Video Tour | Museum Exhibits | News | Books | Photo Galleries | Helpful Links | Writing
Video Tour
If you are unable to visit us in person, please check out our online video tour!
Museum Exhibits
Select one of exhibits below to learn more!
- Helen Hasting’s Art in a Trunk
- Seymour and Morgan Reaper
- Brockport Fair
- Fannie Barrier Williams
- Mary Jane Holmes
News
- July 2, 2018 — Getting to Know the Emily L. Knapp Museum (Westside News)
- May 21, 2018 — The ever-expanding Emily L. Knapp Museum (Westside News)
- July 5, 2014 — Brockport’s Emily L. Knapp Museum reopens (Democrat & Chronicle)
Books
Helen Hasting’s Art in a Trunk
By Sue Savard
The words of Cecilia Beaux, William Chase, and Howard Pyle come alive through Helen Hastings’s detailed notebooks. Helen studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art under these three amazing teachers from 1898-1904. Her art and notebooks were stored in her trunk for 100 years. This book, Helen Hastings’s Art In A Trunk, brings to light her teachers’ words, personalities, and teaching methods along with a one-of-a-kind collection of many of her oil painting studies. It’s an invaluable resource for art historians, art museums, and art lovers of all ages and a treasure worth owning!
Support the museum by purchasing a copy today!
Better yet, visit our local bookstore — Lift Bridge Book Shop.
In His Words – Brockport 1858-1866: From The Diary of Joseph A. Tozier
By Sue Savard
In His Words is the transcribed diary of Joseph A. Tozier–teacher, scholar, and entrepreneur. It captures the political, social, and intellectual life of Brockport, NY from 1858 to 1864. After the opening of the Erie Canal, Brockport became a thriving agricultural and industrial community. Tozier’s diary, and his scrapbooks of original materials, also authenticate his life’s story during the Civil War period.
Photo Galleries
Life at the College
A collection of photos from the SUNY Brockport, formerly the College at Brockport and the Brockport Normal School.
Colligate Institution 1842 – Apr 1992 
College Union C.1950’s – Apr 1992 
Faculty C.1948 – May 1989 
Faculty C.1948 – May 1989 
Faculty C.1948 – May 1989 
Graduation 1947 – May 1989 
Class Day C.1947 – May 1989 
Mixed Chorus – May 1989 
Faculty C.1948 – May 1989 
Faculty C.1948 – May 1989 
Social Studies Classroom C.1937 – May 1989 
Reception Room C.1937 – May 1989 
Art Studio C.1937 – May 1989 
Corridor C.1937 – May 1989 
Girl’s Basketball Team C.1937 – May 1989 
Junior Prom 1937 – May 1989 
Training School Play C.1937 – May 1989 
Girl’s Athletic Association C.1938 – May 1989 
Men’s Basketball Team C.1937 – May 1989 
Music Group C.1937 – May 1989 
Training School C.1937 – May 1989 
Senior Ball C.1937 – May 1989 
Campus Road – May 1989 
Buildings – May 1989 
Quadrangle – May 1989 
Cafeteria C.1940’s – May 1989 
Men’s Tennis Team C.1943 – May 1989 
Cafeteria C.1929 – May 1989 
Women’s Basketball team C.1931 – May 1989 
Alma Mater – May 1989 
Normal School – May 1989 
Training Dept. State Normal School – May 1989 
1st School Busses C.1934 – Apr 1988 
Corridor C.1937 – Apr 1988 
Women’s Basketball team C.1910 – Apr 1988 
Football Team C.1899 – Apr 1988 
Noridal Corridor C.1937 – Jun 1983 
Postcard of campus C.1900-10 – Aug 1982 
Men’s Basketball C.1908 – Aug 1982 
Panorama – Feb 1979 
Football Team C.1899 – Feb 1979 
Auditorium – Feb 1979 
Frat Room – Feb 1979 
Men’s Basketball team C.1905 – Feb 1979 
Graduates C.1920’s – Feb 1979 
Dedication of NY State marker @ Brockport State College – Oct 1960 
Dedication of NY State marker @ Brockport State College – Oct 1960 
Faculty – BNS 1920’s – Jan 1990
Helpful Links
Looking for more information about Brockport?
