Page Updated: December 07, 2023
Genesee Country Village and Museum
Pioneer Settlement GCV&M - Mumford NY
Located in Mumford NY, the Genesee Country Village and Museum is the largest living history museum in the state. Buildings were collected from across the region, restored, furnished, and placed on 600 acres of land to recreate a township and exhibit life in the 19th century. Walking through and among these buildings is a unique experience; particularly when you stumble upon interpreters whittling away at life in the 1800s!
Days of operation and hours of admission vary with the seasons : Check GCV&M for details.
GCV&M offers a self-guided audio tour, so bring your headphones if audio tours interest you.
Wonderful way to spend the day in upper New York! We arrived at 1 pm didn’t get to see everything. We’d recommend a full day to explore in-depth.
The layout for the museum is great. We enjoyed strolling from spot to spot learning of New York’s history. But the museum also offers a trolley that loops the property with designated pickup/drop off points.Pickup locations are marked on the museum’s map.
Pioneer Settlement
This old log building wasn’t labeled but is nestled in the Pioneer Settlement Section that contains 13 structures dating 1780s-1830s. The area includes a Schoolhouse, Blacksmith Shop, and a reconstructed Brewery.
Antebellum Village
Hosmer’s Inn (pictured below) sits in the village square in the heart of Antebellum Village (1830s-1860s). Touring the Inn gives you a glimpse of what travelers would’ve experienced - right down to pallets on the floor. Additionally, Hosmer’s Inn hosts Historic Fall Dinners on select weekends every autumn. Dinners are elegant 4-course creations inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s diaries.
Turn of the Century
The Hyde House (pictured below) is found in “Turn of the Century” - a section where a handful of structures date from the 1870s - 1920s. The home’s octagonal shape creates makes it a standout.
Demonstrations
Demonstrations of trade skills and daily chores provide a glimpse of what life was like in the days of early America. And each interpreter offers unique and random facts about their respective stations.
::Tidbits interpreters shared::
The forest line of settlements receded each year as they used the timber.
After the discovery of tin, people started using tin dishes instead of wooden ones. Trench mouth disappeared.
Beer could only be made in Spring and Autumn months when right temps could be maintained.
The potters kiln was only fired up once a year. It takes days to heat up and longer to cool down. Neat to see the potter use the foot propelled wheel.
Preparations were underway for the weekend’s Fourth of July Celebration. Red, white, and blue banners were hung throughout the grounds.
We found one interpreter making extra cookies and treats for the event - with period correct recipes in a period appropriate fashion. She was using a wood burning oven, in an unairconditioned historic building, while wearing period appropriate attire. It was a hot day … and she _ was _ a _ boss! Extra treats would be packaged and sold during the event. In between trips to the oven, she also managed time to explain the process of cheese storage in the 1800s.
Historical Sweets made on site (examples below) can be purchased throughout the year at D.B. Munger Confectionery located in the Center Village.
Top row - left to right: Molasses Tea Cookie, Sugar Tea Cookie Maple Tea Cookie
Bottom row - left to right: Shaker Chocolate Pound Cake, Independence Cake, Hermit Square
In addition to daily tours of the 68 historic buildings & grounds, GCV&M holds numerous events throughout the year: a Celtic Fair, After-Hours Ghost Tours, and Hop Harvest Festival, as well as a Summer Concert Series, Kids Free Days and Vintage Baseball games. And if that wasn’t enough to keep them busy, they also provide venue rental for weddings, receptions, events, and family gatherings.
-b&b
Finger Lakes
