The Oneida Community Mansion House unveiled its brand-new National Register of Historic Places sign Oct. 6, 2022, on the front lawn of the Mansion House, courtesy of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
The Mansion House was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. There are more than 95,000 properties on the Register, but only about 2,600 (2.7 percent) have the honor of being designated National Historic Landmarks by the National Parks Service.
Though designated in 1966, the Mansion House never had signage to inform the public to this important piece of American history. To remedy this, the Oneida Community Mansion House applied to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s National Register Signage Grant Program, which provides markers to historic sites of importance.
OCMH was fortunate enough to be awarded this grant, and the marker was unveiled Oct. 6, celebrating the 160th anniversary of the construction of this National Historic Landmark.
“As 2022 marks the 160th birthday of this amazing structure, it is so important that we celebrate by welcoming as many people as we can,” said Director of Museum Affairs Thomas A. Guiler. “One of the best ways to do that is by partnering with the Pomeroy Foundation to put one of their amazing markers outside our building where motorists and passersby can see it and stop in to learn more about one of the most successful utopian communities in American history.”
“The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is one of the most important and generous philanthropic organizations in Central New York, and we cannot be more grateful for their support,” said Executive Director Christine Hall O’Neil. “Their historic marker program is a tremendous benefit to the community, and we are thrilled and honored to be a part of it.”
The Oneida Community Mansion House is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization with an educational charter from the state Board of Regents. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1966 as part of the National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings. The is the highest designation of historical significance that can be awarded by the United States government and is reserved for places that are exceptional because of their ability to illustrate U.S. heritage.
Today, there are fewer than 2,600 NHLs in the United States. The mission of the OCMH is to use this historic site and collection to share the story of the Oneida Community – one of the most radical and successful of the 19th century social experiments – to explore pressing social issues that still confront audiences today.
The Oneida Community Mansion House is located at 170 Kenwood Ave., Oneida. For more information, call 315.363.0745 or visit oneidacommunity.org.