Jessica Moquin, Executive Director
 Chenango County Historical Society & Museum

By Jessica Moquin, Executive Director
 Chenango County Historical Society & Museum

Perhaps because I am an eternal optimist, or maybe because of my natural inclination for continuous improvement, my motto over the last year has been to try and find the good in everything!

This has guided my approach in my role as Executive Director of the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum. When our region was slowing down to decrease the spread of COVID-19, I began calling this period “The Great Pause,” since pause has a more positive connotation than “shut down.” As an organization, we made a great effort during this past year to really embrace “The Great Pause” and everything that has come our way as a result.

As with all non-profits, the current public health crisis has proven to be an unprecedented challenge for our organization. Although we have paused traditional programming, we have been able to strategically plan for the future, and we have developed creative ways to accomplish our mission.

Our involvement with local groups – such as Commerce Chenango, the Inter-Agency Council, and the Non-Profit Connections Roundtable – has allowed us to remain connected and focused on community engagement. We have taken advantage of professional development offerings from the Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services of New York (DHPSNY), Museum Association of NY (MANY), New York Council of Non-Profits (NYCON), Preservation League of NY, and the Texas Historical Commission, which have helped us navigate the multitude of changes that cultural non-profits like ours are experiencing.

We recognized early on that our delivery mechanisms would need to be adjusted in significant ways so that the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum would remain relevant in the midst of this public health crisis. Growing our online presence became top priority, and the launch of our redesigned website – www.ChenangoHistorical.org – means offering content which had previously been available only by visiting us in-person. Patrons now have direct access to more than a dozen online research sites, the Chenango County Legal History, a retail experience with regularly added products, and much more!

The Chenango County Historical Society and Museum continues to actively develop programming and online content to inspire self-directed exploration of stories related to the unique culture and heritage of our region. While our School Field Trip Experiences and plans for developing Preschool Journeys were paused, we continue connecting with local community groups – such as 4-H, Girl Scouts, and Daughters of the American Revolution – to generate material in place of traditional, in-person programming. Virtual activities have included a celebration of the Smithsonian’s Museum Day in April, and “Path Through History” weekend virtual events in both June and October. Our online exhibit “Unfolding Stories: A Celebration of Quilt Artists” was hosted in collaboration with the Earlville Opera House (complete with interactive Quilt Quiz!), and a virtual “Parade of Trees” (in the spirit of our annual Holiday Open House) was also held.

Besides utilizing industry trends – such as #MuseumBouquet, #MuseumFromHome and #MuseumSunshine – we generated original content for #MovieMonday, #TastyTuesday, and #FilmFriday. Our #WomenWednesday series provided us with the opportunity to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The popular “Cooking Historically” series featured recipes from Chenango County’s own “Made Nine Pies” cookbook. These social media initiatives have proven extremely effective, yielding a 39% increase in our Facebook audience.

Creativity has been key in maintaining a positive attitude throughout “The Great Pause,” and so we hosted artistic opportunities outside of typical museum activities. Andrew Roblee brought his “Historic Structures of Sound” to the halls of Ward School No. 2. This unique project has two goals: to produce a record of original music arranged and recorded to capture the intangible historic fabric of historic spaces, imbuing the music with real meaning; and to demonstrate how acoustics are a character-defining feature of an historic building, providing another supporting argument in the pursuit of sustainability and place-making. Visit www.andrewroblee.com for more details and listening options.

Thanks to “Live Event NY,” the façade of Ward School No. 2 joined other landmarks across the country to commemorate “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light,” presented by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission. On a warm evening last August, the home of the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum was awash in the vibrant colors of lavender, white, and gold.

In an effort to grow capacity for visitor experiences without compromising safety, we have also prioritized work on the development of additional outdoor facilities, exhibit spaces, and interpretive structures on our campus. We anticipate unveiling these dynamic new areas in the near future!

Since most of our artifacts are now only available for digital viewing, there has been a renewed focus on improving collections care and management. We are refining our object inventory and retrieval systems in order to more easily access pieces for use in virtual programming.

“The Great Pause” removed distractions so that we could fully embrace the implementation of our new strategic plan, which was adopted early last spring. Shifting our focus from not simply just a curator of local history but as a community partner, an educational resource, and a regional destination included the reaffirming of our mission: to lead and support the advancement of research, education, and enjoyment of Chenango County history.

As we work to accomplish goals identified in the new strategic plan, it was decided to create the new position of Operations Manager. After a regional search was conducted last summer, Joseph Fryc began his new role on Oct. 1. He is responsible for financial administration and overall operations. Joe also assists with collections curation, exhibit preparation, facilities management, retail, front-of-house, and office management. Thanks to Joe becoming part of our team, many new programs and exhibits are currently in development!

We have all heard the old adage that “when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade,” and that has been our motto over the past year. (Plus, wouldn’t you much rather sip a sweet lemony drink than eat a sour lemon?!) It is my hope that we can continue offering delicious “refreshment” to Chenango County by keeping our focus on the positive aspects of our current circumstances.

To quote my favorite American icon, Walt Disney: “If you can dream it, you can do it!”