Become a Member of the NHS

We invite you to become a member of the Newstead Historical Society and support the ongoing preservation of the Rich-Twinn Octagon House Museum, a building on the National Register of Historic Places, dedicated to interpreting residential life of the mid-nineteenth century. 

In addition, the NHS collects, preserves, and shares the history of the Town of Newstead and Village of Akron at the Knight-Sutton Museum.

Membership benefits include unlimited free admission to the Rich-Twinn Octagon House “Highlights of the Octagon” tours on the first and third Sundays throughout our regular season. Your current membership card is your ticket to our Sunday tours.

Use our Contact page to email us for more information.

We are a volunteer organization, and there are many ways you can help the NHS! We welcome anyone in Western New York who has a love of local history. Opportunities include: becoming a docent or greeter at the Rich-Twinn Octagon House and/or the Knight-Sutton Museum, helping with the gardening upkeep, scanning and filing paper. ephemera from our collection, and more!. 

Use our Contact page to email us for more information.

As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the support of our community to continue our mission. Donate today to help us continue to promote cultural understanding and appreciation of mid-nineteenth century living and local Akron-Newstead history.

Donations to the Newstead Historical Society should have a historical connection to the Village of Akron, Town of Newstead, Rich-Twinn Octagon House or Knight-Sutton Museum.  We very much appreciate your wish to donate your cherished items to the Society to preserve for future generations.  However, the Society has limited storage space that is already overflowing.  Please note the following guidelines before offering your treasures to the Society.

Does the item have a connection to the Village of Akron, Town of Newstead, Rich-Twinn Octagon House or Knight-Sutton Museum?  

Is it connected or related to a prominent member of the village/town?  

Is it related to a business or organization with ties to the village/town?  Does the item have a story connected to it that relates to the village/town?

What condition is the item in?  Are there missing pieces, damaged or

show mold or mildew?

Can you provide details about the history of the item?

If your item meets the above criteria, please use our Contact page to email NHS.Collections Manager, Jannette Potera.