New York State Office of the State Historian Historical Marker Survey Files

Alphabetical by county.

A statewide volunteer effort was begun in 1994 to re-inventory all the standing site markers, whether erected by the State of New York or not, and to upgrade the inventory as an electronic database. This effort has revealed that of the 2800 listed historical markers erected by state funds, there may be as many as 40 percent missing in some localities. This effort has also revealed that there may be almost as many privately funded markers standing as there are survivors of the state program of the 1920s and 1930s, and that these, as well as some state funded markers known to exist, will not be found on existing "official" inventories. Although there was a great deal of interest in this volunteer field inventory project, particularly in areas where there was good press coverage of the initiative, in the end only about 20 percent of the towns in the state completed their surveys.

For a history of the state historical markers program, see Philip Lord, Jr., "A Summary History," available on the New York State Museum web site.

This series documents the results of a survey of existing historical markers administered by staff of the Office of the State Historian. The survey consists of a two-sided form, often with a photograph of the marker attached to the form.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.