About Us

An informal group calling itself the Sleeping Squaw Historical Society was formed in 1975 with one goal to obtain ownership and preserve the School and Library that had served the community from 1901 until it's final school year in 1968. The name evolved to the Glen Haven Historical Society to reflect the current common geographic name for the area, the school's official name, and the heritage related to the original Glen Haven Hotel on the west side of Skaneateles Lake. A provisional Charter was issued by the State of New York in 1977, and a final Charter was issued in 1980. The Society obtained quit claim deeds from over thirty descendants of the original donor of land for the school, thus giving the Society ownership of the land and building. There was a dedication to the Scott family at the annual meeting in August 1978. Preservation of the building continued, and it was placed on the NY State and National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

The objectives of the Society, as listed in the Charter from the State Education Department are:

1. Provide educational programs for enhancing knowledge of local history, and assisting in local historical research.
2. Disseminate and encourage a greater knowledge of the history of the State of New York and particularly Glen Haven and environs.
3. Gather, preserve, display, and make available for study, artifacts, relics, books, manuscripts, papers, photos, and other records and materials, relating to the history of the State of New York, the former Glen Haven school house.
4. Encourage the suitable marking of places of historic interest, and
5. Acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or otherwise title to, and/or custody and control of, historic sites and structures, and preserve and maintain such sites and structures.

History

The Glen Haven School and Library is the result of a unique partnership of local residents and summer visitors to the once famous Glen Haven Spa and Water Cure around the south end of Skaneateles Lake... read more about our history