The annual meeting of the Historical Society is open to all members and the public. We will be voting to fill vacancies in two officer positions (vice president and secretary) and to fill board vacancies. Membership on the board is open to any member of the society (even if you join that night!) and requires only a love for our community, with no particular knowledge of local history required. We welcome and need more help to keep producing the free events that so many hundreds of people enjoy every year, and we need help in raising money to save and improve the two precious buildings in our care, both of which are on the National Register of Historic Places: the 1846 Bristol Center Church, which is the focus of a fund-raising campaign to restore its stained-glass windows, paint its exterior, and repair its interior ceiling; and the 1923 South Bristol Grange Hall, which needs interior modernizing to accommodate the large crowds that attend our events. In addition to elections, we will be filling a time capsule in recognition of America’s 250th birthday. Bring a letter to the future or a small item signifying the times we now live in. Whatever fits will be kept for safekeeping until America’s 300th in 50 years.

Bristol Hills Historical Society, Canandaigua History Alliance, and the towns of Canandaigua, Bristol, and South Bristol invite the public to this two-day "Freedom Festival," June 13-14, 2026, featuring Revolutionary War and pioneer reenactors, period crafts people, vintage games for children and adults, performances, lectures, and other activities commemorating life in the Finger Lakes during our nation’s earliest days. A full schedule is available at bristolhillshistory.org/freedomfestival2026. Revolutionary-era activities will all take place on Saturday, with some carrying over to Sunday, while Sunday’s event features the annual Bristol Fun Day lineup of food, local vendors and organizations, a parade and car show, and live music. All activities both days take place at Bristol's Levi Corser Park in Bristol Center. More details in this May 18 press release.

The Historical Society’s most popular annual event is back! Visitors can view the burning spring that Senecas revered and showed to French explorers in 1669, walk up the gully to a scenic waterfall, tour the spring-blooming gardens, and watch professional plein air artists painting scenes throughout the property. The private property's owner, who allows access only during this annual event, will give a talk on the site's history at 2 p.m. on each of the two days the site is open. A charitable contribution of $5 to the historical society is appreciated. Children welcome. Please, no dogs. This event repeats at the same times on Sunday, May 31. Read more of the history of this site here. Read answers to frequently asked questions about the open weekend event here.

A unique look at history through original postcards from the suffrage era. Carol Crossed, president and founder of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, draws from her collection of more than 400 authentic, century-old postcards to show how they were used to debate women’s rights, abolition, temperance, and social change in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This colorful, often humorous look back features in-depth explorations of the artists associated with one of the most radical eras in U.S. history. Sponsored by the Bristol Hills Historical Society. More details in this press release.

The Bristol Hills Historical Society is a proud participant in the National Wreaths Across America Day, when thousands of cemeteries nationwide host wreath-laying ceremonies to honor the nation’s veterans and their families for the sacrifices they made. On Saturday, December 13, we will once again honor more than 80 local veterans at their graves in four Bristol and South Bristol cemeteries with wreaths donated by community members. After a brief dedication ceremony outside the 1846 Bristol Center Church, volunteers will lay donated wreaths on the graves in the adjacent Bristol Center cemetery and at one other cemetery in Bristol (Vincent Hill) and two in South Bristol (Coye and Wilder). We can think of no more moving experience than to lay the wreath and say each veteran’s name aloud, demonstrating the community’s commitment to never forget veterans’ service to their country. Go to this web page to sponsor wreaths for local veterans and go to this page to learn more about this annual event. This year’s press release is here.

Local painter and Naples High School teacher Ira Randall was a local legend known for landscape paintings of the homes and countryside around South Bristol and Naples, and for his meticulous diorama models of Naples and Bristol Springs. Naples historian Ken Poole has interviewed collectors, friends, and family members to create a pictorial timeline of Randall’s work. This presentation will mark the opening of a temporary Randall gallery, with about 75 paintings on loan from local residents and family members. The gallery at the Grange will also be open for limited hours during the following three days, Sept. 19-21. The exhibition will be open on the night of Poole’s talk, Sept. 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit hours on the following days are: Friday, Sept. 19, 5-8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19 and 20, 10 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more details, read the press release here.

Did you know there were once 15 Finger Lakes? Or that Canandaigua Lake once formed a crooked fork like Keuka? Rick Bates will explain how our beautiful, slender lakes were carved into this landscape, leaving behind the gentle slopes, deep gullies, and spectacular waterfalls we admire today. Explore the three Gs of our unique region: geography, geology, and glaciers. For more details, read the Aug. 25 press release.

