Events & Exhibits
Each year the Wanakena Historical Association plans a series of Events and Exhibits exploring a broad theme designed to prompt a deeper understanding of Clifton-Fine area history and engage visitors in the area’s rich cultural heritage.
History Center Hours (June 13th–October 11th)
Regular Hours:
Saturday 11am–4pm
Sunday 11am–4pm
Holiday Hours:
July 4th: ~1pm–4pm (following the parade)
Labor Day Weekend: Fri-Sun, Sept. 4th-6th, 11am–4pm
Summer 2026 Events
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Saturday June 13th, 3:00pm: Opening Day Concert and Reception
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"The Civil War Years: An Adirondack Snapshot" (Click poster for more details!)
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Join us at the Church in Wanakena as we kick off our 2026 season.
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Memorial stained glass window from old St Hubert's church
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Friday, July 4th:
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Fourth of July Bake Sale & Hot Dog Stand
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Join the WHA at Z-Park before and after the parade for sweet goodies and hot dogs! Proceeds support WHA activities.
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History Center open after the parade until 4pm
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Sunday July 12th, 2:00pm: WHA Summer Special Programming Event
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"Historic Churches: The Story of Community and Place"
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Join the WHA and Town of Fine Historian, Mark Fridén, for a tour of three historic churches. Learn about the history of the area through these churches and their memorial stained glass windows. At 2:00pm on Sunday, meet at God's Missionary Church (Old St Hubert's Church), 4274 State Rte 3, Star Lake.
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Sunday July 19th, 1:00pm: WHA Summer Special Programming Event
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"Plants and Place Nature Walk"
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Join naturalist, Bernie Carr, on a walk exploring the plant life and history of a special local place—"The Setback.” Walk meets at the History Center and leaves at 1:00pm sharp.
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"The Setback" as seen from Ranger School Road.
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Friday July 31, 1:30pm: WHA FIELD TRIP (must pre-register to attend)
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Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center Field Trip
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Join the WHA on a field trip to learn about the culture and traditions of the Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) from the Fadden family who founded the Center in 1954. The Six Nations are: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. See over 3,000 artifacts, contemporary Mohawk artwork, and hear a story telling lecture by Dave Kanietakeron Fadden.
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You are responsible for your own transportation. Meet at 1:30 pm at the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center located at 1462 County Route 60 in Onchiota, NY, 12989
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There is a modest admission fee which you are responsible for.
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Sunday August 2nd, 1:00pm: WHA Summer Special Programming Event
- "Return to Sender!"
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Join us at the History Center as we step back in time with Town of Fine Historian, Mark Fridén, for a historic look at postmasters and post offices in the Clifton and Fine area.
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- "Return to Sender!"
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Saturday & Sunday August 22nd & 23rd, 11:00am–4:00pm:
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"Quilt Drop-off Weekend at the History Center"
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Deadline for dropping off quilts entered in Common Thread Quilt Fest
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Saturday & Sunday August 29th & 30th 11:00am–4:00pm:
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"Art Piece Drop-off Weekend at the History Cetner"
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Deadline for dropping off silent auction items for Common Thread Quilt Fest
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Highlights from Quilt Fest 2024.
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Friday & Saturday September 4th & 5th, 11:00am–4:00pm: SPECIAL EVENT
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Common Thread Quilt Fest 2026 "Quilting Through Time"
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Join our celebration of quilting! Help us raise money for outreach activities like Adirondack Heritage Week and the Clifton-Fine School, the Linda Fay Memorial Caring Quilt Program.
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Sunday September 13th, 1:00pm: WHA Summer Special Programming Event
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"First Adirondackers Book Talk"
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Join the WHA at the Wanakena Church for a conversation with authors, Curt Stager and David Kanietakeron Fadden, about their recent book, "The First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands." Their book sheds light on the cultural history of the Adirondacks and challenges the widespread, long-standing belief that the Adirondack uplands of northern New York were uninhabited before the arrival of European colonizers. Reception and book signing following the event.
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Sunday October 11th, 1:00pm:
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"History Center Season Closing Ceremony"
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Join us at the History center to mark the end of our 2026 season.
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2026 Rotating Exhibit Highlights
"Celebrating Time: Adirondack People and Place"
This exhibit honors America’s 250th anniversary by celebrating the people who have lived in, and been connected to, the Adirondacks. It explores their connection to each other, the nature around them, and the place they call home.
Overviews of those connections tell the story of the first inhabitants of the Adirondacks, the founding of St. Lawrence County, the Towns of Clifton and Fine, and 15 settlements and hamlets within them.
The exhibit also profiles some interesting residents giving viewers a window into past life in the Clifton-Fine area. The history, hardships, and triumphs of the people who lived here in the past, helps shape the character of the Clifton-Fine community we call home today.