From a Tonawanda News "Flashback" column by William C. Wittkowsky. When the flood of 1916 struck the Twin Cities, the first casualty was the collapse of the Long Bridge over the Erie Canal. The bridge connected Webster Street in North Tonawanda with Main Street in Tonawanda. This photo looks north into North Tonawanda. On the right are railroad tracks used by the trains which ran daily between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. The three-story Scanlon Building is the first building on the north side of the bridge and was located on the site now occupied by the Buffalo Suzuki Strings Musical Arts Center. The Scanlon Building, on the southwest corner of Sweeney and Webster Streets had open porches. On the far left behind the Scanlon Building, a portion of the White Star Hotel is seen. A bascule bridge was constructed to replace the Long Bridge and was completed in 1918. During the interim period, foot traffice between the Tonawandas used a temporary wooden pontoon bridge. The bascule bridge, which lifted for the passage of boats underneath, was replaced in 1979 by the present Renaissance Bridge.

Photo: Courtesy of George Trautman Collection

Looking east from the bridge between North Tonawanda's Webster Street and Tonawanda's Main Street towards the cantilever railroad bridge on November 22, 1920. The cantilever bridge was built to permit taller ships to pass. However, it was used only once, as the use of the Canal changed soon after it was built. A covered bridge previously occupied the site of the cantilever bridge. In the late 1800's, saw mills and lumber yards occupied the land on the North Tonawanda side west of the bridge site. In `1895 the Buffalo-Niagara Electric Railway built a power house on what is now commonly referred to as the old Remington Rand plant. By 1906, Herschell-Spillman had established a manufacturing operation for its carrousel company. The shape of the cantilever bridge has long been identified with the Tonawandas and the Erie Canal.

Photo: Courtesy of George Trautman Collection

The Scanlon House is at the right, with its open balconies. The Scanlon House was replaced by the E. B. Green-designed Power Building in 1929. Looking toward Tonawanda's Main Street from Webster and Sweeney Street in North Tonawanda.

Photo: Courtesy of A. Daniel Bille, North Tonawanda City Historian

During the flood of 1916, the Long Bridge over the Erie Canal, which joined Webster Street in North Tonawanda with Main Street in Tonawanda, collapsed. While the Bascule Bridge was being constructed to replace the damaged Long Bridge, the temporary wooden pontoon bridge shown here was used by foot traffic over the Canal. The pontoon bridge was designed by Philip Perew, a local inventor and builder was was involved in many local ventures. He also was the owner of the Scanlon House and the White Star Hotel on the North Tonawanda end of the bridge.

Photo: Courtesy of George Trautman Collection