Many local towns and villages have a collection of artifacts from the early days of their residents. You might think a village the size of Brockport must have a large historic collection. It does. Unfortunately many residents have no idea the collection exists. That’s about to change.

The Emily Knapp Museum at the Brockport Municipal Building has two floors of Brockport artifacts dating back to the 1820's. A new collaboration between the village and the College at Brockport has archeology students cataloging the entire collection.

Dr. Neal Keating, an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Brockport, oversees the project. "We think its an important collection for the village of Brockport. We have approximately 50,000 objects, none of which are catalogued. In some ways it's a big mystery, you know, what exactly is in here?"

That's where four ambitious anthropology students come in. They work in pairs, each six hours a week. They share an interest in museum studies, and in Brockport's history.

Shane Jacubec, an anthropology and art major, grew up in a canal town outside Buffalo. "I've always been interested in canal history. Look at main street Brockport. It doesn't really seem like it should be there. In order to understand why it is there you have to go back and understand the history, why a town like this is actually forming here."

Cataloging the entire collection this way could take ten years.

"It begins by making a list of every single object. You assign it a number. We take photographs and we can upload the photos into the software program. That will help with referencing down the line." Keating adds.

A master plan is in place that might transform the anthropology department in several ways and breathe new life for this nearly forgotten museum.

Assistant Professor in anthropology Jennifer Ramsay hopes the plan will boost enrollment. "The first year students coming in, it will be part of their program when they're orienting. They will look here and say 'look, this is more than just a town where we go to school for four years. This has a real history.' I think that will have a real impact."

Angela D'Agistino a senior in the program who grew up in Hilton, NY, describes the appeal of the collection. "Its the puzzle. Where did it come from? How did it get here? What was it used for. We found a few things that we were like, why was this? It also gives us an aspect of their lives from 100 years ago that you would never think about."

The next part of the plan is set to debut this fall. The college will offer a Graduate Certificate Degree in Collections Management. It will pool talented students from several departments."

"Including History, Art, Public Administration and the Visual Studies Workshop. It’s never been brought together quite like this before." Keating adds.

Keating also believes the collection is worth preserving.

"Ultimately were hoping to create a new museum around this collection. We need to put it into a new building to properly conserve it."

Village artifacts, linking the past to the present, are now soundly part of Brockport's future. As are some ambitious students.

For more information follow the links below.

Village of Brockport

Brockport Anthropology