The History Center in Tompkins County

Home
Events
Tours

UPCOMING GUIDED TOURS

This specialty tour offers audiences to explore prohibition from the safety of the 21st century. The walking tour visits some of the local haunts that sprung up after Ithaca went dry in October 1918, several years before the Volstead Act enforced the 18th Amendment. Join The History Center for scandalous tales of exciting raids and intoxicated shenanigans set against the backdrop of Ithaca during the roaring 1920's.

This is not a food/beverage tour.

Book 'History of the Commons'

This one hour tour will explore the city block which now houses the Tompkins Center for History & Culture (including The History Center in Tompkins County), the Masonic Temple, the Ithaca Times, and the south-west side of the Ithaca Commons.

This tour is adapted from the 'Around the Block' exhibit on display at The History Center in Tompkins County Exhibit Hall.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY - This tour is accessible for wheelchair users, and those with other mobility support devices. Covers 0.4 miles of flat paved surfaces.

The following 1-hour guided tours can be booked 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.

*Haunted History tours are held annually each October. 2022 dates will be announced in July 2022.

PRIVATE 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

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.

History & Art - Walking Tour of Downtown Ithaca

History & Art - Driving Tour of Tompkins County

Historic Schools of Tompkins County

The Biggest Little Movie City

Finding Fires - Tompkins County Trail

Finding Fires - Ithaca Trail

Finding Fires - Trumansburg Trail

Finding Fires - Dryden Trail

Ithaca LGBTQ History Walking Tour

Wharton Studio Silent Film Tour

Barns of Tompkins County

Ithaca Literary Tour

Ithaca Women of Note

Tompkins County Veteran's Memorials

The Southside Loop

20 Historical Bridges in Tompkins County

History Hike of Ithaca

DeWitt Park Historic District

Lower East Hill Historic District

Beebe Lake Tour

Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Ithaca

Religious Buildings in Downtown Ithaca

HistoryForge Day 2017: Connecting the Generations

Cornell Heights Historic Driving Tour

Ezra Cornell Historic Tour

Ithaca College: A Walking Tour of Its Downtown Roots

Stewart Park History

William Henry Miller Lower Collegetown Architecture Walking Tour

The Village of Dryden

The Village of Cayuga Heights

The Historic Hamlet of Brooktondale

The Village of Trumansburg

HISTORIC TOURS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY

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!

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

Exploring Fall Creek History

Fall Creek flows past Tompkins County places whose names pronounce its natural wonders. Dive into these selected place name histories of Fall Creek sites to gain a unique perspective on the people who have shaped and been shaped by Tompkins County’s natural heritage.

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.

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.