Yates County's Public Historian

09/17/2026

An awesome find & story!

**Edit: I messaged the family again on Facebook and told them all the information I found since I picked up the picture!
They were so grateful so I am going to try to get down to the cemetery to clean Eleanor’s headstone for them 🫶🏻🫶🏻 **

I picked up this absolutely BEAUTIFUL framed picture from Facebook marketplace today.

I was told me the little girl in the photo was named Eleanor Jane and that she died when she was 5 years old. They didn’t have any more information about her besides knowing Eleanor is related to them on the mothers-side of the family. Her family is moving and couldn’t bring her framed picture along but they were so happy I was interested in bringing the photo home!

When I got home, I searched records and
found out Eleanor Jane is buried in Addison, New York and she died from toxemia and spinal meningitis.

I love giving antique pictures a new home. I feel like I’m “adopting” them into my family.
I really hope to stop by her grave at some point. She was a beautiful little girl🥀🪽

07/02/2026

06/28/2026

Activity list for the 4th of July!
It is so nice to see all the neighbors, businesses, villages and towns celebrating our country’s 250 years. 🇺🇸

Communities big and small across the country are gearing up to celebrate America's 250th birthday & Yates County is showing up for it!

Your Fourth of July plans are right here, no need to go far!

Some local weekend highlights:
✈️ Start your morning with a local tradition-Penn Yan Flying Club's fly in breakfast at the Penn Yan Airport

🇺🇸 America250 Celebration at the Windmill Farm & Craft Market (July 3 + 4)

🎆 Branchport festivities all day long including Red , White, & Blue 5K Walk/Run, parade at 2pm, fireworks, 10pm, & so much more

🔥 Flares around Keuka Lake at 9:30pm

🙏 Freedom in Faith County-wide worship service at Rock Stream Presbyterian Church Sunday July 5, 2pm

The local calendar is packed with other activities like live music, chicken bbq's, & more.

For more details on all these events, visit our website: https://bit.ly/yates-july-fourth

06/23/2026

05/25/2026

Remembering our fallen today. May they rest in eternal peace 🤍

Honoring Army Sgt. Devin Snyder of Cohocton. She was killed in Afghanistan June 4th, 2011. She was just 20 years old.

05/17/2026

🥞 😍

05/15/2026

05/13/2026

Who Is it? Wednesday
Two unidentified teen boys, circa 1950s-early 1960s. If you know their names, drop them in the comments!

05/08/2026

Penn Yan native, Deb (Eaves) Curbeau, made the list! Voting link is in the comments if you’d like to vote for Deb.

We've whittled down 50-plus years of local girls basketball come up with the list of the 15 greatest players of all-time in Section V history.

Now we need you to decide who should be No, 1. Vote in our poll for top 250 greatest high school and professional athletes of all time for America's 250th anniversary.

Click the🔗 in our comments to vote.

If you think we missed someone, let us know in the comments and make your best case.

Voting remains open through June.

Story by Justin Ritzel