Richardson-Bates House Museum
The Richardson-Bates House Museum was built for Oswego attorney, real estate
developer, and two-term Mayor, Max Richardson (portrait below) in two stages from
1876-1890. In 1946, Richardson's descendants donated the house and furnishings
to the Oswego County Historical Society to serve as a Museum and the Society's
headquarters.Today, the house contains period rooms, permanent and changing exhibit galleries, collection storage areas, and a research library. Much of the first floor is preserved as the Richardson family knew it; the Entry Hall, Reception Room, Drawing Room (below), and Dining Room are all furnished in accordance with 1880s photographs that were taken in the house. The second floor contains Naomi Richardson's Bedroom, as well as a permanent Oswego County history exhibit, and a "temporary" gallery featuring rotating exhibits developed from the Museum's collection of about 30,000 objects and photographs.
Visitors to the Museum are given a guided tour, where through Richardson family photographs, diaries, and letters, they can gain an insight into the prevailing Victorian attitudes at the turn of the century as reflected in one middle class family in Oswego, New York. In the Oswego County exhibit, visitors can also experience the rich history of the county as a whole.
For more information on the Richardson-Bates House Museum, call the Oswego County Historical Society @ (315) 343-1342
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