Press Release:

Come and experience the 22nd annual Wonderland of Trees! The opening gala will occur on Friday, Nov. 17 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Holland Land Office Museum. This year’s theme is “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Visit the museum to see all the wonderfully decorated trees and displays by local businesses and organizations.

This year’s opening gala will feature many great gift baskets to win, including an extra special grand basket. The night will also feature holiday music by the Genesee Symphony Orchestra. After dinner hors d’oeuvers will be provided by D&R Depot Restaurant. Tickets are $20, $15 for museum members, and $5 for children 12 and under. 

The Wonderland of Trees will run through the end of December. The basket raffle winners will be drawn on Friday, Dec. 15. Further holiday events will also be held throughout the season. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 to get your tickets.

If your organization or business would like to participate in the Wonderland of Trees, there are many options. Options include decorated trees, gift baskets, or donations and sponsorships. Registration forms can be found at the museum’s website www.hollandlandoffice.com.

Press Release: 

The Anna Ingalsbe Lovell chapter of the NSDAR is pleased to provide Patriotic material in celebration of Constitution Week September 17-23.  

Each bag includes color informative posters, a laminated copy of the Pledge of Allegiance in American Sign language, Braille, and a copy in tri-fold format, DAR membership information, pocket-size copies of the U.S. Constitution, and a packet of bookmarker “Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America”.  

Ryan Duffy, Director of the HLOM, is collaborating with the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR to promote the US Constitution and its connection to the founding documents: Financier Robert Morris.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the winner of the Inaugural Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship. 

Dawson Young of Batavia has been selected as the recipient of our $500 scholarship in memory of Garth Swanson, a former board member of the museum and beloved professor at Genesee Community College.

Dawson Young is a 2023 graduate of Batavia High School. Dawson was a member of the Link Crew, Model UN Club, National Art Honor Society, and CloseUp while in High School. He also has volunteered with Care-A-Van Ministries and City Church. Dawson also worked through the Summer Youth Employment Program at Genesee Regional Arts Council (GoART!) and at the museum. 

Dawson will be attending GCC in the Fall to study History Education. There will be a recognition ceremony on Wednesday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce "Appraisals on Main: HLOM Appraisal Day" on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. at the Batavia First Presbyterian Church, located at 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

The community is invited to bring any of their treasures and heirlooms that may be collecting dust to see what they may be worth.

Appraisers from Bontrager Real Estate & Auction, Cottone Auctions, and Schultz Auctioneers will be available to give their expert opinions.

There is a $5 charge for each item appraised, with a limit of 5 items per person.

All attendees are required to register for an allotted time slot. The online registration form can be found at the museum’s website.

Information can also be found on our website, www.hollandlandoffice.com or by contacting the museum at either (585) 343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Wednesday, April 19, at 7 p.m. The museum welcomes local author and presenter Rick Falkowski as he shares the histories of those who made our area what it is from its beginnings in the early 1800s. The subjects include such significant persons and events as Red Jacket, Joseph Ellicott, the War of 1812, and the Erie Canal, among many more. Copies of Falkowski's books will be available. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Concert Series on Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. as it welcomes back local guitarist and musician Steven Kruppner. The concert will be an hour and a half from 7-8:30 pm featuring a wide array of tunes, focusing on the singer-songwriter as a storyteller. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Java with Joe E. series on Thursday, April 27, at 9 a.m. This month's presenter is Larry Barnes, the City of Batavia Historian. Larry will be sharing his travels across the United States over the past decade to the other locations named Batavia, all nine in total, the others in: Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Montana, and California. He shares the origins of their names and compares their features to our own community. Admission is free, and coffee and donuts will be provided. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship for 2023. This scholarship was created in honor of Garth Swanson, who was the Stafford Town Historian, a History professor at Genesee Community College, and a former board member and officer of the museum.

This $500 scholarship is open to any graduating senior in Genesee County planning on attending Genesee Community College or current student attending Genesee Community College and have an expressed interest in history or plan on working in the history field in the future

Completed applications should be mailed or emailed no later than May 1st. They can be emailed to Ryan Duffy at duffyhollandlandoffice@gmail.com. Or Mailed to Ryan Duffy, Executive Director, Holland Land Office Museum, 131 W. Main St., Batavia, NY 14020.

The application is available on both the museum’s website and Facebook page. You can also contact the museum for the application or further information.

Press release:

Have you ever wondered how Genesee County came to be? What was the Holland Land Purchase? What is a Gibbet? How did Batavia get its name? If any of these questions pique your curiosity among many others, then volunteering at the Holland Land Office might be perfect for you. The museum is reaching out to anyone with an interest in local history who would like to volunteer.

Any amount of time that can be given is welcome; even an hour a week can make a great difference. Volunteers can work in many different areas, and interests and strengths will be used to the most optimum effect. Areas of need include: cleaning, gift shop, docent/tour guide, documenting of artifacts, exhibits and displays, landscaping, etc. Volunteer hours would be during the normal hours of operation of the museum are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.

If you have an interest in volunteering with the Holland Land Office Museum, don't hesitate to get in touch with Director Ryan Duffy at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. Information can also be found at the museum’s website at www.hollandlandoffice.com.

Photo: May 2015 file photo by Howard Owens.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum. This month's topic is Julius Caesar. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

Get in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit at the Holland Land Office Museum with Batavia natives No Blarney! as they return to get us off our feet and dancing to traditional Irish music on Friday, March 10th at 7 pm. Tickets $5 per person and $4 for museum members. Please R.S.V.P. to the museum by email at hollandlandoffice@gmail.com or call the museum at 585-343-4727. Seating is limited, so get your spots now.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of our Java with Joe E. series on Thursday, March 23rd at 9 am. This month's presenter is Don Burkel. "There were thirteen children in the Upton Family, six were girls. The first was born in 1822, and the last in 1846. They became the primary correspondents of their brother, Emory, while pursuing careers and goals which were examples to other women. This is their brief yet interesting story of their contributions."

Admission is free, and coffee and donuts will be provided. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of our Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, March 30th at 7 pm. The presenter will be Holly Watson of the Linwood Gardens. Linwood Gardens is a rare example of a Western New York country place from the early 1900s with a unique horticultural history and enduring connections to its community. Join family member Holly Watson for a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the people, peonies, and property during this presentation. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next Trivia Night at the Museum on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. The topic for February is the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Admission is $5/$3 for museum members. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. We welcome Patrick Ryan of the Buffalo History Museum as he presents on William Wells Brown, Buffalo's preeminent black abolitionist. Admission is $5/$3 for museum members. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Java with Joe E. series on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. This month's speaker is Sharon Burkel of the Historic Batavia Cemetery Association, as she presents on Watson Bullock. Watson Bullock was an African-American man who moved to Batavia in the 1880s and went on to make significant impacts on many local organizations during his life. He is buried in the Historic Batavia Cemetery. Admission is free, and coffee and donuts will be provided. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next Java with Joe E. on Thursday, January 26th at 9 am. Richard Beatty will be presenting, “The Darwin Martin House-Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo 1905 Masterpiece.” Admission is free, and coffee and donuts will be served.

Richard Beatty, a senior docent at the site, will give a presentation on Wright's incredible design, his client Darwin D. Martin, and the long history of the complex.  Abandoned and neglected during the Depression, taken for back taxes in 1946, and then partially demolished in 1960, the complex of buildings and landscape has been completely restored. Part of Mr Beatty's presentation will include a history of the organization that took shape in the 1980s in response to the ongoing decline of the masterpiece, focusing on the key role that volunteers play in presenting the site to visitors from all over the world.

Photo via the NYS Parks website.