THE 1890 HOUSE
- Program
- Subject
- Location
- Lat/Long
- Grant Recipient
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NYS Historic
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Building, Industry & Commerce
- 37 Tompkins St, Cortland, NY 13045, USA
- 42.596276882603, -76.182191308473
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1890 House Museum
THE 1890 HOUSE
Inscription
THE 1890 HOUSEHOME OF CHESTER F. WICKWIRE,
1843-1910. INDUSTRIALIST &
INVENTOR IN WOVEN WIRE & WIRE
CLOTH. FAMILY-OWNED 83 YEARS.
OPENED AS MUSEUM IN 1975.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2025
Chester F. Wickwire was born in 1843 and resided in Cortland, NY for most of his life. Wickwire made a living as an inventor and manufacturer of wire products. Throughout his career, he developed pivotal advancements in wire cloth, better known as woven wire. Wickwire compiled an extensive list of patents including looms for weaving wire cloth, loom shuttles, and wire baskets for popping popcorn. Chester went on to partner with his brother, Theodore, to form the prolific Wickwire Brothers business in the 1870s. The ever-expanding Wickwire Brothers Factory was a prominent source of economic growth and employment in the city of Cortland.
Chester’s financial success inspired him to move his family into a luxurious chateauesque-style mansion in 1890. The house featured Belcher mosaic stained-glass windows, carved woodwork, and other decorative details reminiscent of the time. After Chester’s death in 1910, the house was passed down to Chester’s sons Frederick and Charles.
Marian A. Wickwire, Frederick’s wife, eventually inherited the estate upon her husband’s death in 1929. She was the last Wickwire to inhabit the home and after 83 years, the home was sold to the Landmark Society of Cortland County. This non-for-profit organization purchased the mansion to preserve and open the residence for public use. The Wickwire home was converted into a museum and arts center called the 1890 House, likely named after its original build date. The 1890 House Museum opened to a crowd of over 3,000 visitors on March 2nd, 1975. The New York State Department of Education granted the museum an official charter in 1984. The 1890 House Museum continues to preserve and interpret the Wickwire residence, while educating the community about life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries (The 1890 House Museum, 2025).
Sources:
The 1890 House Museum. (2025, March 28). Mission & History – the 1890 House Museum. https://the1890house.org/mission-history/