cold case, not necessarily a murder case. This flies in the face of the inscription of the Morgan Monument located in the Historic Batavia Cemetery, put in place by the National Christian Association in 1882, which paints him as a martyr and makes it confusing as to whether he is actually buried in the plot, which he is not. 

In looking at Morgan’s case from an evidential perspective, there are so many unknowns when it comes to Morgan; even the life of William Morgan is steeped in a lack of solid evidence. It is not even clear what Morgan really looks like or when he was born. The same can be said for the events surrounding his disappearance, which are only clear to his holding at Fort Niagara, and then the sure evidence dries up. Bunch also notes the political atmosphere, factors that came to surround the case, and the severe influence that played a part in it. 

Dr. Bunch focused on the inconsistencies of the early 19th century when it came to evidence and investigation by taking each coroner’s inquests relating to Morgan into deep analysis.  

The three inquests in question all revolved around a seminal moment in the Morgan saga, when a body washed up on the Lake Ontario shoreline in Orleans County on October 7, 1827, more than a year after Morgan’s disappearance. The first, Slater, inquest follows the standard procedures for the day but does not lead to an identity of the victim, though it being Morgan is not a consideration. The second, Brown, inquest is just the opposite, as Thurlow Weed, a newspaperman and local politician from Rochester, inserts himself to gain traction that the body is that of Morgan’s. Bunch points out that this attempt to make a “good enough Morgan” flew in the face of the evidence based on Morgan’s last known appearance on top of substantial decay. It signified how the evidence can be influenced to a great deal by outside political forces, especially when one wishes it to be the evidence they seek. The third, Hurlburt, inquest reverses the second’s findings when new evidence comes to light in the form of the family of a fisherman in lower Canada, Timothy Munro, who had gone missing in a storm. 

Dr. Bunch then goes a step further in looking into the second inquest led by Weed and what factors at the time can make people look past distinct evidence to come to another conclusion. The most obvious is political pressures and orientations. Weed and his followers were against the Freemasons and were looking for anything to help put more public opinion against the Brotherhood. This went all the way to Albany, as the opponents of the Erie Canal and its supporter, Governor DeWitt Clinton, sought to work against anyone associated with the Masonic Order. This would eventually lead to the first third party in the United States, the Anti-Masonic Party. The age-old contest between the “haves” and “have-nots” also played its role. 

The author then turns to other important pieces of evidence, the several confessions by individuals who claim to know the outcome of Morgan’s ordeal with the Freemasons. She focuses on seven confessions that came about from the 1830s through the 1860s. Each is analyzed in comparison to the evidence available to determine some level of validity, though many are lacking in key areas. 

The confessions range from the 1830s to the 1860s, with varying degrees of involvement. In some cases, confessing to be the killer, in others to be an accomplice, and in others to be there at the time of his disappearance. In her analysis, Dr. Bunch concludes that most of the confessions lack much in corroborating evidence, with Whitney’s having the most merit but not without its questions. The point was that confessions were taken with more facts than what evidence could support them, at least for a time, and in some cases, the confessor's background or character was a severe influence.

The next chapter of the Morgan mystery is the issue of the Pembroke Skeleton found in a quarry in 1881. This discovery brought William Morgan back to the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. 

This again brought up the issue of integral evidence. There were items recovered with the skeletal remains that led the discoverers to unofficially connect it to Morgan, but the remains were never compared to Morgan. This discovery very well has led to the National Christian Association taking advantage of the newfound public sentiment and building the monument to Morgan monument being built the following year.

Therefore, the question is “What became of William Morgan?” 

There are 17 hypotheses that are explored and have been put forward since 1826. They are gathered from two sources, particularly from H.V. Voorhis in 1946 and Robert Morris in 1884. They range across the spectrum and place Morgan all around the world if he survived at all. They are grouped into five categories by the author: “Morgan Becomes a Hermit,” “Morgan Returns to Life at Sea,” “Morgan Reinvents Himself,” “Morgan is Murdered,” and a more specific tale, “Morgan Returns to Sea and Reinvents Himself, Dies in 1864.” The author then associates any corroborating evidence through the confessions or other information available to each hypothesis. Some even connect to modern-day descendants of Morgan. Everyone has their holes, some with more than others do.

