Pleasant Grove Cemetery

Last year’s Walk and Talk tour at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery (184 Pleasant Grove Road) took us through the earliest years of the founding of this Village of Cayuga Heights memorial garden. Join Tompkins County Historical Commission member Patricia Longoria and Village of Cayuga Heights Historian Bea Szekely to follow the story of what was once known as “a little country graveyard” through its twentieth-century expansion. On the tour, we will “read” gravestones for the stories they tell of the people whose lives now commemorated in stone intersected with momentous political, social, and cultural events, including the creation of the atomic bomb, the activism of the Civil Rights movement, the flourishing of classical music, and the early history of space exploration. The evolving iconography of twenty-first-century grave memorials reveal cultural traditions from around the world that have enriched the county’s history.

Caroline Valley Church

Join us for a tour of Caroline Valley Church built in 1868 with ties to the

Women's Rights and Suffrage Movement.  

Historic Stewart Park

Join us for a tour of historic Stewart Park hosted by Friends of Stewart Park, Wharton Studio Museum & Historic Ithaca. The tour will focus on the park's history and its current revitalization. This tour will be walking throughout the park please be sure to wear proper footwear and bring a water bottle. 

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St. James AME Zion Methodist Church

Join us at St. James A.M.E. Zion Church to learn more about the oldest standing church building in Ithaca, NY. Learn about the ties to the Underground Railroad, Fredrick Douglas and more.

 

Ithaca LGBTQ+ Print Culture Walking Tour
The city of Ithaca has one of the richest LGBTQ histories of any place in Upstate New York. This approximately one-hour walking tour features sites in downtown Ithaca related to LGBTQ print culture through a combination of social and architectural history and historic artifacts. Featured sites include the headquarters of Firebrand Books, the Feminist Art Studio, and the residence of gay writer Larry Mitchell, among others. The tour will be led by Dr. Jeff Iovannone, a Cornell alumni and expert in LGBTQ heritage conservation, along with special guests Ned Asta and Yvonne Fisher. This event is sponsored by Cornell Historic Preservation Planning Alumni and Historic Ithaca.

Black Ithacans of the Ithaca City Cemetery

Join us at the main entrance gates to the Ithaca City Cemetery on University Avenue for an hour-long walking tour to the graves of selected Black Ithacans
 

 

Tree Tour of Ithaca City Cemetery

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Join City of Ithaca Forester Jeanne Grace for a tree tour in the historic Ithaca City Cemetery. Learn about the new arboretum status of the cemetery and how to identify trees.. 

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West End Diorama Talk with David Fogel

Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Ithaca's past as David Fogel shares insights into the creation of the West End Diorama, a meticulous recreation of the West End neighborhood before the transformative flood control project. Explore the intricacies of 'The Rhine,' a once-vibrant working-class community. Witness the dedication and craftsmanship behind the diorama's construction. Engage in a Q&A session with David Fogel and delve into the pre-flood-control West End neighborhood. This event is a unique opportunity to connect with history, community, and the passionate storyteller, David Fogel. Don't miss out on an evening filled with nostalgia, preservation, and a celebration of our collective heritage!

Ithaca City Cemetery Tours
Learn about the Ithaca City Cemetery's evolution from village burying ground to Victorian landscape for the dead as we walk through various sections of this 16-acre municipal cemetery and green space. Tours will last about 1 hour and 15 minutes.We recommend wearing sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Some topics such as the discussion of death might not be appropriate for small children. The tour requires uphill walking and walking on uneven terrain.

 

Town of Ithaca Town Hall Tour

Join Historic Ithaca on a guided tour of the Town of Ithaca Town Hall. A fine example of Beaux Arts Classicism, the former post office was designed by federal architect James Knox Taylor and built in 1910. The tour is free, but there are limited spots available so registration is required.​Upon arrival please enter through the rear door of Town Hall. The door is located in the Town Hall parking lot where very limited parking is available, on street parking can be found on both Aurora St. and Buffalo St..

 

Tree Tour in Ithaca City Cemetery

Join City of Ithaca Forester Jeanne Grace for a tree tour in the historic Ithaca City Cemetery. Learn about the new arboretum status of the cemetery and how to identify trees. Please meet at the main entrance gates on University Avenue. This tour is outdoors and includes walking on steep inclines, please be sure to wear proper footwear, bring a water bottle, and bug spray.

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Silent Movie Month Historic Theater Tour

October is Silent Movie Month in Ithaca! Join Historic Ithaca and Wharton Studio Museum and relive Ithaca's movie palace heyday on a guided walking tour of its historic theaters and their original locations. We'll stop at many of the theater buildings that are still standing -- along with the locations of theaters that no longer exist -- and delve into Ithaca's heyday as the "biggest little movie city," when our very own Wharton, Inc. Studios produced many of the movies that were being shown in these downtown theaters one hundred years ago. Our walk will end at the Canopy Hotel's Strand Cafe, named for Ithaca's famous Strand Theatre. Writers and historians Roger Kimmel Smith and Pat Longoria will lead the tour.

 

Erie Canal Ribbon Cutting & Tour

Join us for the ribbon cutting of “Ithaca’s Waterway to the World”, a new interpretive sign created by Friends of Stewart Park and made possible by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. This event will be followed by a tour of historic Stewart Park hosted by Friends of Stewart Park, Wharton Studio Museum & Historic Ithaca. The tour will focus on the park's history and its current revitalization.

 

Pleasant Grove Cemetery

Explore more than two hundred years of Tompkins County History on a guided walk through the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in the Village of Cayuga Heights. Once known as "a little country graveyard," the cemetery formally established during the Civil War, preserves the histories of the county's early farm families and charts the area's transition to a university suburb influenced by the founding and expansion of Cornell University. Join local historian Patricia Longoria to "read" gravestones for the stories they tell of the people whose lives are commemorated in stone. Upon arrival please meet at the cemetery's entrance. Please park at Community Corners and walk down to the cemetery. There is no parking on the street in front of the cemetery and a very small driveway at the cemetery that does not allow for adequate parking.

 

Caroline Center Church Walk & Talk

Join us for a visit to this beautiful historic church tucked into the small crossroads of Caroline Center near Brooktondale. The original church was built in 1825. The new church was built in 1866 after the original structure burned down. After being closed for many years, the church reopened in 1988. Parking is available at the church site. Join us to learn more about this historic church.

 

Brookton's Market Walk & Talk

Join Beth Harrington and Sarah Michelle and learn about the history of this original general store in the hamlet of Brooktondale. The winner of a Preservation Award from Historic Ithaca, the building continues to operate today as a locally-owned small business for over 100 years, currently serving as a grocery/deli and tavern that prioritizes locally sourced goods. Participants can park in the parking lot beside the store, grab breakfast, and meet under the tent on the front patio. After the talk participants will be able to visit the local Brooktondale Farmer's Market at the Brooktondale Community Center (524 Valley Rd with on-site parking.)

 

Freeville Walk & Talk

Friends joined Historic Ithaca for a Walk and Talk through Freeville with Kristin Olsen and Jeanne Grace and learn about the rich history of the village! This tour went through the Genung Preserve and included about a mile of walking.

 

Brookton Cemetery Walk & Talk

Join Beth Harrington and Sarah Michelle and learn about some of Brooktondale’s famous residents as we tour the historic Brookton Cemetery. After the talk participants will be able to visit the local Brooktondale Farmer's Market at the Brooktondale Community Center.