Tonawanda News Open House - February 21, 2004 Gallery

In the February 19, 2004, Am-Pol Eagle, an article began “History is news in NT.”  The article said, “The Tonawanda News is holding an Open House from 2-5 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 21 at its 435 River Road offices.  The North Tonawanda History Museum will have its first exhibit on display, thanks to John Borycki, acting curator and member of the charter board of trustees, and Dan Bille, city historian and a member of the advisory committee.”

Credit: Am-Pol Eagle


The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum were proud to participate in the Tonawanda News’ first ever Open House with our first exhibit.  Our thanks to Dan Bille, North Tonawanda’s City Historian, the North Tonawanda Public Library’s Local History Department, and Lee and Doreen Bronson Bowen for reference material used in the exhibit.  The Bowens have spent years collecting historical postcards of the Tonawandas.  Watch for information in the near future on how you may obtain copies of their historical postcards of North Tonawanda through our website.

The first issue of the local newspaper originally known as the Daily News, which appeared on April 1, 1880, cost a penny.  The Tonawanda News, which was also known as the Evening News in the 20th century, has been the primary written recorder of North Tonawanda’s history continuously since April 1, 1880.  Good job, Tonawanda News!!

Our exhibit featured a copy of a map of North Tonawanda in 1875 which is in the Library’s collection and a news article from 1969 which described the New Lake Tonawanda, formed 10,000 years ago.  Another map showed the locations of North Tonawanda’s lumber businesses in 1886.

Among the hundreds of visitors to the Open House, estimated at approximately 400, some of our Interest Group members who stopped by to examine our exhibit and chat with John Borycki and Donna Neal—and Dan Bille as well—included Senator George Maziarz, Niagara County Legislator William Davignon, Common Council President and Alderman Brett Sommer, Alderman P. Russ Rizzo, North Tonawanda City Attorney Henry Wojtaszek, Erie County Legislator Chuck Swanick, and Tonawanda News columnist Dale Rogers (aka “the Towpath Tiller”).

John and Donna were pleased with the many encouraging comments from visitors who stated their endorsement of our effort to create the new museum and who said they have been following the newspaper publicity about our effort.

Credit: Volunteer Museum Director, Donna Zellner Neal

The first time your North Tonawanda History Museum staff participated in a public exhibit--an Open House held by the Tonawanda News at their offices at 435 River Road on February 21, 2004. The exhibit was a joint project by Charter member and volunteer John Borycki and Advisory Committee member A. Daniel Bille, who is also the North Tonawanda City Historian. "North Tonawanda History Museum" sign was created for the Museum by Pioneer Printers in 2003 and presently resides in the window at 314 Oliver Street.

Charter member and volunteer -- as well as a member of our original steering committee and a member of the Board of Trustees from October 9, 2003, through January 2005, John Borycki explains the exhibit. John is also an Honorary Charter Life Member for his dedicated service to the Museum from the first meeting of the steering committee.

Advisory Committee member William M. Davignon, a Niagara County Legislator, and one of the group who originally created the steering committee to begin the Museum,with his son at our exhibit. Bill is an Honorary Charter Life Member for his dedicated service to the Museum from the very beginning. Bill has served the Museum as a member of our Finance Committee.

Charter member Dale Rogers, also known as "The Towpath Tiller" stopped by the exhibit.

City Alderman Russ Rizzo visited the Open House and visited with Museum staff.