Community Events |
History | Home Page |
Knox Memorial Central School |
Library
Organizations |
Memorial Hall/Museum |
School |
Town Board Meeting Minutes |
Town Officials |
Worship
We are all moved into our new building, and although we are not settled yet, we would welcome people to come and see it.
We have 2009 calendars for sale as well as the Russell history books. If anyone would like a calendar mailed to them, please let me know. Cost is $5.00 plus shipping and the History book is $15.00 plus shipping.
We are also selling chances on a chain saw carved bear made by Terry McKendree of DeKalb and will pull the winning ticket when we have our grand opening in the Spring. The price is $1.00 per ticket or 6 for $5.00.
As always we are looking for donations as we still need several things for the Museum.
I hope everyone that comes to Russell will visit the new Library and new Museum. The Library is located in the former Catholic Church and the Museum is the new building at the back. We also have a common room for meetings, luncheons, etc. If interested please contact me at pmrocca@tds.net or phone at 562-3487. You can also contact Brenda at the Library at 347-2115 when the library is open on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday from 10 until 6.
The Museum will be open when the Library is open or call me.
I would like to thank everyone who has worked helping move the collections from the old building to the new Museum. Without all the volunteer help I could have never done it. The big trophy case from the Knox School is in place, cleaned and has the trophies back in place. The Knox School graduate pictures will soon be on the wall. Some former Knox graduates have been a big help with the cleaning and polishing, carrying and moving things around.
Marie Rocca
Russell Town Historian
The Russell Memorial Hall, built as an addition to the Public Library was completed in 1993, with doors opening to the public June 4,1994. It was called Russell Memorial Hall, The Nesting place of the Knox Eagles.
Lining two walls are the framed pictures of the graduating classes from Knox Memorial Central School that were originally hanging in the high school. The Memorial Hall also houses two statues, replicas of the Lorenzo and General Leano (Guiliano) Medici statues. Lorenzo stands for the contemplative man or the "thinker". Guiliano stands for the active man. When sculpted, these statues were symbols of the struggle man faced with the unity of God. Placing these statues in doorways or at the foot of double staircases symbolized you having a choice of your lifestyle. Many of the graduates of Knox School will remember the statues at the base of the stairways in the school.
As our museum part grows we have a display of one-room schools complete with many pictures of the school buildings, teachers and students, as well as text books from the time. There are also many artifacts from the area and pictures of old buildings and a painting of the Old Arsenal and of the Knox School. In addition, farming implements and the history of various organizations that have been in the town of Russell. There is also the complete listing of all the cemeteries, some with pictures.
The past two years (2002 - 2003) has seen many additions of reference materials and the use of the many scrapbooks which have been donated to the Museum to aid people in finding information on their ancestors born and raised in Russell, Degrasse and surrounding area. While I can't always have the time to aid people in their quests for genealogy I try to steer them in the direction of further help, either at the St. Lawrence County Historical Society, St. Lawrence University archives, or other Town Historians.
In 2003 I acquired a large St. Lawrence County map from the late 1800's and with the help of Karen and Dick Harmer we mounted it on a frame and enclosed it in plexi-glass. With the help of a magnifying glass you can pick out the names of the people that lived on each road.
As Russell Town Historian I am always looking for pictures, articles and any additions to put in the museum.
Marie Rocca
pmrocca@tds.net
Museum hours: When the library is open or by appointment.
Marie Rocca: Russell Town Historian; Chairman
Brenda Hale: Vice Chairman
Advisors:
Marion Bice
Evah Foster
Michelle Grimshaw
Judy Tupper
