Carnegie Art Center
Caption to be fortcoming. Courtesy of William C. Wittkowsky Collection.
Carnegie Art Center – 240 Goundry Street
Built as a Carnegie Library –New life in re-use as an art center - Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites
Built in 1903 as the Carnegie Library through a gift of $20,000 to the City from Andrew Carnegie, this was the center of town for many years, the reason for its location. The Carnegie grant was based on the population of North Tonawanda at that time of 10,000 at $2 per person. It was one of nearly 3,000 libraries built in the United States between 1885 and 1919 with money donated by the wealthy industrialist. It has a beautiful rotunda and two side galleries. The floors were yellow pine flooring cut at local lumber mills in the City. The Carnegie served as a public library for over 70 years. The building is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Sites. The new North Tonawanda Public Library opened on Meadow Drive in 1975.
Since 1976, the Tonawandas' Council on the Arts, the governing board for the Carnegie Art Center , has been supporting its programs in this historic treasure. The Carnegie Art Center is a regional, multi-disciplinary arts center. It is the only art center that serves the immediate surrounding communities of the Tonawandas, and it also provides arts services to the greater Western New York region. These services include programming consisting of year-round exhibitions in the visual and digital/media arts; children's dance performances; literary presentation and arts management seminars. Another primary programming component is a year-round, multi-disciplinary Art Education curriculum for children. Year-round classes for children include workshops and classes in the visual, language and dance arts. In addition, they serve as the regranting agency in Niagara County for the New York State Council on the Arts, regranting funds to nonprofit organizations presenting arts projects throughout Niagara County with funds from the Decentralization Regrant Program.
In a park-like setting surrounded by gracious homes, the Carnegie has long been a cultural center for the community.
Photo: Carnegie Art Center today, courtesy of Museum member & volunteer Betty Brandon
Photo: postcard, courtesy of Museum files.
Letters & Notes from Museum Visitors
From: Linda Jansen Dittmer - Lakeside CA, July 22, 2005
We moved from Niagara Falls to North Tonawanda in 1955.
Fell in love with N.T. from the very first day we arrived there. I went to Felton Grammer School and graduated from 8th grade in 1956. Then went on to NTHS and graduaduated with the class of "60".
Does any one recall the statue of Minerva ( If I remember the name correctly) that was in the center of Felton Grammer School? If so, where did the statue go, and oh how I remember the wooden staircases in the school.
During high school I worked at the Carnegie Library on Goundry. I recall the walks to the library long before gaining employment there. Also remember the walk to Felton Grammer through Pine Woods Park.
We spent many summer days and evenings at the pool on Payne Ave.
After graduation I went on to work at The Marine Trust Co. Bank in Tonawanda, just across the canal. I walked the bridge every day to the Marine Trust Bank in N.T. to deliver some papers.
I met a fellow, in the army, through Paul and Marie Nowark. I married him and located to Southern Ca. in 1960. I now reside in Lakeside, Ca just 25 miles east of San Diego.
I visit NT as often as possible, perhaps every 2 years. Still love the place....it will always be home!
I love the nthistorymuseum website and plan on visiting when I feel "homesick". The Wedding gown donated by my sister, Marie Nowark, belonged to her husbands mother, Mary Nowark. She had visited my home in Lakeside Ca. several times. She was one "fine lady" and definately deserves a "place" in your museum.
Keep up the good work and the museum is definately on my list to see next time I am in town.