- Village of Brockport
- Brockport Community Museum
- New York State Historical Newspapers
- SUNY Brockport’s College Archives
- The Landmark Society is a host of Western New York history.
- The Western Monroe Historical Society organizes events, peddlers’ markets, and gives tours of the historic Morgan Manning House in Brockport.
- The Seymour Library’s Local History room has a collection of area plot maps, local history titles, and other Brockport historical information.
Writing
Select a category to filter articles.
- Bibles of the Knapp Museum Collectionby Danielle Maerlender Dennis Paone, a museum internship student from the College at Brockport is undergoing an independent study focused on bibles in the Emily L. Knapp Museum collection. He is conducting research in order to identify the owners of theContinue reading “Bibles of the Knapp Museum Collection”
- In His Words: Brockport, 1858-1866, The Diary of Joseph A. TozierNEW BOOK RELEASED ON BROCKPORT’S HISTORY Since 2013, Sue Savard has led a volunteer project to renovate and restore the Emily L. Knapp Museum of Local History at 49 State Street in Brockport. While organizing and documenting the museum’s collection,Continue reading “In His Words: Brockport, 1858-1866, The Diary of Joseph A. Tozier”
- New Year, Old News: Bits from The Brockport Republic of January 4, 1917by Sarah Cedeño, village historian The Benedict Block suffered two fires within three years’ time. The second of these fires happened in early 1917, when owners returned from business to find their stores engulfed in smoke. This particular fire wasContinue reading “New Year, Old News: Bits from The Brockport Republic of January 4, 1917”
- In Memory of Jacqueline Morrisby Sarah Cedeño, Village Historian Jackie Morris, Village of Brockport Historian Emeritus passed away on November 16th, 2016. Jackie was born in 1925 in Indiana and married Raymond Morris in 1943 after courting long distance during WWII. Jackie’s first childContinue reading “In Memory of Jacqueline Morris”
- A Wonderful NucleusWhen College at Brockport anthropology student Danielle Maerlender was cataloguing the Mary Jane Holmes’ Room, she found an envelope that had been donated to the collection anonymously by a Brockport resident sometime after the 1950s. The note on the envelopeContinue reading “A Wonderful Nucleus”
- Remembering Eunice Chesnut: A Photo Galleryby Sarah Cedeño Most of Brockport’s longtime residents have been touched by Eunice Chesnut, historian for the Western Monroe Historical Society from 1977 to 2014. Even if you never met Eunice, if you’ve ever visited the Peddler’s Market, taken a fourth-gradeContinue reading “Remembering Eunice Chesnut: A Photo Gallery”
- Part III of the Three-Part Page Family Series: Gertrude Page and the Page Family LegacyThe Page Family Legacy This post on Gertrude Page will conclude our three-part series of the Page family. Because many residents might have fond memories or anecdotes of Gertrude, who lived in Brockport on Gordon Street until her 1962 death,Continue reading “Part III of the Three-Part Page Family Series: Gertrude Page and the Page Family Legacy”
- Dissolution: A Historical Perspectiveby Sarah Cedeño, Village Historian I write this from the office in the Emily Knapp Museum on the night of the referendum to dissolve the Village of Brockport. This is a reoccurrence from 2010, but what some might not knowContinue reading “Dissolution: A Historical Perspective”
- Part II of the Three-Part Series on the Page Family HistoryThe Page Family Establishment in Brockport.