In summation, Dr. Bunch focuses on the need to implement the scientific method even in this very old cold case, though it is always important to remember the human and those outside aspects that can influence it. She lays out five steps of an empirical-skeptical approach to any case, using Morgan as an example. In simple terms, collect background information; compile the scientific data and evidence; understand the political context and prior work; factor counter-information to the evidence; use all of the factors together to form a conclusion. Each of the chapters within the book focuses upon one or more of these steps.

The purpose is to take all of the evidence available and to expose others that have less merit. Dr. Bunch does not intend to solve the mystery, so if looking for the final answer, the reader will be disappointed in that regard. However, the strong historical and scientific research will show just how murky the whole event his, from Morgan himself to the various investigations. The work does lay out all of the possibilities with the supporting evidence or lack thereof. It is a very interesting read, especially for those who may be of a more skeptical nature and those who like the mystery-solving procedure. 

Ryan Duffy is the executive director of the Holland Land Office Museum.

City of Batavia, Peace Garden chosen as winners of Wonderland of Trees exhibit

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the winners of the People’s Choice and Director’s Choice awards for the 24th Annual Wonderland of Trees decorated trees. 

The winner of the People’s Choice Award is the Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden, and the winner of the Staff Choice Award is the City of Batavia

We would like to congratulate our winners and thank everyone who participated this year. This year’s Wonderland of Trees was one of the most successful in its history.

We had more trees this year than in recent years and they were all so beautifully done that the choices were very difficult. Also, thank you to everyone who donated towards the event, and all who came to see the wonderfully decorated trees.

January events at the HLOM include trivia night, Civil War lecture, and Java with Joe

By Press Release

Press Release:

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, January 9 at 7 p.m. In honor of the presidential inauguration this month, come and test your knowledge of when a President of the United States takes office. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to welcome back as its first Guest Speaker of 2025, Civil War historian and author Chris Mackowski on Tuesday, January 21 at 7 p.m. In honor of the birthday of Stonewall Jackson, Chris will be presenting on his book, "The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson" of the Emerging Civil War series. The presentation will cover Jackson's military career and the last fateful days during the Battle of Chancellorsville that led to his mortal wounding. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. If you plan on attending, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

The Holland Land Office Museum’s first Java with Joe of 2025, will be on January 23! Our Executive Director, Ryan Duffy, will be talking about the life and legacy of Batavia’s own Medal of Honor and Order of the First Volunteer of the Civil War from New York recipient, Charles Rand! Admission is FREE and both coffee and donuts will be provided! Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Holland Land Office Museum will be closed January 1 through January 18

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum will be closed from Wednesday, January 1 through Saturday, January 18. The staff and volunteers of the museum will be working getting the museum ready for a brand new year in 2025 full of new exhibits, displays, programs and special events. 

The museum will be resuming its regular operating hours of Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, January 21. For further information or questions please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Celebrate the holidays at HLOM with Christmas concerts, trivia night, and more

By Press Release

Press Release:

Come to the Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM ) on Friday, December 6, at 7 p.m. for a Christmas concert featuring members of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra. A brass ensemble will treat everyone to all the classic holiday tunes. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, December 12 at 7 p.m. In honor of the end of prohibition in the United States, the topic is the 1930s. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Come to the Holland Land Office Museum on Friday, December 13 at 7 p.m. for a Christmas concert featuring Mike Whyman as he plays many of the classic holiday songs on acoustic guitar. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Come to the Holland Land Office Museum on Friday, December 20 at 7 p.m. for a Christmas concert featuring members of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra. That night a flute quartet will treat everyone with all the classic holiday tunes. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Photos: Wonderland of Trees opening gala at HLOM

By Howard B. Owens
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024

The Holland Land Office Museum hosted its annual Wonderland of Trees Gala on Friday evening, giving guest an opportunity to view all the trees decorated by local businesses and organizations, as well as participate in a basket raffle, and enjoy the holiday backing track provided by the DSP Jazz Trio.

Photos by Howard Owens.

HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024
HLOM wonderland of trees 2024

HLOM announces 24th annual Wonderland of Trees opening gala, 'Gingerbread & Peppermint'

By Press Release

Press Release:

On November 22 at 6 p.m., the 24th Annual Wonderland of Trees at the Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM) will officially kick off with our opening gala! Come view over 30 community trees and some amazing decorations! You will not want to miss out on all the amazing decorations, basket raffle, community atmosphere, and so much more! 

The DSP Jazz Trio will provide the music and food will be provided by Batavia's Original Pizzeria and The Alabama Hotel, along with desserts from A Sweet Ending Bakery! 