All members are invited to the official annual meeting of the Historical Society. Hear our plans for upcoming events and projects and vote for officers and board members. All officer positions are up for election and are open to any member. Several board positions are also available. Come and meet the Society’s leadership and enjoy an ice cream and strawberry social after the business meeting. To join or to renew your membership, go to this web page.

See the video version of the illustrated storybook that tells the stories of the Bristol Hills, from the glaciers’ carving of our hills and lakes to Native Americans’ creation lore and early settlers’ colorful lives. Through a collaboration with Finger Lakes Community College, the Bristol Hills Historical Society produced this 35-minute video that brings to life the popular book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills. Set to original music by The Marion Band, the video features readings from the book with animated versions of Anna Overmoyer’s lush watercolors, along with behind-the-scenes commentary by the book’s creators. Paperback copies of the book will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Bristol Hills Historical Society. View a trailer and learn more about the video and the book at this link. More information on the West Bloomfield Historical Society at this link. This event is free and open to the public.

The Bristol Hills Historical Society is a proud participant in this festive, annual gathering at Levi Corser Park in beautiful downtown Bristol Center. Our booth inside the pavilion will feature a collection of historic photos and maps from Bristol and the Bristol Valley, and we’ll be selling historic prints, our popular book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills, and handsome Bristol Hills Historical Society shirts in multiple styles. Let us tell you about our volunteer-led organization that works to preserve our rich history. Come and enjoy live music, products from local vendors, a huge used book sale benefiting the library, vintage cars and tractors, games for adults and kids, a silent auction of local products to benefit the park’s upkeep, and a cornucopia of food and drink, all preceded by a church service at the park and the region’s shortest, cutest parade. Contact the town for information on becoming a vendor and other logistical questions about the event.

The Historical Society’s most popular annual event is back! Visitors can view the burning spring that Senecas revered and showed to French explorers in 1669, walk up the gully to a scenic waterfall, tour the spring-blooming gardens, and watch professional plein air artists painting scenes throughout the property. The private property's owner, who allows access only during this annual event, will give a talk on the site's history at 2 p.m. on each of the two days the site is open. A charitable contribution of $5 to the historical society is appreciated. Children welcome. Please, no dogs. This event repeats at the same times on Sunday, June 1. Read more details on this event in the May 12 press release. Read more of the history of this site here. Read answers to frequently asked questions about the open weekend event here.

IMPORTANT UPDATES ON WEATHER-RELATED CHALLENGES FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT

As the bicentennial approaches of General Marquis de Lafayette’s June 1825 farewell tour, the Bristol Hills Historical Society welcomes Christopher Carosa, author of the new book History Unleashed: Lafayette’s Remarkable Tour of the Greater Western New York Region. Hear how the French hero of the American Revolution made his way from Rochester through Mendon and Bloomfield to Canandaigua and Geneva: where he stayed, whom he met, what the Canandaigua Main Street parade for him looked like – and even the mythical claims by many more sites along the route that later claimed “Lafayette stayed here.” As Lafayette’s entourage traversed what was still largely frontier wilderness, he encountered what the book’s publisher calls “a vibrant tapestry of cultures, communities, and pivotal moments in American history. From his encounters with Native American tribes to his interactions with settlers and soldiers, Lafayette's journey illuminates the rich history of the region and its profound impact on the shaping of a nation.” Free and open to the public.

See the video version of the illustrated storybook that tells the stories of the Bristol Hills, from the glaciers’ carving of our hills and lakes to Native Americans’ creation lore and early settlers’ colorful lives. Through a collaboration with Finger Lakes Community College, the Bristol Hills Historical Society produced this 35-minute video that brings to life the popular book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills. Set to original music by The Marion Band, the video features readings from the book with animated versions of Anna Overmoyer’s lush watercolors, along with behind-the-scenes commentary by the book’s creators. Children welcome (this is February break week). Paperback copies of the book will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Bristol Hills Historical Society. View a trailer and learn more about the video and the book at bristolhillshistory.org/book-video. This event is free and open to the public.

For more than a century, a statue known as “the Christ of West Lake Road” has stood as a beacon, first to boaters on Canandaigua Lake looking for a chapel that served early 20th century lake worshipers, and for the past 90 years farther uphill, on a hilltop visible from West Lake Road and the Notre Dame Retreat House. Christine Farren, a granddaughter of the landowners who worked to preserve the statue, will tell the story of its integral role in the recreational history of Canandaigua Lake and the wider cultural heritage of the Canandaigua area. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Bristol Hills Historical Society.

