About Us:
The Newark-Arcadia Historical Society was founded in February 1992. Twelve members of the community felt it was necessary and time for a historical society for Newark and the town of Arcadia. Its purpose would be to collect and preserve local history.
The members meet quarterly, highlighted by a special Annual Meeting and Dinner in the spring. An informative newsletter is issued in advance of each meeting.
The society published its first book in May 2000 - Hometown History, written by Robert Hoeltzel, former Town and Village Historian.
The Newark-Arcadia Historical Society’s list of achievements is impressive. Educational programs and tours, all open to the public, have been very successful and well received. A number of tours have been held since October 1997, including historic houses, churches, and cemeteries. The society holds an annual old-fashioned strawberry social with live music in June of each year.
The Newark-Arcadia Historical Society owns and maintains two buildings. In 1993, the Historic 1876 brick Marbletown Schoolhouse was acquired by gift from the Marbletown Neighborhood Center. In 1998, the Newark Arcadia Historical Society purchased the former Church of Christ Scientist building across from the Newark Public Library and Hoffman Clock Museum for use as a meeting place and historical museum to house the society’s growing collection of artifacts. By June 1999 the interior of museum was painted, carpet replaced, new furnace with climate control and security system were installed. The museum opened on June 12th of that year.
The museum’s first major exhibit was “Newark, NY - The Rose Capital of America”, followed by “The C.H. Stuart Company - From Stuart's Nursery to Sarah Coventry". Every year in June a new exhibit is unveiled. The current exhibit is entitled “Newark Schools and Education 1850 – 1969.”