Tickets are $20, $15 for museum members, and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased through the museum’s website hollandlandoffice.com or at the museum.

Photo: DAR honors veterans at Holland Land Office Museum

By Howard B. Owens
dar-at-hlom
Kelly Heilemann, Pamela Ware, Robin Ettinger (all DAR members), Michael Doktor, deputy mayor for the village of Corfu, and Jesica Doktor, a prospective DAR member).
Photo by Howard Owens.

Members of the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution partnered with the Holland Land Office Museum on Wednesday to honor veterans from all eras, giving away pins, flags, challenge coins, stickers, and Constitution booklets.

"It's just our way of the DAR to help serve veterans and our mission to thank them for everything they've done for our country," said Robin Ettinger.

Holland Land Office in November includes Michael Block's Civil War presentation, trivia night and extended hours

By Press Release

Press Release:

On November 7 at 7 p.m., come to the next edition of the Guest Speakers Series and hear Public Historian Michael Block's presentation, "Only One Shout, Then a Terrible Silence!" The fighting along the Rappahannock on November 7, 1863, is lost in the general history of the Civil War. In the annuals of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia, the fighting usually receives a passing reference. The battles of Rappahannock Station and Kelly’s Ford resulted in lost opportunities for both armies. Admission is $5 for non-members and $3 for members, please get in contact with the museum if you would like to attend either at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

The museum is extending its hours every first Wednesday of the month until 8 p.m.! You will get personal tours from staff and volunteers, meaning you will get a more in-depth history of Batavia and Genesee County! You also may be able to go upstairs, if you are able and want to! 

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, November 14 at 7 p.m. In honor of the end of World War I, the topic is the 1910s. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

HLOM and DAR to host veterans open house on November 6

By Press Release

Press Release:

In honor of Veterans Day, the Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM) and the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR are hosting a Veterans Open House on Wednesday, November 6, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The HLOM and DAR chapter’s appreciation for their service will include special “thank you” gifts for each veteran, waiving their admission fee, and providing refreshments. 

The Anna Ingalsbe Lovell chapter members honor our Revolutionary patriots and support current and retired military personnel with donations and programs. 

Anne Marie Starowitz to speak at HLOM October story time

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next History Story Time. Since our last History Storytime last month, Anne Marie Starowitz will be back on October 26!

Starowitz will be doing the theme Halloween and Fall Treats from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to sign your kids or grandchildren up! It is sure to be spooktacular! Admission is $5 for non-members and $3 for members!

1850s portrait of five-year-old boy from Elba in dress back on display at HLOM

By Anne Marie Starowitz
boy in dress painting Holland Land Office Museum

I remember walking into the Holland Land Office Museum and looking at the large portrait of a young child hanging on the wall. 

It brought me back to a time when I took my daughters to have their yearly picture taken. It was either at J.J. Newberry or W. T. Grant Department Store. The cost of the sitting was free, and the price for an eight by 10 picture was 99 cents. 

You had three choices for background. If your child behaved and smiled, you could be on your way in 15 minutes, but if your child was not in the mood for that milestone 5-year-old portrait, you might have to leave without a picture. 

As difficult as it was to get a photo of a 5-year-old picture in 1981, the process was much more challenging in the 1850s. 

When Alva B. Willis from Elba wanted a portrait of his five-year-old son, Charlie, referred to as his favorite son, Willis needed to find an artist, which was a difficult task. 

One day, a peddler/sign painter put up a sign at Willis Tavern stating that he would do paintings of all kinds at a reasonable rate. Mr. Willis commissioned this artist to paint his son’s portrait.

In the 1850s, making paints and brushes was tedious. The brushes were made of squirrel and oxen hair tied together and inserted into a turkey quill. The quills were attached to wooden handles that were also made by hand. The different-sized brushes were distinguished by comparing them to the size of a bird. For example, the smallest brush would be called a lark, and the largest brush would be a swan. 

Making the paint was also quite an ordeal. The Colors were dull or muted earth pigments, red, yellow, ochre (yellow-brown), and lamp black (bluish-black). The pigments were ground into a powder and put into small containers. When needed, the powder was mixed with linseed oil. 

The next order of business was what Charlie should wear for his portrait. It was decided that he would wear his Sunday best. His mother made him a soft red dress embellished with many tiny stitches at the neck and hem. White pantaloons, daintily embroidered with delicate flowers, covered his knees. This was not an unusual outfit for a young boy in the 1850s.

