A museum in Otego has much to do with a man’s love of getting his hands dirty.
It’s the Roland B. Hill Memorial Museum of Indian Archeology, at 92 Main St., open on occasion and by appointment.
From news in the May 3, 1971 edition of The Oneonta Star, “Roland B. Hill, 65, former Oneontan and one of the country’s foremost amateur archeologists, died May 2.
“Roland Hill was born in Cherry Valley on July 24, 1905, a son of Frank and Grace (Whiteman) Hill. The family moved to Oneonta when he was a boy and he completed his education here. His father was for years advertising manager of the Oneonta Daily Star.
“Mr. Hill began collecting Indian artifacts around Oneonta when he was a boy and the hobby developed into a serious study of Indian cultures. He was the first person to do scientific archeological excavation in the vicinity of Oneonta. In conjunction with the Rochester Museum he excavated the famed workshop at the head of Prosser Hollow and the Indian summer camp at the head of Oneonta Creek.”
Hill often had the opportunity to talk about his work, as it was reported in The Star’s June 18, 1936 edition, “Refuting numerous fallacies concerning the American Indian and tracing the interesting history of the Aborigines of the upper Susquehanna valley, Roland B. Hill … was heard in an address on ‘Men of the Stone Age in the vicinity of Oneonta’ at the meeting of the Kiwanis club at Hotel Oneonta yesterday noon.”
Continuing from The Star in 1971, “He had many monographs published in scientific journals and had edited several books on Indian archeology, including ‘Orite of Adequentaga,’ by Willard Yager, published by Hartwick College in 1953.
“Roland saw European service with the infantry in World War II. Following his discharge he went to Detroit where he worked 17 years for General Motors. At the time of his retirement in 1967 he was a production manager in the Cadillac Division.”
Even in industry, Hill liked to still get out to dig, as The Star of Nov. 28, 1953 told how in a recent issue of the “Cadillac Craftsman,” published in Detroit, it devoted a full page on his archeological activities.
“The article comments that old buildings on the Detroit waterfront are being demolished to make way for a new civic center, and that the demolition gives Mr. Hill an opportunity to find evidence of the early history of the community.”
Hill came back to Oneonta occasionally, especially when he was working on the book by Willard Yager.
At the time near his death, a home for Native American artifacts was being sought, as The Star of March 24, 1971 reported, “A permanent display place for 15,000 Indian artifacts dug in this area is being sought by the Upper Susquehanna Chapter of the New York State Archeological Association.
“The Chapter is hoping to be able to build a museum someplace along Route 7 which would be easily accessible to travelers.”
Moving forward to The Star’s Dec. 17, 1973 edition, the Chapter, “…seeks the approval of the voters of the Unatego Central School District on the first two proposals to be presented at a referendum on December 19.”
The first proposal was to have voters give what was called the Palmer House and property to the town board, which would then convey it to the chapter. The house was built in 1844 and was a summer home for Dr. Dwight B. Hunt, which was sold to D.L. Palmer in 1928. For a number of years, the house was used for classroom space by what was then the Otego Central School.
Voters approved the transfer, and the Chapter in 1973 gave it the name of Roland B. Hill Memorial Museum of Indian Archeology, dedicated to the preserving the Native American history of the central New York area, along the Susquehanna River. The museum opened in 1976 after three years of preparation, as a part of the Otego Bicentennial Celebration.
This summer, according to David Moyer, museum director, the museum will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. For other appointments call 607-437-7189.
On Thursday, the local school year ended in 1984.