See the video version of the illustrated storybook that tells the stories of the Bristol Hills, from the glaciers’ carving of our hills and lakes to Native Americans’ creation lore and early settlers’ colorful lives. Through a collaboration with Finger Lakes Community College, the Bristol Hills Historical Society produced this 35-minute video that brings to life the popular book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills. Set to original music by The Marion Band, the video features readings from the book with animated versions of Anna Overmoyer’s lush watercolors, along with behind-the-scenes commentary by the book’s creators. It will be followed by a Q&A with the book’s general editor, John Holtz. Paperback copies of the book will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Bristol Hills Historical Society. View a trailer and learn more about the video and the book at bristolhillshistory.org/book-video. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Quail Summit dining room.

See the video version of the illustrated storybook that tells the stories of the Bristol Hills, from the glaciers’ carving of our hills and lakes to Native Americans’ creation lore and early settlers’ colorful lives. Through a collaboration with Finger Lakes Community College, the Bristol Hills Historical Society produced this 35-minute video that brings to life the popular book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills. Set to original music by The Marion Band, the video features readings from the book with animated versions of Anna Overmoyer’s lush watercolors, along with behind-the-scenes commentary by the book’s creators. Children welcome (this is February break week). Paperback copies of the book will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Bristol Hills Historical Society. View a trailer and learn more about the video and the book at bristolhillshistory.org/book-video. This event is free and open to the public and is brought to you by the Historical Society and the Bristol Library. Register at this library link (not required, but helpful given the library’s limited seating capacity).

The Historical Society proudly participates in the nationwide Wreaths Across America project. Sponsor wreaths to be placed on local military veterans’ graves during the holiday season. You can sponsor wreaths and sign up to help us place them on graves by going to this web page. The day’s events locally begin at noon with a brief dedication ceremony at one of the Historical Society’s sites on the National Register of Historic Places, the Bristol Center Church. From there we go to four cemeteries in Bristol and South Bristol to honor veterans individually at graveside.

The Historical Society’s popular illustrated book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills debuts in video form, thanks to a collaboration between the Historical Society and Finger Lakes Community College. Read more here about this unique, 35-minute, animated production set to original folk music by the local Marion Band (there’s a trailer to view too). And read more here about the book itself, which has sold more than 1,000 copies since its publication in 2023. There will be a 2 p.m. showing of the video followed by a panel discussion with the creators of the video and the book, and then by a reception and a 4 p.m. repeat showing of the video. The 4 p.m. showing will be captioned for the hard of hearing. Links at this calendar listing and at the video’s web page will take you to the registration page when it opens to the public on October 26. Members of the Bristol Hills Historical Society will receive an email providing an early-bird registration starting October 21. Click here to join the Society. Registration is free to Historical Society members and members of the Rochester Museum and Science Center, whose Cumming Nature Center hosts the video premiere. Others will be charged Cumming’s standard $3 admission fee.

To win the Civil War, the Union sent more than half a million soldiers into the field between 1861-1865. They all had to be recruited, paid, transported, fed, supplied, armed, and cared for after the battles. All of that cost money and permanently changed our economy and monetary system. Dr. Preston Pierce, the Ontario County historian, will tell how that happened and how those changes affect us even today, including the design of the cash in our wallets and the existence of a central bank that has such a huge effect on our pocketbooks. His talk is free and open to the public. Read more about Pierce’s research on this topic here.

Modern research in geography, ecology, and history can tell us much about the forests that covered the Bristol Hills and western Finger Lakes before the arrival of white settlers. SUNY Geneseo geographer Stephen Tulowiecki will share what research, including his own, reveals about the forests of the region in the late 1700s. How had Native Americans already changed those forests through periodic burning? And, based on what we know about the locations of their settlements and major trails, where can we still see faint traces of Native American land stewardship? Read more about this talk and the speaker here.

The Historical Society’s official Annual Meeting this year features more than just board and officer elections and other society business. Beth Thomas, town historian for Bristol and South Bristol, will give a talk on how the Naples-to-Rochester region’s giants of the abolitionist and suffrage movements — Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Helen Pitts, William Marks, and Emily Parmely Collins — all met here, and how they forged friendships and cooperation in their missions. Learn how their local speeches, events, and activism helped lead to the post-Civil War constitutional amendments and to a more just America. Free and open to the public. We welcome any and all at our monthly meetings, but the annual meeting is an especially good time to learn more about our volunteer-run organization and its busy calendar of events. Refreshments will be served!

