History of the Museum / News Release Archive - October 2006 * Represents newest additions to our Archive NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The North Tonawanda History Museum will present its 3rd Annual MILITARY HERITAGE NIGHT on Thursday, November 16, 2006. It will be a New York State History Month Event! Scott Scanlon, Niagara Bureau Chief for the Buffalo News, will share his experiences as President during the 1990s of Safe Haven, Inc., a non-profit group devoted to recounting the story of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, the only spot on American soil to house Holocaust survivors during World War II There will also be a reading and book signing by North Tonawanda native and author Diane M. Meholick of her latest book, “Buffalo Stories.” The winners will also be selected during the evening of prizes in the Museum’s 1st Annual Fall Raffle. The event is free and open to the public. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the North Tonawanda Senior Center at 110 Goundry Street. Light refreshments are provided. For information, call 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The The exhibit will be on display at the North Tonawanda Public Library, The exhibit is a traveling exhibit developed by the Upstate History Alliance with the support of the Documentary Heritage Program. Archives and repositories hold a wealth of information, often caring for pieces of history that, if destroyed, would be lost forever. The exhibit explores the meaning, use and preservation of archives and historical records, using images of historical records from repositories throughout upstate NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The North Tonawanda History Museum announces the release of its fifth publication for 2006: “ North Tonawanda: A Celebration of Our Diversity!” The book will be offered for sale to the public for a $10 donation beginning on Saturday, October 7, during the Museum’s first bi-annual ethnic heritage festival which will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the Sportsplex Family Entertainment Complex at 90 Ridge Road. The book will be available for purchase beginning October 9 at the Museum. It will also be available for purchase at the North Tonawanda Public Library, at Hodgepodge at 72 Webster, at Lovin’ Life at 305 Robinson Street, and in the gift shop at DeGraff Memorial Hospital by October 16. A $10 donation per book. The book may be ordered by mail also. A $3 shipping and handling fee will cover 1-3 copies of the book shipped anywhere in the United States. The 100-page book was printed by Pioneer Printers, the Museum’s official printer, with graphics by Joshua Hoover, a North Tonawanda High School student, the Am-Pol Eagle, Buffalo State College students from the Sociology Department, and Museum webmaster John P. Zellner Neal. Editor is Donna Zellner Neal; contributing writers and typists are Courtney Reichman (a Buffalo State College Museum Studies student and graduate of SUNY at Brockport), Craig Habermehl and Clint Reigle (Kenmore East High School students), Sophie Hodorowicz Knab (a local author on Polish heritage), and Karen Fabiano of the Anthracite Heritage Museum & Iron Furnaces in Scranton, Pa. The Museum also acknowledges the support of the New York Council for the Humanities and its Speakers in the Humanities Program for valuable input and the 32-member Spring 2007 semester class of Dr. Amitra Hodge, Assistant Professor of Sociology & Coordinator of Women’s Studies Unit, Buffalo State College. Proofreader was Michael El-Sharif (a graduate of Niagara University). The publication and the Museum’s first effort at an ethnic heritage festival are presented as an attempt to officially begin the new Museum’s focus on preserving the rich ethnic heritage of the present residents and early residents of North Tonawanda, realizing that we all come into regular contact as well with others of varying ethnic backgrounds. Museum representatives state that they’ve sadly found as a new history museum that much of the city’s ethnic heritage has become obscure and unknown to present generations. The city’s ethnic communities, and the traditions and cultures of the members of longtime resident families, and those newcomers to the city, are a rich and integral part of the city’s heritage and all combine to make us all who and what we are as individuals, families, and a community. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The HAUNTED GARDENS ON THE EEEErie CANAL will take place this year on October 13, 20, and 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. This year’s event will bring back the popular Haunted Hayride presented by Hartland Carriages, the Haunted Greenhouse with refreshments and gift items for sale, and a new guided Spooky Stroll through the Haunted Gardens. This is the North Tonawanda History Museum’s second annual series of three Fridays in the North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens at 1825 Sweeney Street. Originally named the Adam Gondek Botanical Gardens, it was the site of last year’s “13 Historic Ghosts of the Niagara Frontier.” The event has been given a permanent name and format for this year’s events and for future years. Coordinating the guided stroll for the North Tonawanda History Museum will be Danielle Oney. Coordinating the Haunted Hayride and Haunted Greenhouse is Donna Zellner Neal. Advisors to this year’s event will be Joann Mis and Carl Tamburlin, who created the scripts, sets, costuming and props for last year’s events and produced the guided stroll portion. Admission at the event will be $5 for adults for the guided Spooky Stroll and $5 for the Haunted Hayride; $2.50 for children ages 5-16 for the Spooky Stroll and $2.50 for the Haunted Hayride. Both events are free for ages 4 and under and free admission is included for all to the Haunted Greenhouse where light seasonal refreshments will be on sale as well as ethnic and historical gift items. Refreshments for this year’s event will be provided by Gullo’s Macaroni Grill. If it is actually raining at 6 p.m. on any of the nights, it is unlikely that the event will take place that evening since it is outdoors. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The North Tonawanda History Museum will present its 3rd Annual MILITARY HERITAGE NIGHT on Thursday, November 16, 2006. It will be a New York State History Month Event! Scott Scanlon, Niagara Bureau Chief for the Buffalo News, will share his experiences as President during the 1990s of Safe Haven, Inc., a non-profit group devoted to recounting the story of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, the only spot on American soil to house Holocaust survivors during World War II There will also be a reading and book signing by North Tonawanda native and author Diane M. Meholick of her first two books, “Painting Katherine” and “A Switch in Time.” Advance orders will be taken for her new soon-to-be released book, “Buffalo Stories.” The winners will also be selected during the evening of prizes in the Museum’s 1 st Annual Fall Raffle. The event is free and open to the public. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the North Tonawanda Senior Center at 110 Goundry Street. Light refreshments are provided. For information, call 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com.
NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
The North Tonawanda History Museum "Haunted Gardens on the EEEErie Canal", set for 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, October 13, 20, and 27, will take place each week so long as it is not raining or snowing at 6 p.m. or unless precipitation has been steady all day making the grounds at the North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens too wet for performances. Advance sale tickets previously purchased are good for any of the three nights. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum is pleased to announce that it has been approved for its fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grants under the Speakers in the Humanities program of the New York Council for the Humanities, having previously been awarded one for a December 17, 2005, Italian Christmas program in the DeGraff Community Center, three for this year’s ethnic heritage festival, “North Tonawanda: A Celebration of Our Diversity!” which took place on Saturday, October 7, in the Sportsplex Family Entertainment Complex. The recently approved grants will make it possible for the Museum to present four lectures in 2007. Two of the lectures the grants will make possible will both be presented by Peter G. Rose, a food historian from South Salem, New York, who is an author and was the 2002 recipient of the Alice P. Kenney Award for research and writing on the food customs and diet of the Dutch settlers in New Netherland. Her books on the Hudson Valley foods and history focus on its rich agricultural, culinary and ethnic history. The Dutch were the earliest settlers in the Hudson Valley and left a lasting mark on the Valley and on America’s kitchens as well. Mrs. Rose has lectured at the Smithsonian Institution, the Culinary Institute of America, Museum Boymans van Beuningen in the Netherlands, the New York Historical Society, and at a variety of universities and museums, such as Bryn Mawr College, Hofstra University, Harvard’s Fogg Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Mrs. Rose will present the following lectures at a location to be announced with the Museum’s 2007 official schedule of events: Thursday, September 20, 2007 – Dutch Heritage Night beginning at 6:30 p.m. – “Dutch Influence on the American Kitchen and Life.” Mrs. Rose will explore the foodways brought to America by the Dutch more than three centuries ago, and the way these foodways were adapted to new circumstances. Slides of 17th century Dutch art works depicting various foodstuffs will be included in the lecture. Saturday, December 8, 2007 – Dutch Christmas Celebration beginning at 2 p.m. – “The Forgotten Holidays.” This lecture will explain the practices brought here by Dutch settlers in the 17th century that had a lasting impact on American life. The talk includes the changes that took place, not only in the present-day celebration of Christmas, but also in the festivities surrounding New Year's, Pinkster (which became an African American holiday) and other events that are cause for celebration, such as the birth of a child. Slides illustrating the various festive occasions are part of the lecture. Dr. J. Ward Regan, who has a Ph.D. in Labor and Cultural History form SUNY Stony Brook and teaches history and philosophy at New York University will present “Feet, Hooves, and Rails: Transportation in Nineteenth Century America” on Saturday, October 21, 2007, at 2 p.m. Dr. Regan has taught at the Pratt Institute of Art and Design and Bard College. He has worked in off-Broadway theater and independent film in New York City for over fifteen years. His one-man show, “A Paranoid’s Guide to History,” was part of the 2005 Boulder International Fringe Festival. His lecture will follow the development of transportation from the pre-industrial period to the introduction of the combustion engine in the early 20 th century. The Transportation Revolution, as it is sometimes called, encompassed a wide range of successes and failures, and goes well beyond the introduction of steam power. The talk begins with the era of canal building in New York and continues through to the rise of the railroad all the way to the automobile, encompassing an examination of the technological innovations and ideological shifts that changed transportation and transformed the United States into a world power. It will also address the central role New York played in this process. Professor Susan Aberth, Assistant Professor of Art History, at Bard College, Annandale-on- Hudson, NY) will speak on Thursday, November 8, 2007, at 7 p.m. on “El Dia de los Muertos: The Mexican Celebration of Life.” El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated annually on November 2, combining