Chemung County Historical Society

Founded in 1923, The Chemung County Historical Society (CCHS) is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to the collection, preservation, and presentation of the history of the Chemung Valley Region. First chartered by New York State in 1947 and accredited in 1986, today CCHS operates two cultural repositories, the Chemung Valley History Museum and the Booth Library. They are the largest general history museum in the Southern Tier telling the history of Elmira and Chemung County with interactive exhibits, educational programming, and lectures for visitors of all ages. Their collections include records that document voting, elections, and politics. They are also the repository for the records of the local NAACP.

CCHS will use the Voices and Votes exhibition to connect the dots between local and national politics, highlight the important parts their communities have played in the past, and inspire the roles they might play in the future. CCHS collects and shares stories that come from a community with deep connections to local, state, and national events including the stories of local leaders elected to the governor’s office; a devastating flood resulting in the creation of FEMA; and protests on their streets representing Black Lives Matter. Regardless of one’s position on an issue or candidate, the act of voting invites citizens to make a choice. Few activities are more community-oriented than voting.