About Us

The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp is a non-profit (501c3) based in Elmira, New York.

Mission

It is the mission of the Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp to protect and preserve the history of the Civil War in Elmira, Chemung County and surrounding areas and to educate the public about that history.

Project Vision

The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp will be the primary resource for history, education and preservation of the Civil War experience for Elmira, Chemung County and the surrounding areas. This will include working cooperatively with other local groups, as well as building relationships with relevant organizations nationally.

Board of Directors

Martin D. Chalk

President

Chemung County legislator 10th district, retired from Sysco Foods, president of Elmira Water Board, President of Chemung County Sports Hall of Fame, President of St. Peter and Paul’s Cemetery, former US Army/National Guard, Corning Community College.

John R. Trice

Vice President

Attorney, former Chemung County District Attorney, BA-Thiel College, MS -Elmira College, J.D. – Syracuse University Law School, former history teacher, amateur historian.

Erich Herzig

Treasurer

Accounting and tax professional in Horseheads. BS in Accounting from Elmira College. Previous member of the Village of Horseheads Planning Board and the Horseheads Historical Society.

Karen Thrall

Secretary

Professional longarm quilter with a background in commercial printing management and packaging graphics design. Amateur genealogist. Active member of local quilting guilds and Twin Tiers Business Group. Past volunteer in drum corps as well as local youth sports and 4H.

Rev. John A. DeSocio

Chaplain

St John Fisher University, Rochester Institute of Technology, St Bernard’s Seminary, US Navy chaplain (Ret), Lt. Cmdr., active and reserve, pastor emeritus St. Mary’s Church, Elmira, chaplain Elmira and Southport Fire Departments, Board of Trustees – Notre Dame High School.

Teresa M. Olszowy

Research

BA -Syracuse University, MSA – Public/Nonprofit- Central Michigan University. Public History Certificate, Nazareth University. Former US Army Ordnance Captain responsible for logistics and supply chain management. Former Town Councilwoman, Deputy Town Supervisor, Town Supervisor Town of Ashland, NY. Author Elmira Civil War 1861-1865.

Douglas A. Oakes

Interpretation

Retired from NYS Dept. of Corrections. Former US Army combat engineer. Volunteer historical interpreter for several US National Park Service locations. Actively involved in Civil War research at the National Archives, state and local institutions. Founding organizer of Civil War re-enactments in Elmira. Member of the original team responsible for preserving the original Civil War building currently on site.

Walter Sweeney

Facility Maintenance

Retired from NYS Dept. of Corrections, Siena College, Elmira College, partner Kate’s Klean.

Dr. Gary Emerson

Educational Programming

Retired history teacher Newfield Central School, Schuyler County historian, Board of Trustees Schuyler County Historical Society, St. Bonaventure U. alum, PhD in American History Binghamton University.

Randy Reid

Marketing & Media Liaison

Marketing Consultant and owner of Reid Media Group. Past VP and General Manager of WETM-TV. Randy served nine years as an Elected Member of the Elmira City School District Board of Education. Longtime resident of Elmira. His family roots trace back to 1840 when his great-great grandfather arrived at Park Church through the Underground Railroad.

Mary F. Calland

Growth & Development Advisor

Attorney, BA -American Studies and J.D. Notre Dame University and Law School, author – Barefoot in the Stubblefield and Consecrated Dust and Our Lesser Angels (historical fiction about Civil War Elmira).

Dr. Michael Gray

Research Advisor

PhD, Professor of history, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, author The Business of Captivity and Crossing the Deadlines – Civil War Prisons Reconsidered.

Bruce Whitmarsh

Organizational Development Advisor

Director, Chemung County Historical Society since 2010, Executive. Director Cass County (ND) Historical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Villanova U. and George Washington U. alum.

Kent Scriber

Trustee at Large

Professor Emeritus, Department Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York. Dr Scriber serves as a volunteer at the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp site. He is the author of “Three Oswego County Brothers in the Civil War and After”, currently on line at the New York State Military Museum, Unit History Site for the 24th New York Volunteer Infantry.

Robert Butcher

Architectural Advisor

Architect, BArch-Syracuse University, past Board memberships include Friends of Woodlawn Cemetery, Tanglewood Nature Center, Chemung County Historcial Society and John W. Jones Museum. Former past President Chemung Sunrise Rotary and past Chapter President of AIA Southern New York. Serves on Elmira Historic Preservation – resident architect.

William G. Cleary

Trustee at Large

Commercial, industrial and residential real estate developer in 8 States. Owner of numerous restaurants and pizza shops for over 40 years. AS from Corning Community College.

Elizabeth Hoffman Gabel

Trustee at Large

10 years as a Designer/Art Director and in Marketing Communications in Rochester, NY.
Board Member – Communications Committee for Historic Pittsford, Marketing and Outreach Committee for The Pittsford Food Cupboard, Co-Chair Social and Events Committee, Lakeside Country Club, Penn Yan, NY. Rochester Institute of Technology, BFA Graphic Design. Her ancestors were one of Elmira’s founding families.

Contact Us

The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp
PO Box 681
Elmira, NY 14902

Camp Location:
645 Winsor Ave
Elmira, NY 14905

Donate

Thank you for considering a donation. Your donation will go to keep this all volunteer organization operating.

Donate Online

Mission

Hours

Memorial Day to Labor Day

Saturdays: 10:30am - 2:30pm
or by Appointment