the Spanish Catholic feast of All Soul’s Day with pre-Conquest Indian rituals of death. The presentation provides a stunning visual survey of the altars, food, objects, and cemetery observances connected with this unique Mexican holiday. Susan Aberth received her Ph.D. in Art History from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and specializes in Latin American Art at Bard College. She received a Professional Development Fellowship from the College Art Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2000-2001. She recently published “Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art” (Lund Humphries, London), the first book in English to survey the life and work of the Mexican Surrealist (British born) Leonora Carrington. The book is also published in Spanish by Turner, Madrid. Since its launch in 1983, the Council’s Speakers in the Humanities program has linked distinguished scholars with diverse audiences through the presentation of lectures on a broad range of topics. Each year, hundreds of cultural institutions and community groups take advantage of this program, which offers the very best in humanities scholarship to thousands of citizens in every corner of New York State. The New York Council for the Humanities is a private, not-for-profit organization working to ensure the presence of the humanities in the cultural life of New York State. The Council’s programs train teachers; encourage excellence in student scholarship, and support public programs at New York State’s cultural organizations. They seek to forge relationships between young people, their families, and New York’s extraordinary range of humanities institutions. To receive mailed reminders of the lectures, contact the Museum to be placed on the mailing list. The value of the four grants is $2,000. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
The North Tonawanda History Museum's second presentation of the "Haunted Gardens on the EEEErie Canal", set for 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, October 20 will take place as scheduled so long as it is not raining or snowing at 6 p.m. or unless precipitation has been steady all day making the grounds at the North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens too wet for performances.
Advance sale tickets previously purchased are good for the 20th or the final presentation on the 27th.
The event includes two separate activities, a Guided Spooky Stroll and a Haunted Hay Ride, with admission to each set at $5 for adults and $2.50 for kids 5-16, kids 4 and under are free to both activities. The Botanical Gardens greenhouse is decorated for the season as the Haunted Greenhouse and will offer seasonal refreshments sold by Gullo's Macaroni Grill and ethnic and historical gift items by Museum volunteers for early holiday shopping.
Participating students for the first presentation on the 13th which was cancelled due to the storm should maintain a record of their community service hours in preparing for the event. Incorporate these into the total for the three weeks if scheduled to be participating in all three weeks or submit them to the Museum if you were only scheduled for the 13th.
NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
To our sponsors for the 2006 Historic Gardens Contest & Tour:
Anderson's, Awnings Plus, Barb's Sweet Treats/Jack's Trains, Budwey's, Canal Fest, Cipriano, Inc., Realtors, Downtown Merchants Association, Friends of the Library, Hodgepodge, Senator Maziarz, Mike Mroczka/RealtyUSA, Pane's Restaurant, Pioneer Printers, and Project Pride.
and to our contest judges for the first two years, Jane Garis, Marcia Neri, and Joanne Mroz, and to Dale Rogers, the Towpath Tiller and those who also take pride in North Tonawanda: The North Tonawanda History Museum will be presented with an Honorable Mention Award of Merit from the Western New York Association of Historical Agencies for the 2nd Annual Historic Gardens Contest and Tour at WNYAHA's November 4 annual meeting at Genesee Community College. The award will be presented after lunch, probably 12:30 to 1:30 period. I will be attending the all-day sessions. We hope that the Towpath Tiller and our judges might be able to accept the award with me. This is the Museum's second year of receiving an award from the Western New York Association of Historical Agencies, which represents historical venues in 16 counties. As a 2-1/2 year old organization, we are delighted that our efforts are recognized beyond the city limits. Last year, we received an organizational award of merit from WNYAHA for the first bi-annual Historic Treasures Tour and the guidebook we created with the tour (July 31, 2005). The guidebook is still being purchased, over a year after the event.