The setting for the picture was at Spring Creek in Byron. It was a four-mile wagon ride for Charlie and his father. In the spring, Charlie was positioned with a fishing pole and a line of three freshly caught fish in one hand. On the ground beside him was his white hat, and in the band of the hat was a large ostrich feather.

It was a long and tiring day for Charlie to stand in the hot July sun for four to five hours. 

He would celebrate at the end of the day that he was free until tomorrow, when this ordeal would begin again. 

Charlie’s father was thrilled with the results and promptly paid the artist $160.00 for the portrait. 

Unfortunately, the portrait was never signed, and the story did not end there. Charles' great-grandson, Donald Prichard of Georgia, donated the portrait to the Holland Land Office in the 1990s. Many visitors have enjoyed viewing the portrait over the years, but it began to need restoration. So, after months of being away for conservation, the portrait of Charles Willis is back at the museum.   

So, please visit the Holland Land Office Museum and view a portrait of the 5-year-old Charlie with a fishing pole, holding a line with three fish, and posing in a red dress with white pantaloons.

HLOM announces October events, including trivia night, speaker Thomas Reigstad, and more

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Wednesday, October 9 at 7 p.m. Thomas Reigstad will be presenting his new book, "The Illustrated Mark Twain and the Buffalo Express," which was just published in February. 

The book collects ten entertaining feature stories published by Mark Twain in the Buffalo Express of 1869 and 1870, accompanied by illustrations drawn by six artists over nearly 115 years alongside my commentary. There are drawings by Twain himself, by his contemporaries John Harrison Mills and True Williams, by Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson, and by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonists Tom Toles and Adam Zyglis. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

Join the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, October 10 at 7 p.m. This month's trivia will be at GO Art! located at 201 E. Main St. Batavia. You can enjoy a drink there at Tavern 2.o.1. Looking back at Black Tuesday in 1929, our topic will be the Roaring Twenties. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Tuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. Museum Director Ryan Duffy will be sharing the details of the most momentous day in the history of the Holland Land Office Museum, "Land Office Day: October 13, 1894." 

On that day, thousands flocked to Batavia, including members of the Presidential Cabinet, to witness the dedication of the Holland Land Office as a museum under the ownership of the Holland Purchase Historical Society. Our history has now stretched 130 years this year and still going strong. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

On October 19, at the Holland Land Office Museum at 11 a.m. our Curator Tyler Angora will present on Victorian Mourning practices. Learn how, during the 19th century, death and mourning practices became huge traditions and practiced by many! Admission is $5 for non-members and $3 for members, contact the museum if you are interested in attending!

The Holland Land Office is proud to announce the next edition of our Java with Joe E. series on Thursday, October 24 at 9 a.m. This month we welcome James Morasco and Bart Dentino as they perform, "Vincenzo's Dream: The True Story of One Family’s Journey From Italy to America Through the Generations." Admission is free with coffee and cookies. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

“By the time of Vincenzo’s death in 1983 he had seen and experienced, among other things, the use of the automobile as it replaced the horse and buggy. Modern medicine. WWI, The Great Depression, WWII, and the Vietnam conflict. And although he did not believe it to be real, he watched TV as Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon." 

Using poetry, song, and storytelling Jim and Bart share an intimate and profound tale that to this day, continues to unfold. Listen as Vincenzo’s story is weaved, connecting the threads of time to produce the fabric for each generation that follows. Thank you to Pub Hub Coffee for their sponsorship of Java with Joe E. for 2024.

Holland Land Office Museum celebrates the US Constitution for monthly trivia night

By Press Release

Press Release:

Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM), in honor of Constitution Week (September 17 to 23), has scheduled the museum’s monthly trivia game topic on the U.S. Constitution.  

The HLOM, with support from the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR, is providing the 1st and 2nd place prizes. The chapter has again contributed information for the Robert Morris display which documents Genesee County's connection to the nation’s founding.

Constitution week began in 1956 at the request of the NSDAR to Congress and was enacted by President Eisenhower. September 17 is always the opening day of Constitution week’s celebrations.

For more information on joining the NSDAR or Constitution Week please go to www.dar.org.

Trivia is set for September 12 at 7 p.m., light refreshments will be served. There is a $5 admission fee that covers the Trivia game.

