Presentations

The County Historian offers presentations on various local history topics, providing learning opportunities to all. Public programs are offered free of charge and are generally geared to adult learners.

For closed group lectures that are not open to the public at large, we may charge the hosting agency a nominal fee of $50. This does not apply to programs for nursing homes, schools, and municipal departments.

Available presentations include:

  • Agricultural Innovation in the Genesee Valley

    • Agriculture is a bedrock industry in the Genesee Valley, and generations of farmers have grown and innovated, making the hard work of farming a little easier while nourishing the county and beyond.

  • NEW: Conesus Lake Ice Harvest

    • During the winter, Conesus Lake’s icy expanse is mostly a playground, but for decades it also meant employment and crucial refrigeration during the hot summer months.

  • NEW: Craig Colony: Letchworth's Influence and a Journey of Change

    • Explore William Pryor Letchworth's role in establishing Craig Colony for Epileptics at Sonyea and how the institution evolved over the next nine decades, ending with how we can continue Letchworth's legacy of advocacy.

  • Demystifying the Livingston County Poorhouse

    • Poorhouses can have a complex history, but historical records can help us understand the evolution of care at these institutions and dignify the poorhouse residents so they are not forgotten.

  • Doing Local History and Genealogy Research at the County Historian's Office

    • Learn about how the County Historian's Office can help you with your research! Customized program can include tips and tricks for several favorite free online resources as well.

  • From Tiny to Giant: Performers and Spectacle

    • For generations, people from the Genesee Valley have been drawn to entertainment and spectacle or--for fame or fortune--have even become a spectacle themselves.

  • Legacy of the Genesee Valley Canal

    • Vibrant communities sprouted up along the path of the Genesee Valley Canal path in the 1800s, and although the canal has been gone for almost 150 years, the old canal route continues to tie these communities together.
Sara Jane McBride program, Learn About Letchworth series, August 2023

  • Murray Hill: Private Home to Public Services

    • Murray Hill in Mt. Morris has taken care of people for generations – as a home, a hospital, and now human services.

  • Railroad Remnants: Depots and Pathways

    • Depots and pathways are visible remnants of long-gone railroads, and these relics have lives of their own that enrich communities and remember the past.

  • Sara Jane McBride: Pioneering Entomologist and Fly Tyer

    • Sara J. McBride was one of the first to link entomology with fly tying in America, publishing about the concept of “match the hatch” almost 100 years before it became widely popularized.

  • NEW: Sullivan Campaign of the American Revolution

    • The Sullivan Campaign is a complex event of the American Revolution that has had a lasting impact on indigenous people and the trajectory of Western New York. The Genesee Valley is at the heart of the events of almost 250 years ago.

  • 12 Olden Days of Christmas

    • An advent-calendar style exploration of Christmas and other holiday traditions over the years. 
  • Several community-focused presentations:

    • Avon: Stay, Play and Grow

    • Livonia: The Place to Go to Have Fun

    • Mt. Morris: Vibrant History and Identity

    • Dansville: A Worldly Town

    • Livingston County: 205 Years in Review

      • Customizable history of the county/region, prominent people, and industries.

If you have a topic in mind that is not listed, please contact us to discuss!