AURORA, NY (607NewsNow) – A non-profit educational organization is among the interested prospective buyers of Wells College.

According to FingerLakes1.com, the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge officially submitted a bid to purchase the Aurora campus last week. The group wants to establish a college dedicated to preserving indigenous knowledge, though it is not affiliated with any Indigenous nation. The group will not pursue gaming assets.

As part of the purchase proposal, the Hiawatha Institute has offered long-term lease agreements to community staples on the Wells property, namely the Community Medical Center and Peachtown Elementary School.

Wells, which closed in 2024 due to financial struggles, was founded in 1868 on indigenous land.