Boneyards & Burial Grounds
Forgotten burial grounds, reckless murders, and villains who inspire goosebumps. Unearth a whole boneyard of tragic histories where residents met their untimely end in Cortland County.
The Firecracker Trail
Follow this trail to discover the spark that ignited the heroics, historic, mischievous and daring events that forged Cortland County into the place it is today.
One-Off Oddities
Cortland County is a weird (and wonderful) place. It is home to America’s first fad diet, tales of hidden treasure, and a local trumpeter turned heavy metal hero. We promise oddity lovers will keep coming back for more.
The Sig Sautelle Spectacle
Home to one of history’s most influential circuses, this story is more than just cotton candy and contortionists; it’s littered with murder and mayhem, all tangled up in an enduring love story.
The Harum Hoax
It’s been said there is a sucker born every minute. We’ll leave you to decide just who the sucker was in this giant-sized tale.
The Misfortune of Grace Brown
In 1906 Grace “Billie” Brown fell head over heels with Chester Gillette in what would become a legendarily ill-fated romance. This is no Romeo and Juliet Story. This is the tale of cold-blooded murder.
Whodunit in Homer?
Take a step back in time ad retrace the steps of one of Homer’s most notorious cold cases; the 1894 murder of Patrick Quinlan.
Wickwire Legacy
It has long been believed that the Wickwire home is haunted. Psychics and paranormal hunters frequent the more than 100-year-old mansion seeking contact with the Wickwire family. The television series Ghost Hunters debuted the airing of their investigation in February 2013, and since then, the house has been a regular stop for curious paranormal explorers, such as Dream Seekers Paranormal, Til Death?, and Sixth Sense Paranormal Society.
As for the museum staff, present, and past, they seem equally divided regarding the presence of otherworldly entities. Today, we will take you on a unique tour of the 1890 House Mansion, retracing Mr. Chester Wickwire’s last days in his beloved home, nestled in the heart of a community he so deeply cared for.
Did Chester love his splendid estate and his cherished hometown so dearly that perhaps he never left, even after his untimely death? Does he still walk the halls of his Victorian castle? We’ll leave it for you to decide…
Wild Women of Cortland County
A path for the bold, innovative, creative, and occasionally wild women of Cortland County. These are just some of the notable women who have their indelible mark on history with their genius, passion, tenacity and grit.