September at the HLOM includes extended hours, trivia night, lectures, live music

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is extending its hours every first Wednesday of the month until 8 p.m.! Come on in on Wednesday, September 4 from 5 - 8 p.m. and you will get personal tours from staff and volunteers, meaning you will get a more in-depth history of Batavia and Genesee County! You also may be able to go upstairs, if you are able and want to! General museum admission applies.

Join the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night at the Museum on Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m. In honor of Constitution Week, we are collaborating with the Anna Ingaslbe Lovell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to put together trivia on the US Constitution to win prizes and enjoy refreshments. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

On Saturday, September 14 at 11 a.m., come hear from our Executive Director, Ryan Duffy as he presents, & The Holland Land Company & the Development of WNY! The history of the land of Western New York is cobbled together through many purchases and development groups, the Holland Land Company being the most profound. Its desire to sell the land west of the Genesee River created the foundations of the area to this day. Admission is $5 for non-members and $3 for members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

On Wednesday, September 18, at 7 p.m., come for a presentation by Patrick F Ryan, the Cultural Curator at The Richardson Olmsted Campus and the Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo! “The Richardson Olmsted Campus: Past, Present, & Future,” This lecture covers the complicated history of the former Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, now the Richardson Olmsted Campus. Learn how three of the 19th century's finest minds, Thomas Story Kirkbride, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Henry Hobson Richardson came together to create one of the nation's most famous architectural treasures. The program will examine mental health treatment, architecture, landscape design, and current-day rehabilitation efforts. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

On Friday, September 20 at 7 p.m. at the Holland Land Office Museum, come listen to the Batavia famous Strummerz band, playing all the hits from the 1950s, 60s, and & 70s! Please get in contact with the museum if you are planning on attending! Either email us at hollandlandofficemuseum@gmail.com or call us at (585) 343 – 4727. Admission is $5 for non-members and $4 for members.

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for our Java with Joe E. morning presentation series on Thursday, September 26 at 9 a.m. Bergen Town Historian, Tom Tiefel, will be presenting, “Lt. Thomas J. Dean, Letters Home: The ‘Soldier Boy’ of North Bergen.” “From farmer to fighter of the 8th NY Heavy Artillery. The Civil War in his own words and his life beyond the Crater. Accounts, artifacts and the life of Thomas J. Dean.” Admission is free with coffee and cookies. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend. Thank you to Pub Hub Coffee for sponsoring Java with Joe E. for 2024. 

Bring the kids by the Holland Land Office Museum for our new History Story time for Fall 2024. On Saturday, September 28 at 11 a.m. Anne Marie Starowitz will return to her favorite place to oversee a children’s Story Hour. On a Saturday morning every month, she will engage kids in learning about local history and creating a seasonal art project. Admission is $5 or $3 or museum members. If you would like to sign up please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Spooky season kicks off with haunted ghost walks and eerie presentations at HLOM

By Press Release

Press Release:

Correction: October 2 will be the Westside and October 17 will be for the Downtown stories.

On October 4 and 18, the Holland Land Office Museum will be conducting Downtown Ghost Walks. The walks begin at GO Art! to then venture through various streets! Listening to ghoulish and spooky stories from Batavia's Downtown past! The walk will be about two miles starting and ending at GO Art!, parking is in the parking lot across the street! Tickets will be $15 for non-members and $10 for members! You can find the link to purchase tickets on the museum website at www.hollandlandoffice.com. Better to be safe than sorry! Spots will fill fast like plots in a cemetery, so ensure you get a good one!

On October 11 and 25, join us at the Holland Land Office Museum to begin our West Side Batavia Ghost tour through various streets! Listening to ghoulish and spooky stories from Batavia's Westside past! The walk will be about two miles starting and ending at the museum! Tickets will be $15 for non-members and $10 for members! You can find the link to purchase tickets on the museum website at www.hollandlandoffice.com. Better to be safe than sorry! Spots will fill fast like plots in a cemetery, so ensure you get a good one!

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum on Wednesday, October 2 or Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m., as Connie Boyd shares the spooky, sinister, and weird documented stories from the Westside. Come and listen to tales of murder, ghosts, body-snatching hangings, and abandoned cemeteries. This presentation is the same as our Westside Ghost Walk, perfect for those who don't want to or cannot go on our guided Ghost Walks. Tickets are $5/$3 for museum members. If you would like to attend please contact the museum at 585-343-4727.

“This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!”

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