Another phase in the ongoing restoration of an historic building in Seneca Falls, which houses the National Women’s Hall of Fame has been completed.
There was a ribbon cutting on Friday to mark the completion of renovations to the 2nd floor of the Seneca Knitting Mill. The latest phase of work at that building, which was constructed in 1844, makes available space for both temporary and permanent exhibits.
Jennifer Gabriel is the Hall’s Executive Director and CEO and she said the Women’s Hall of Fame has seen an increase in visitors this year, due partly to interest in issues surrounding this year’s presidential campaign.
She said it has attracted visitors who want to “understand…the context of history, and then with the second floor opening up and us being able to have increased visibility, we have a lot more people expressing interest in being part of what we’re building here, which is really exciting,” said Gabriel.
Currently, among the temporary exhibits is one that was organized by the Smithsonian Museum, called “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” which looks at basic issues including the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens.
Gabriel said the planned changes call for the second floor of the four story building to eventually become “the actual National Women’s Hall of Fame with dedicated exhibits to honor the 312 women who have been inducted into the Hall.”
Gabriel said that since the Hall purchased the building in 2008, there has been about $14 million worth of renovations done there. Recent work includes the addition of an elevator, an internal stairwell, and restoring the historic smokestack and bell tower.
Recent work was aided by nearly $1.8 million in funds from various state agencies.
Governor Kathy Hochul noted that some of the funding comes from New York’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which she said “is not only reinvigorating our downtowns, it is also honoring and celebrating the Empire State’s rich heritage.”
