The History Center in Tompkins County

Home
Events
Tours

HISTORY TOURS IN TOMPKINS COUNTY

GUIDED TOURS

The History Center in Tompkins County offers guided, thematic tours that explore different parts of Tompkins County history. Specific tours are scheduled at various points throughout the year - like our Haunted History tours in the month of October - and vary in availability. Please check out our upcoming tour options and availabilities on our Events Calendar.

Tours are lead by our Ithaca Heritage Ambassadors, and staff members. Also in collaboration with Historic Ithaca and other community partners we have helped create over 40 self-guided tours with the free PocketSights app exploring Tompkins County (scroll down to see selections of these tours).

Individuals or groups interested in scheduling private guided tours of The History Center Exhibit Hall should contact community@thehistorycenter.net. We are not able to accommodate all requested times for tours so in your email please include a few possibilities. Private tours and field trips for groups are available at $150-$225 sliding scale in support of The History Center.

REQUEST A TOUR

**INSIDER TIP** Our community partner (but separate organization) Historic Ithaca regularly hosts architectural tours in the community. Please visit their website at historicithaca.org

UPCOMING GUIDED TOURS

BOOK 7/29 PLACE TOUR

The following 1-hour guided tours can be purchased for private groups by request:

Please contact director@thehistorycenter.net with your requested tour dates & times. We are not able to accommodate all requests, but will do our best.

Private tours and field trips for groups are available at $150-$225 sliding scale in support of The History Center.

SELF-GUIDED TOURS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY

POCKETSIGHTS SELF-GUIDED TOURS

PocketSights is a FREE mobile tour guide app. Anyone with a smart phone or tablet can download the app for free from the App Store and immediately access thousands of self-guided tours around the world.

Ithaca Heritage, Historic Ithaca, The History Center in Tompkins County and other local partners have been partnering with PocketSights since 2017 in developing over 40 walking, biking, and driving historic tours of Ithaca and Tompkins County. Download the app today and start exploring! Be sure to tag us at @tompkinshistory in any pictures you share to social media!

**There are additional PocketSights tours in Tompkins County that highlight local art, co-ops, geology, waterfalls, college campuses, and other notable sites. The tours below specifically highlight only local history.

A Literary Walking Tour of Ithaca (Historic Brochure Edition (1986))

Historic Schools of Tompkins County

History & Art - Driving Tour of Tompkins County

History & Art - Walking Tour of Downtown Ithaca

Ithaca LGBTQ History Walking Tour

The Southside Loop

Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Ithaca

The Biggest Little Movie City

The Southside's African-American Heritage Walking Tour (Historic Brochure Edition 2003)

Ithaca College: A Walking Tour of Its Downtown Roots

William Henry Miller Lower Collegetown Architecture Walking Tour

Ithaca Literary Tour

Finding Fires - Tompkins County Trail

Finding Fires - Ithaca Trail

Finding Fires - Trumansburg Trail

Finding Fires - Dryden Trail

Ithaca Women of Note

Tompkins County Veteran's Memorials

20 Historical Bridges in Tompkins County

Wharton Studio Silent Film Tour

History Hike of Ithaca

DeWitt Park Historic District

Lower East Hill Historic District

Beebe Lake Tour

Cornell Heights Historic Driving Tour

Religious Buildings in Downtown Ithaca

HistoryForge Day 2017: Connecting the Generations

Barns of Tompkins County

Ezra Cornell Historic Tour

Stewart Park History

The Village of Dryden

The Village of Cayuga Heights

The Historic Hamlet of Brooktondale

The Village of Trumansburg

HISTORIC TOURS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY

St. James AME Zion Church Immersive Tour - Local Histories of the Underground Railroad

In 2021, CyArk, Cornell University, and St. James AME Zion Church in Ithaca, NY collaborated to digitally document and produce a virtual guided tour of the church, which historically served as a station on the Underground Railroad. CyArk worked with Cornell and church leaders to document and share histories, memories, and songs part of the church's legacy historically and today.

Six Mile Creek

Six Mile Creek, called Teegastoweas Creek in the earliest map of Ithaca, winds its way for twenty miles from its headwaters in the Town of Dryden, through the forests and fields of the Town of Caroline, the hamlets of Slaterville Springs and Brooktondale, and on down to its outlet on Cayuga Lake. It has long served as the source of the City of Ithaca’s drinking water, and therefore remains a vital resource for Tompkins County.

Cemeteries of Tompkins County

This interactive map lists all the cemeteries in Tompkins County including family cemeteries, and settlement cemeteries. Grab a copy of our Cemetery Scavenger Hunt for extra fun before you go!

Black History in Ithaca

Since Ithaca’s founding in 1804, Southside has been home to interesting, dedicated people committed to the preservation and enrichment of their and their community’s Black heritage, culture, and way of life.

Ithaca History Walk #1

Download the Geocaching Adventures app to access the first in our series of local history adventures throughout Tompkins County. The walk will take about one hour and traverse 1 1/2 miles throughout Downtown Ithaca, directing you to different historic locations.

Tompkins County Railroad Tour

Self-guided bus tour prepared by David Rossiter. Explores 36 railroad locations in Tompkins County.

Tour Guide PDF and Tour Map

OTHER GUIDED TOURS IN TOMPKINS COUNTY

Tompkins County has a wealth of beautiful views, delicious food, and educational experiences. Below are some community partners who host regular tours on a range of topics and experiences. You can also explore Visit Ithaca to see upcoming events in the region.