HISTORIC VALENTOWN MUSEUM / VICTOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MUSEUM OPENS JUNE 1st 2025 .
We had a wonderful busy summer
and are looking forward to the 2025 season
that begins the 1st Sunday in June.

Meanwhile, you can follow us on Facebook
and join us in our virtual events
that are posted on FB
and in our special events calendar
here on our website.

Find Us on Facebook!

PRIVATE TOURS: Available by Appointment.
(Minimum $42.00 for up to 6 people)

Click here for more tour info.


AMERICA'S FIRST SHOPPING MALL

Valentown Museum (originally called Valentown Hall) is on the National Historic Register,  and is just one in a cluster of historic 19th century buildings at 14-acre Valentown Square, off Rt. 96 across from Eastview Mall in Victor, New York.

In 1879, Levi and Alanson Valentine constructed the 4-story shopping plaza and community center (complete with underground parking!) on a busy crossroads homestead owned by their grandfather, Ichabod Town, hoping the property would be a stop on the Pittsburgh, Shawmut, and Northern Railroad.

A year later the Hall was hired by the newly formed Victor Grange to house the Grange meetings and community socials plus a place for stabling horses, and furniture was also bought for the Hall. For over 30 years the Hall was home to the Victor Grange, until the Mertensia Grange merged with them in 1913, and on March 7th 1914 the last Grange meeting was held at the Hall. The following week in an article about the March 7th meeting in The Victor Herald, it was poignantly observed that "This old hall fairly rings with the echoes of Grange meetings and social gathers and it will be long before the Grange and Valentown Hall cease to be associated in the public mind."

The landmark 4 story building is a rare example of 19th century architecture that has remained almost unaltered since its original construction in 1879. The inside contains the original Grange meeting room, a Grange run co-op general store and bakery, community meeting room, harness shop, millinery shop, cobbler's shop, music school, and 3rd floor Grand Ballroom.

Today Valentown Hall is an intriguing Historical Museum housing many exhibits with display cases and room settings that depict historic made in America artifacts and heirlooms that represent the rural life of 19th and early 20th century people who once lived in the Fishers/Victor area near Rochester, New York.


 WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We are an all volunteer organization.  If you love history, you will love us. 

Please consider volunteering, donating and/or participating in any of our programs.

Please also consider supporting us with a Historic Valentown Museum Membership!

We welcome the support of skilled Handymen and Handywomen, too!

*MEMBERSHIPS* make great gifts, too!

DONATIONS NEEDED / WISH LIST

  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Gardening Supplies
  • Money (Checks made out to Victor Historical Society)
  • Building Supplies
    • wood (2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 4x4, 4x8 Plywood)
    • anything you can spare!
  • Donate online, you don't have to have a PayPal account, you can use your MasterCard, Visa, and several other options:

PARTICIPATE / CONTRIBUTE

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

  • Giving tours
  • Painting
  • General Cleaning
  • General Maintenance
    • Repairs
    • Updates
  • Gardening
  • Research
  • ...and much more!
Let us know your interests and we will find you a project.
Welcome!

Clicking on the individual images in our Exhibit Albums gives more information about it.

Check the Forums for News and Fun Stuff.

 

Check the Upcoming EventsCalendar
for Upcoming Events.

 

 

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  Event Calendars!

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 Sample Newsletter - June 2018

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Membership Application.
Membership Policy.

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