The Alexandria Township Historical Association, owners
and operators of the historic 1866 Cornwall Brothers Museum,
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We depend entirely
on the financial support of donations, memberships,
and fund raising events. Come visit, become a member,
and join us for a step back in time.
Enter…… the historic 1866 stone building, the last remaining waterfront landmark of the 19th century in Alexandria Bay.
Take a step back in time!
Explore…… avenues of history of the early settlement of the river front community and commercial hub of the 1000 Islands.
Exhibits…… depict the trades, crafts and commerce of the settlers of the early village. Permanent exhibits reflect the lifestyle of the people who shaped this destination of travelers from the mid-1850s through the mid-1950s. Bi-annual feature exhibits showcase individuals and businesses which gained international recognition for this area.
Enjoy…… diverse Gallery Presentations by guest speakers, designed to educate and engage audiences in local history, folklore and architecture.
Educate…… local school groups, researchers, and avid historians by providing access to artifacts, maps, books and historical documents.
36 Market Street
PO Box 695
Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
315-482-4586
info@alexandriahistorical.com
Getting Here:
Located in the heart of the 1000 Islands in upstate New York, we are just minutes from Interstate-81 and the Thousand Islands Bridge to Canada.
From Highway 12, turn north on Church Street, toward the River. Proceed to the stop sign at James Street and turn right on James. Almost immediately, turn left on Market Street. The Cornwall Brothers Museum and Store is two blocks on the right on Market Street. There is free parking for visitors in front of the museum.
May & June, September & October
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10 am-4 pm
July & August: Open every day
Sunday through Thursday: 10 am-4 pm
Friday & Saturday: 10am-6 pm
The Museum opens for the
season on May 22nd
and closes for the season
on October 11th
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CBSM1866/
and Instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/cornwallbrothers/
Welcome!
Mission Statement
The mission of ATHS is to collect, preserve, and interpret historic information and artifacts representative of the town of Alexandria and river communities for the education and enjoyment of all who visit the museum.
Hours of operation
Contribute your memories through our QRC project
Bookstore:
Cornwall Brothers Museum has a fantastic selection of books written by locally based authors. Ranging from fact to fiction and from fantasy to romance, we've got you covered.
Here is a sample of some of the books currently available for purchase at the museum, many of them signed by the authors.
After releasing nine children's books to critical acclaim, including the wonderful Thousand Islands Crew mystery series, Tim Bashaw, who grew up living near the St. Lawrence River, has taken his characters into adulthood, where they continue to tackle local mysteries.
Tim, a longtime elementary and middle school teacher, has published four adult-themed mysteries in his North Country Mystery series, Northern Slights, Up North, Border Folly, and Lake Effect.
"Born into a family of storytellers and married into a family with a story to tell," local favorite Lynn E. McElfresh is the author of a series of historical fiction novels based on nearby Grenell Island. The Thousand Island Series follows the adventures of main character Marguerite Hartranft, beginning with Grenell 1881 and continuing on through the decades with Grenell 1893, 1904, 1912, 1923 and 1934.
As her amazon biography so aptly puts it, "sharing the history, lore and beauty of the Thousand Islands in each novel is her passion.
Edwards native William Hill has combined two of his lifelong interests—hiking, and local history into a fascinating series of three books, including his most recent release, Hiking the Trail to Yesterday: Tales and Trails. The Hiking the Trail series takes a look at local lore and mysteries, as well as the woods and water of the North Country, exploring forgotten fire towers, railroads, rivers and lakes around St. Lawrence County.
Along with vivid descriptions of his adventures into the wilderness, Hill's books feature decades-old historic photographs that help bring the stories to life.
Featuring six full-length books, a short story prelude and a Christmas novella prelude, local author Len Senecal's Mr. Tout's Magical Forest fantasy series follows the adventures of young Mariah Prindle and her dog Willow as they are magically transported into a world of incredible wonder mixed with the ever-present threat of danger. His newest book, Twin Reckoning, reveals the back story of main character Beth Tomson and her twin sister Becca. It starts innocently enough with a game of tag at historic Boldt Castle but quickly turns into a life-or-death struggle in the mysterious magical forest of Mr. Toddathon Tout.
Susan G. Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of Gilded Age historical fiction set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published thirty-seven times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books.
She has sixteen in her fiction line and more than 20 book awards including including three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, four Indie Excellence Book Awards, and six Literary Titan Book Awards.
A rising star in the world of mystery, local favorite Tessa Wegert is the critically acclaimed author of the Shana Merchant mysteries, as well as the North Country series. Her books have received numerous starred reviews and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she co-founded Sisters in Crime CT and serves on the board of International Thriller Writers (ITW).
Her summer visits to the Thousand Islands area show prominently in Tessa's books, with the six-part Shana Merchant series featuring a number of local landmarks and familiar settings. The same holds true in her newest work, the North Country series. The River Runs Black, the second book in the series, will be released in early October. Featuring familiar characters from the Shana Merchant books, this new series looms as another page-turner with plenty of plot twists to keep the reader guessing from start to finish.
Along with our impressive collection of fiction and historical fiction from local authors, Cornwall Brothers Museum has a number of fact-based books about the 1000 Islands region. Everything from Boldt Castle to famous local boat builders and from Singer Castle to stories of the massive hotels that once graced the St. Lawrence River, we've got books for the history buffs in your family.