Museum History

Marian Wickwire O’Connor, the last Wickwire to live at 37 Tompkins Street, passed away in 1973. The Wickwire Residence and its contents were then sold at auction. A group of Cortland County leaders, including the Landmark Society and members of the Wickwire family, successfully campaigned to preserve the house, and it became a museum in 1975.

The 1890 House Museum was the anchor of the Historic Tompkins Street District’s entry on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1984, the 1890 House Museum received its official NYS Charter to operate as a 501(c)(3) historic house museum.

Mission Statement

The 1890 House Museum preserves and interprets this historic Gilded-Age property and educates the public and future generations about life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through the collection, preservation, research, and interpretation of architecture and artifacts, the museum weaves together stories of the house, family, and business—connecting local and national history to America’s broader cultural heritage.