About the Chester Historical Society

For images of Chester, then & now, in a geographical context, check our Historypin entries:

For announcements and late breasking news please visit our Facebook page:

The Chester Historical Society was founded November, 1964.

Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents as a nonprofit education corporation.

Our mission is to:

Promote the rich heritage of the Village and Town of Chester, New York through the acquisition, restoration and preservation of its historical places, documents and recordings of oral history; provide educational programs for school children, community organizations and all those individuals interested in local folklore and history; and exhibit collections of artifacts, pictures, newspapers and recorded oral histories to the general public.

We also operate the 1915 Erie Station, Chester’s Local History Museum,

which is open most Saturdays 10 am - 2 pm & most Sundays 1 - 3 pm; May - October

1857 C.Z. Winters House, 93 Brookside Ave. by appointment or when the 'Open' flag is flying.

Office and archives, 47 Main Street by appointment.

Facebook

Chester Historical Society membership application.

To join us, click here!

A few items from the Chester Historical Society collection (photos, manuscripts, books, artifacts, documents, news clippings, etc.) have been posted with extensive descriptions visit the Hudson River Valley Heritage.

Chester Historical Society on Google Maps

Please click to contact Norma Stoddard, our volunteer coordinator with the dates and times you'd like to volunteer at the Station along with your contact info and she'll schedule and confirm your dates.

We like to have at least two people at the station when we are open. Don't worry about what you know or don't - Norma will pair you with an experienced person.

Additional volunteer opprotunities

• Providing a program of special interest to our members.

• Storing information in the Society’s computer.

• Transcribing documents.

• Providing our newsletter editor with articles of local historical interest.

• Researching our community’s historic buildings.

• Researching our community’s families, people, and history.

• Fund raising to promote the rich heritage of the Village and Town of Chester, New York through the acquisition, restoration and preservation of our history.

• Organizing and cataloging materials presently in the Society's collection.

• Maintain and/or repair the 1915 Erie RR Station.

• Maintain station gardens and grounds.

• Write about Chester.

• Curate of historical colection.

• Other things…

Copy fees:

Fees for personal, research, or educational use. No publication or commercial use, rights or licenses conferred:

Photocopies: $25 pull fee, includes the first 10 letter sized pages + $0.50 per page for additional pages for loose sheets.

Paper copy of bound or oversized: $25 pull fee plus cost of duplication by a local vendor.

Electronic copy: $25 pull fee, includes scanning and handling for the first 10 pages +$0.50 per page for additional pages letter size or smaller sheets.

Electronic copy for bound or over sized: $25 pull fee plus cost of scanning by a local vendor.

Plus postage charges if a package is mailed. (No charge for electronic delivery.)