North Tonawanda History Museum © Collections

Collections - Our Ethnic Heritage

The focus of this section of the Museum will be on the rich Ethnic Heritage of our City. Stay tuned for regular additions as we continue our catologuing of the actual Museum collections.

The North Tonawanda History Museum has received word from Heritage Preservation: The National Institute for Conservation, in Washington, D.C. that the Museum has been determined eligible for the 2006 Conservation Assessment Program (CAP). The Museum will be allocated $6,540 to hire a professional conservator to assess the Museum's collections and a preservation architect to assess the facilities for the future Museum home. Assessors will meet with Museum staff and volunteers, as well as with members of the Board of Trustees, so that everyone will play a part in the CAP assessment and will be invested in carrying out the assessor's recommendations. The Museum will need to match the grant with $610.

Heritage Preservation’s Conservation Assessment Program is supported through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities.

From: Arlene McNair, Town of Tonawanda, NY, April 26, 2005
"The 'Collections--Our Ethnic Heritage' on the web site is terrific! More and more information about NT and Gratwick in particular. Very professional!"

From: Nancy Robinson, Freeland, WA, May 15, 2005

I am enclosing some family files for my ancestors and related families who settled in the Tonawandas in the mid-1800's and whose several descendants still call the area home.

Wherever possible, I have attempted to document the records, but I would be most happy to hear from anyone who can provide further documentation or corrections of simply has questions. It goes without saying that I would love hearing from any of those descendants. Some of the surnames included: Gombert/Gumbert; Schlager, Vanselow/Fanclow/Fanslow/Fanzlow/Schmeling; Serriane, Holway, Bentz, Korkow, Beyer, Bodeker, Brigham, Velia, Diehl, Stenzel, Webb, Ewig, Lavery, Speck, Kriedemann.

Thank you for adding mine to your growing files of Niagara County families.

Sincerely,
Nancy Robinson
Freeland, Washington
copperwd@whidbey.com