WANAKENA — The Wanakena Historical Association in St. Lawrence County will use two grants from the Northern New York Community Foundation, Inc. (NNYCF) for its new history center, which it plans to open later this year. The foundation’s board of directors recently approved $16,000 in funding for the Wanakena Historical Association. The NNYCF is located […]
WANAKENA — The Wanakena Historical Association in St. Lawrence County will use two grants from the Northern New York Community Foundation, Inc. (NNYCF) for its new history center, which it plans to open later this year.
The foundation’s board of directors recently approved $16,000 in funding for the Wanakena Historical Association. The NNYCF is located in Watertown.
Wanakena is a hamlet in the town of Fine. It is home to the Ranger School of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse.
The association will use a $6,000 grant to pay for equipment and supplies at the center and a $10,000 matching commitment will help build an endowment at the Community Foundation for the center, the NNYCF said.
Several years in planning, the project gained momentum after a group of partners stepped forward to purchase and restore the house at 21 Second St. in Wanakena to its original design. Construction began last year with renovations continuing through early summer.
The center will include a collection of exhibits, modern presentations, and “meaningful” artifact displays tied to the region’s past while also promoting historical and genealogical research and local tourism.
“We are excited to deepen the long-term relationship of our two organizations as we continue to work with donors to build upon our investments in the people and places of Wanakena,” Rande Richardson, executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation, said in a statement. “The community’s history and heritage will have a stronger level of enduring stewardship because of these initiatives.”
Community volunteers came together 20 years ago to create the historical association and highlight the “unique past” of Wanakena and surrounding Adirondack communities.
The organization developed a walking tour with interpretive kiosks and spearheaded restoration of the Wanakena Footbridge after it was damaged in 2014 — a project the Community Foundation supported.
Despite ongoing public-health concerns, the Wanakena Historical Association hopes the center can soon open for a preview and remain on track for a grand-opening celebration in 2021.