The Historical Society once again will take part in the annual Bristol Fun Day with a church service in the Society’s 1846 Bristol Center Church, followed at 11 a.m. with a parade leading to the festivities in Levi Corser Park. We will have a booth featuring historic photos and maps, and will offer for sale our popular illustrated book History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills, along with Historical Society T-shirts, postcards and prints of Bristol Hills artwork, and information on joining to support our volunteer-run society. Come support local vendors and organizations. Enjoy live music, good eats (chicken barbeque, hots and burgers, homemade pies), games for the kids, vintage cars and tractors, and a silent auction to support the park.

The Historical Society welcomes Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, best known for the theme song from the PBS documentary The Civil War, “Ashokan Farewell,” on stage at our very own Bristol Springs Grange Hall. Jay and Molly are renowned performers whose shows are storytelling events celebrating American folk music and this couple’s unique place in it. Tickets went on sale March 29 at this site. As of April 13, this show is completely SOLD OUT. The ticket site now has a waitlist, in case any cancellations create more ticket availability. Sign up at the bottom of any page on this website for our email newsletter, which will announce details about this concert and our other events. Read more here about Jay & Molly.

The Historical Society’s most popular annual event is back! Visitors can view the burning spring that Senecas revered and showed to French explorers in 1669, walk up the gully to a scenic waterfall, tour the spring-blooming gardens, and watch professional plein air artists painting scenes throughout the property. The private property's owner, who allows access only during this annual event, will give a talk on the site's history at 2 p.m. on each of the two days the site is open. A charitable contribution of $5 to the historical society is appreciated. Children welcome. Please, no dogs. This event repeats at the same times on Sunday, May 26. Note that unlike past years, this year’s event is on one weekend only. Read more of the history of this site here. Read answers to frequently asked questions about the open weekend event here.

Falconry is believed to be the oldest sport in the world, dating back thousands of years. Local falconer Markus Hardt tells the story of this ancient sport, how he trained and got licensed for it, and its presence in the Bristol Hills today. Markus will bring his trained bird for this audiovisual journey through the history of falconry and its present-day practice in our region. Free admission. Read the press release on this event here.

It’s been 99 years since a total solar eclipse plunged the Bristol Hills into absolute darkness, and it will be another 120 years before it happens here again. Get ready for this once-in-a-lifetime experience with an expert guide, NASA “ambassador” James Porter, two weeks before the April 8 eclipse. Hear from this veteran spacecraft engineer what to expect, why our region will find itself in such a narrow band of total darkness as it crosses North America, and how to view it safely. Attendees receive free eclipse glasses — a safety must for viewing the sun as it disappears behind the moon. Co-sponsored by the Bristol Library and Bristol Hills Historical Society. Because of the high level of interest in this program at the library, the library requires you to register to attend. Go here to register.

The Historical Society once again is a proud participant in the National Wreaths Across America Day, this year with four local cemeteries where we will place wreaths on 77 veterans’ graves and read their names aloud. Before the placement of the wreaths, we will gather for a brief dedication of the wreaths in the historic Bristol Center Methodist Church, adjacent to one of the cemeteries included in the wreath placements (the others are Vincent Hill in Bristol and Coye and Wilder cemeteries in South Bristol). To learn more about sponsoring wreaths and volunteering to help place the wreaths, click here. And for a link to the page to donate wreaths, click here.

Just in time for your holiday shopping, the lead creators of the Historical Society’s popular History and Mystery: The Folklore and Legends of the Bristol Hills will sign books at one of the local retailers offering the book for sale. Read more here about this popular illustrated keepsake, a collection of stories about the Bristol Hills’ founding legends and renowned historical sites, now in its third printing and available only through select retailers when the Society’s public events are on hiatus. Meet the book’s general editor, John Holtz, and illustrator, Anna Overmoyer.

The Bristol Springs Grange Hall, home to the Bristol Hills Historical Society, turns 100 years old this year. We’re celebrating this magnificent community landmark with a ceremony and storytelling event where you can learn what this building has meant to our towns over the decades. We’ll also be placing a new plaque recognizing the Grange’s place on the National Register of Historic Places. If you’ve never wandered through the auditorium or browsed our collections of artifacts, what better time to do it! Read the announcement of the event here, which has more on the history of this building.

Waterfowl decoys have been a hunting tool since Native American times, but they are also collectible art. Consultant and dealer Mike Martin of A&M Decoys and Folk Art will talk about the history of decoy making in the Finger Lakes, what makes them distinct from other regions’ art, and what the market for them is now. And he’ll bring New York decoys you can see and handle. Martin will appraise decoys brought to the event at no charge. Free and open to the public.