The Tompkins County Historian curates and preserves historic collections, documents, photographs, artifacts, and records owned by the Town that have importance to the founding and continuing growth of Tompkins County. The historian also researches, writes, and makes public presentations on aspects of town history, serving as a resource to the community. This position is not directly staffed by The History Center in Tompkins County but rather is employed by the county. 

The Tompkins County Historian has an office located beside the back entrance to the Cornell Local Research Library within the Exhibit Hall, and another office at the Tompkins County Administrator building.

125 East Court Street
Ithaca, NY  14850

Phone: (607) 274-5551

Contact by Email

CAROL KAMMEN

Tompkins County Historian from 2000-Present

A graduate of George Washington University, Kammen has taught local history at Ithaca High School, Tompkins-Cortland Community College, and Cornell University. Kammen has served as the Tompkins County Historian since 2000, but has been contributing published works and programs about Tompkins County history since the mid-1960's. 

• Tompkins County Historian Carol Kammen Awarded 2020 Herbert H. Lehman Prize for Distinguished Service in New York History
  
• Interview with Tompkins County Historian Carol Kammen by the Out of Bounds Radio Show in 2007 (27 min)
• Carol Kammen - Encyclopedia.com
• Carol Kammen papers, 1973-2014 Collection Number: 4295 - Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections - Cornell University Library