I’ve never been one for year end retrospectives. At The History Center, we deal in decades and centuries, which can overshadow the change or transition that occurs in a single year. But as we approach the beginning of the new year, I’m looking forward to building on all of our team’s work over the past year for an exciting 2024. Whether or not you enjoy the look back each December, what holds true is that both last year and next year would not be possible without the generous support of our local history family. Your support of our shared history is vital for the next generations to call Tompkins County home. On their behalf, I want to express my profound gratitude for your willingness to join me and hundreds of others in this important mission.

The core of our work isn’t particularly flashy; it’s the routine and careful storage, care, use, and interpretation of everything from family quilts to atomic toilets, from 19th century maps to jpegs. Each item - capturing a moment or a practice or a person – demands a unique and specific type of care. And that care needs to be repeated, once again not on a yearly basis but over decades and centuries. The total sum of work involved in this preservation is hard to quantify, but it is demonstrably more than any one group or organization could accomplish on their own. This is why we are so lucky to count you part of our local history team. Every day, I can see how blessed we are to have such a passionate and invested community as partners in preservation, in learning, and in exploration.

We’re always looking for more partners in local history! I hope you will join us throughout the coming year to explore a wide range of history through our next exhibit, new and favorite programs, and more preservation initiatives. Even better, if you join us for a CHAT, a vintage baseball game, a walking tour, or a new exhibit, I hope you will invite a friend to join our local history family. Their lives will be richer for it, and so will ours. Together, we can share the charge to steward our local history into the future. Thank you for joining us this past year, and I’m thrilled to have you along for the ride next year.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Ben Sandberg

Executive Director