In 2012, members of the Brockport Community Museum voted to expand their mission to include a local history website. I became a board member and volunteered to interview village and town residents who had attended the old one-room schoolhouses. People were excited to tell their stories, and I was equally happy to document their recollections. On one cold, windy January afternoon in 2012, I visited the Emily Knapp Museum in search of more material to include in the project. I soon realized that the museum contained a massive collection of important, one-of-a-kind stories, historic documents, pictures, and artifacts, but these treasures were scattered around in no particular order. I felt called to bring order to the chaos and said, “Why don’t I start a filing system.” Little did I know that I would still be filing in 2023 when I retired from my “volunteer position.”
Although, I have sometimes received credit for single-handedly working miracles, the truth is that I have been fortunate to inspire so many local residents to lend their time and talent. Some spent hours organizing letters and documents. Some gave months of their time and talent to complete a one-of-a-kind project such as the Street of Shops. Others signed up for ongoing duty and kept the museum open during our season. All, invariably, realized what a treasure we have in Brockport and the importance of preserving our local history for future generations.
One thing I learned as I continued to organize and file is that I know a lot of people, and I usually know their skill set. I also learned along the way, that people are happy to help if asked. They may not want to be on the board, raise money, or be tied up for long periods of time, but if asked to complete a specific task, they readily agree.
This is my opportunity to thank all volunteers for donating a few hours, a few days, or long stretches of time. I am proud of the results, and feel everyone who worked on the project should also feel proud of the renovated museum. We have ALL turned the Knapp Museum into a welcoming, organized facility where visitors can browse and admire our many new displays. In the last few years, we have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of requests we receive from around the country for information about ancestors. Because of dedicated sorters, organizers, and filers, those requests can now be honored.
If you no longer live in the area or haven’t visited the museum, check out our video tour. To get to it online, go to https://knappmuseum.org. On the top right-hand side, select: Explore. Then select: Video Tour. This will take you to a YouTube tour of the completely renovated museum. And once again, the video tour was created by a volunteer.
Thanks to the following people for their time, talent, and support: Bill Andrews, Norm Knapp, Josh Stilwell, Kate Vreeland, Roberta Hesek, Alicia Kerfoot, Andrea and Skip Perry, Rosemary Smith, Karen Owen, Christopher Martin, Harry Snyder, Darla Bair and her music students, Sarah Cedeno, Doug and Leslie Bull, Bruce Newell, Chris Hunt and Scott Galliford, Shirley Schuff, Maggie LaPierre, Bob Berry, Margi and Tom Lewis, Jim Bolthouse, Richard Gloor, Pat O’Brien, Jane Avery, Russ Bosch, Anita Wicks, Marilyn Brown, Dan Burns, Peter Sharp and his BOCES students, Sarah Hart, Allan Berry, Pat Coon, Roger Dowd, Marie Drennan, Ann Frey, Norm Frisch, Kirstin Gebhart, Jim Glidden, Julie and Dan Izzo, Mathea Linden, Shawn Halquist, Bruce Leslie, Marion and Hank Dilger, and Greg Lawrence.
Also, a special thank you goes to the DPW staff and Village Board Members and staff for their continued support and encouragement.
Our new Village Historian/Museum Director, Fiona Stockdale, began the position on January 1, 2023, and has already added a fresh approach to the job.
Sue Savard
Former Brockport Village Historian and Director of the Emily L. Knapp Museum
