Join us for the 2025 Mother’s Day Brunch
Are you looking for a distinct way to celebrate your mom (or any of the other important women in your life) this year for Mother’s Day? Sometimes it’s hard to find a way to show your mom just how much she means to you. Why not create new memories with your mom, stepmom, grandma, aunt, or other special ladies in your life and enjoy a delightful meal at the incomparable Hathaway House? Join the Cortland County Historical Society for a stress-free and fabulous brunch that your family will love!
Your brunch menu includes fresh fruit, freshly baked breads and pastries, oven-baked cinnamon bun French toast, assorted quiche, cheese and vegetable soufflé, cheesy hash brown potato casserole, roasted mixed vegetables, ham, sausage, and coffee or tea. Your ticket price includes the gratuity, so you know there are no hidden fees.
Mimosas and other beverages will be available at a cash bar, and we’ll have live music to create the perfect ambiance. If you have ever visited Tinelli’s, you know that the food will be fantastic, and your mom will be celebrated in style.
On your way in, be sure to stroll through the lovely first-floor rooms of this historic house and admire the beautifully kept grounds. This gorgeous stone home was built in 1844 by Major General Samuel Gilbert Hathaway and has many original features. The Tinelli family has operated their renowned banquet hall out of the former Hathaway homestead for decades.
This new tradition for you and your family not only helps the Cortland County Historical Society but also supports an important local business. There are winners all the way around!
Here’s everything you need to know about the event!
When: Sunday, May 11
Time: 11 am
Where: Tinelli’s Hathaway House
Price: $42 adult, $20 child, gratuity included
Time: 11 am
Where: Tinelli’s Hathaway House
Price: $42 adult, $20 child, gratuity included
Deadline: Make your reservations and payment by May 1, no exceptions
Questions? Give us a call at 607-756-6071 or email us at info@cortlandhistory.org, and we’ll be glad to help.
We are looking forward to celebrating Mother’s Day with you and your family!
Lunch & Learn is back
April 24
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin once wrote that history involves sharing the stories of those who came before us so that we might learn from their hardships and successes. In line with this idea, a local writer created the novel, Shellback, inspired by real people from Utica who lived through the Great Depression and World War II. The narrative centers on a young boy, born to Italian immigrant parents, who endures tough times with the singular goal of escaping poverty. In the second half of the book, his journey continues as he becomes a sailor taking part in major Pacific battles of World War II—including Pearl Harbor, the Aleutian Islands, Guam, Tarawa, and Saipan—with the author skillfully placing her fictional characters into well-researched, authentic historical events.
Karen Hempson, a retired teacher and former college lecturer in social studies, brought the challenges of the 1930s and 1940s to life by drawing on oral histories, diaries, news reports, and personal accounts. Aimed at both adult and young adult audiences, her writing in Shellback seamlessly weaves the era’s romantic culture—highlighting popular music, movies, fashion, genuine photographs, and even the slang used by youth and naval personnel—into the historical narrative. Shellback is a fictional story that builds upon the themes introduced in her earlier work, Bean Pickers, American Immigrant Portraits.
Bring your own lunch if you wish, and we will provide a beverage and dessert. Admission is free for members of the Cortland County Historical Society (CCHS) and $5 for CCHS members-to-be.
Parking is available on either Homer Avenue or Maple Avenue, directly across the street from CCHS.
Please call 607-756-6071 with any questions.
Our 100th Anniversary Centennial Spectacular!
Join us to celebrate the Cortland County Historical Society’s 100thanniversary with a Centennial Spectacular! CCHS is the best kept secret in Cortland County, and now is the perfect opportunity to find out what you’ve been missing:
- Explore new museum exhibits in the Suggett House Museum that will tell you more about the history of Cortland County
- Let your kids discover what life was like 100-200 years ago with spaces designed especially for them in the Then & Now Children’s Room
- Learn more about the research materials available in the Kellogg Memorial Research Center which can help you locate information about your family tree or other local history topics of interest
- Find the perfect gift for your family history buff in our gift shop
For 100 years, we have been the memory bank of Cortland County, and we are looking forward to celebrating this important milestone with you!
For questions, please call 607-756-6071 or email us at info@cortlandhistory.org.
Details
Saturday, May 17
12-5pm
Cortland County Historical Society
25 Homer Avenue
Cortland, NY
History Forge 
HistoryForge Transcription Sessions
TBA
Have a knack for deciphering hard-to-read cursive? Then we need you!
Help us transcribe the 1910 census to add to our HistoryForge database! By combining historic maps and photos with census records of the people who lived in Cortland County, we can create a unique way to visualize the history of our community in the early 1900s.
Didn’t attend a training session? Not to worry, we’ll get you up to speed!
Please bring a laptop or tablet device
