The Alexandria Township Historical Society (ATHS) owns and operates the Cornwall Brothers Store Museum, an 1866 historic stone structure on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Originally, Cornwall Brothers Store served as a hub of commerce and transportation for the community from 1866 until closing in 1929, a victim of the stock market crash and changing times. Subsequently, the building housed U.S. Customs, the Coast Guard, and the Post Office. After being abandoned in 1960 and neglected for over a decade, the village mayor signed an order of condemnation and demolition. Fearing the loss of the last remaining waterfront building from the Gilded Age of the Thousand Islands, a group of citizens formed ATHS to save it in 1973. Ironically, the mayor became the Society’s first president and reversed the order. The E.J. Noble Foundation sold the building for one dollar to the newly formed ATHS stipulating its use for historic preservation. By 1983, this beloved landmark was placed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Over three decades of community support has transformed the neglected structure into a beautiful, vibrant museum. The Cornwall Brothers Store Museum now serves the Alexandria Bay and Thousand Islands community as a repository of local history. Diverse collections and exhibits reflecting the life style of the river communities are displayed on two floors of the museum, open to visitors from May through October. First floor exhibits currently feature Fitzgerald & Lee, boat builders of Alexandria Bay from 1920 to 1941, and Round the Houses Races, North America’s first street races held in Alexandria Bay from 1936 to 1940. An ongoing exhibit featuring families of the River has been initiated. Numerous additional exhibits are displayed on the second floor. ATHS enriches the area with cultural experiences held in the museum and on the St. Lawrence River. Among these are Gallery Talks, featuring diverse guest speakers, guided river tours and house tours, and story telling sessions. ATHS encourages full participation from the community it serves and welcomes visitors from around the world.
Cornwall Brothers Store Museum as seen from the River Trail
Beautiful St. Lawrence skiff welcomes visitors as they enter the CBSM
Fitzgerald & Lee exhibit on the first floor of the museum.
Exhibit of locally crafted decoys as displayed on the second floor.
Antique Boat Society display.
Cornwall Brothers Store c. late1800s
Local
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See and Do
- Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum Alexandria Bay (0.0 miles) - The Alexandria Township Historical Society (ATHS) owns and operates the Cornwall Brothers Store Muse...
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Shopping
- Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum - Alexandria Bay (0.0 miles) - The Alexandria Township Historical Society (ATHS) owns and operates the Cornwall Brothers Store Muse...
