Wharton Studio Museum

Can't make our Walk and Talk tomorrow? Join us for our next one on Saturday, July 25 at 9am at Historic Stewart Park with Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio Museum. The tour will focus on the park's history and its current revitalization. This tour will be walking throughout the park please be sure to wear proper footwear and bring a water bottle. PLEASE MEET AT THE WATERFRONT TRAIL NEAR THE LARGE PICNIC PAVILION CLOSE TO THE LAKE. Parking is located near the building.

In 1917, Ithaca’s Wharton, Inc. Studio released its fifteen-part wartime serial Patria, starring world-famous dancer and actress Irene Castle, and shot many scenes on location at the Morse Chain Factory on South Hill, where roller chains, bike chains, and WWI aircraft were produced.

A hundred and ten years later, this former factory site is being transformed into SouthWorks, an exciting adaptive reuse that will include retail, housing, workforce development, hiking trails, and food & drink; the antiques mart, Found, has already moved in!

Wharton Studio Museum’s a big fan of this project and its ties to the moviemaking Wharton brothers’ enterprise. We’re grateful to the folks at SouthWorks for collaborating with us and bringing a small photo installation to their office headquarters.

There were many fascinating connections between the industries flourishing in Ithaca in the early part of the 20th century: from the motion picture industry (Wharton Studio) to the Morse Chain factory, to the aviation industry (Thomas Aviation).

WSM looks forward to future collaborations with SouthWorks!

Photo: Irene Castle with her co-star Milton Sills on location during the filming of “Patria” in 1916.

TOMORROW! Join WSM while we screen the submissions from our local youth silent short film festival, Quiet on the Set!
Awards ceremony to follow the screenings. This event is FREE and fun for the whole family! We hope to see you there!
🗓️ Sunday, June 7
⏰ 2 PM
📍 Cinemapolis

WSM’s Quiet on the Set! Youth Silent Film Festival’s Screening & Awards Ceremony is this Sunday, June 7 at 2pm at Cinemapolis!
Join us as we screen all films that were submitted, followed by a ceremony to award 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, as well as two honorable mentions and an audience choice award!
This event is FREE, fun, and family-friendly! We hope to see you at the movies! 🍿