- Three Part Series on the Page Family HistoryIf you missed February’s event celebrating prominent Brockport residents William Page and Fannie Barrier Williams, check out the first of our three-part series on the William Page Family, because black history is important every month of the year! Part I:Continue reading “Three Part Series on the Page Family History”
- An Evening to Honor Fannie Barrier Williams and William PageCELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH On Friday, February 5 at 7 pm, the Village of Brockport will join The College at Brockport to celebrate two of Brockport’s prominent 19th Century African-American residents and their families: William Page and Fannie Barrier Williams. TheContinue reading “An Evening to Honor Fannie Barrier Williams and William Page”
- Hair Wreaths in Victorian Brockportby Danielle Maerlender Jackie Baker, a museum internship student from the College at Brockport, can be seen here with three-year museum volunteer, Sue Savard, examining a hair wreath in front of the other hair wreaths housed in Emily Knapp Museum.Continue reading “Hair Wreaths in Victorian Brockport”
- High Street Cemetery Tourby Danielle Maerlender On October 29, 2015, two museum internship students from the College at Brockport, Emily Fleming and Katie Nguyen, gave a Halloween tour of the High Street Cemetery informing the community of select individuals who were laid toContinue reading “High Street Cemetery Tour”
- Victorian Christmas Display at the Seymour Libraryby Danielle Maerlender On December 1st, the results of the collaboration between the Seymour Library, the Emily L. Knapp Museum and the College at Brockport came to life. In the new local history room at the Seymour Library, museum internshipContinue reading “Victorian Christmas Display at the Seymour Library”
- Independent Order of Oddfellowsby Danielle Maerlender John Howard, a museum internship student from the College at Brockport, is researching the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ‘In Memorium’ plaques that are housed in the Emily L. Knapp Museum. The plaques contain the names ofContinue reading “Independent Order of Oddfellows”
- Brockport’s “Ultra” Shoe and the Moore-Shafer Shoe CompanyThe October 2015 Night at the Museum featured a talk by Dr. Alicia Kerfoot, “The Era of the ‘Ultra’: Early Twentieth-Century Women’s Footwear in the Knapp Museum Collection.” In the adapted video format of her presentation, Dr. Kerfoot discusses her extensive research of theContinue reading “Brockport’s “Ultra” Shoe and the Moore-Shafer Shoe Company”
- Native American Artifactsby Danielle Maerlender Greg Reynolds, a museum internship student at the College at Brockport, is working on an independent study researching the Native American artifacts at the Emily Knapp Museum. In this picture, Greg can be seen with Dan Burns,Continue reading “Native American Artifacts”
- WWI Artifacts and Harry Colemanby Danielle Maerlender Mike Lane, a museum internship student from the College at Brockport, can be seen here photographing a World War 1 ‘doughboy’ helmet inscribed with the initials H.R.C. Upon further examination and research, Mike was able to identifyContinue reading “WWI Artifacts and Harry Coleman”
- Horatio N. Beach Portrait PreservedAn oil painting of Horatio N. Beach, prominent Brockport resident, has been preserved as part of the Emily L Knapp Museum’s Adopt a Picture Program. The painting is dated June 20, 1858 and was signed by Jerome D. Fielding, aContinue reading “Horatio N. Beach Portrait Preserved”
- The Woman in the LocketHere are some interesting photographs we found at the museum: Though we don’t know the identity of the woman in the photo, the technique was meant to capture many images suitable for a locket or brooch. Our best guess isContinue reading “The Woman in the Locket”
- The Shafer Legacy- “Something is missing.”The Emily Knapp Museum has acquired many boxes that were left behind in the attic of 19 Park Ave, a home that belonged first to Fred and Josephine Shafer, and passed to their children, Leland and Vivian Shafer. As weContinue reading “The Shafer Legacy- “Something is missing.””
- College at Brockport Collaborationby Danielle Maerlender The Emily L. Knapp Museum and Library of Local History is honored to work in collaboration with Museum Internship students in the Anthropology Department at the College at Brockport. In recent years, the two have been workingContinue reading “College at Brockport Collaboration”
- Welcome to the Emily L Knapp Museum and Library of Local History!The Emily L Knapp Museum is a municipal museum associated with the Village of Brockport. The museum is located on the second and third floors in the former home of one of Brockport’s most prominent families, the Seymours, while the first floorContinue reading “Welcome to the Emily L Knapp Museum and Library of Local History!”
Brockport Museum of Local History 