Our garden tour is unique from others in the region because it focuses on a combination of history and gardens and runs for weeks rather than a weekend or day. The guidebook for this year's tour continues to be purchased as well. We requested a $2 donation while the tour was ongoing but reduced it to $1 as of September 1 and it is still selling because of the history in it. Our objective for the annual contest and tour is to proudly affirm our sense of pride in North Tonawanda. We would be grateful if you will start talking about participating in next year's contest and tour to those you know have good gardens. Now that we've started the format, let's try to get more of the city involved. We were able to get some great press for the city in a positive manner both years. The gardens created at City Hall this year for the contest and tour were wonderful. We began the presentation of cast bronze plaques similar to those in our Historic Treasures Recognition Plaque program for historic homes and buildings to the three top winners this year. We expect to present three such plaques annually. Other gardeners were presented with items such as gift certificates and items as well. We are able to direct people who visit the city for the tour throughout the city to see more of what we have to offer. We included some sites this year without gardens because they were on the way between sites--and they have history to share. We've been pleased with the insatiable thirst our residents and visitors alike have shown for the history behind buildings and locations in the city. We focus a great deal of our activities and publications on showing off our city through its history.
We are proud of our city--and so pleased that our humble efforts to tell the world about it are considered worthy of recognition by respected historical organizations. In addition to these two awards of recognition from WNYAHA, in our first year of existence as a chartered museum, we also were presented with the Daniel B. Niederlander Award for Excellence by the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, recognizing the significant efforts of city volunteers in creating a new history museum, establishing a weekly column on local history in our local daily newspaper, establishing an online museum, and developing regular quality programming related to our mission. We were also nominated this year by then Superintendent of Schools, Dr. John George, Library Director Margaret Waite, and City Historian A. Daniel Bille, for a Leadership in History Award of General Excellence from the American Association for State & Local History, a national organization. We are still under consideration for this national recognition.
Donna Zellner Neal, Director
North Tonawanda History Museum 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, NY 14120 716-213-0554 www.nthistorymuseum.org NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
Military Heritage Program part of New York State History Month The North Tonawanda History Museum will present its 3rd Annual MILITARY HERITAGE NIGHT on Thursday, November 16, 2006. It will be a New York State History Month Event! Scott Scanlon, Niagara Bureau Chief for the Buffalo News, will share his experiences as President during the 1990s of Safe Haven, Inc., a non-profit group devoted to recounting the story of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, the only spot on American soil to house Holocaust survivors during World War II There will also be a reading and book signing by North Tonawanda native and author Diane M. Meholick of her first two books, “Painting Katherine” and “A Switch in Time.” Advance orders will be taken for her new soon-to-be released book, “Buffalo Stories.” The winners will also be selected during the evening of prizes in the Museum’s 1 st Annual Fall Raffle. The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum is preparing to advance from Phase One, the startup phase, of its 2-1/2 year old museum of the history of North Tonawanda to Phase Two of an eventual Three-Phase Plan. The raffle was initiated to kick off the campaign for the project. The following wonderful prizes have been donated for this raffle by some of the Museum’s loyal and dedicated members: A CASIO handheld color TV from the North Tonawanda office of Greater Buffalo Savings Bank; a GOOSE WEATHERVANE PLANTER from Hodgepodge Café & Gifts in our historic DowNTown Shopping District; an autographed copy of the newly released collection of short stories, “BUFFALO STORIES” by North Tonawanda native Diane M. Meholick, the latest of her three published books ; and a set of two ANTIQUE STONEWARE CROCKS (10 gal. & 3 gal.) from Humphrey House Antiques. The donation for individual tickets is $1 and a book of 6 is $5. The public is invited to the program. There is no admission charge. Many of the historical and ethnic gift items sold in the Museum and on its online gift shop will be available for purchase also. Also available for purchase for holiday giving are tickets to the Museum’s February 17 “Simple Gifts” concert in the Riviera Theatre and tickets to the August 5 Historic Treasures Tour. You may also make reservations as holiday gifts for the May 19 bus tour to the Cobblestone Museum and Medina Railroad Museum. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the North Tonawanda Senior Center at 110 Goundry Street. Light refreshments are provided. For information, call 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
Museum Offers Gift Certificates for Holiday Giving for 2007 Book The North Tonawanda History Museum will offer gift certificates for holiday giving for the first full-length book on the history of North Tonawanda. The book, “ North Tonawanda: The Lumber City,” is expected to be the first in a series of full-length books, as requested by area residents and former residents. The targeted release date is August 2007. A copy of the book can be reserved for a donation of $29.95 for individuals or to purchase a gift certificate redeemable for the book upon publication. For a donation of $32.95, a copy of the book will be mailed upon publication to those with gift certificates or purchasing it for themselves. For a donation of $100 the donor may be listed as a patron in the book, with in memory of statements or in honor of statements. A copy of the book will be included in the $100 donation and can be ordered by purchasing a gift certificate for another or for the donor. “North Tonawanda: The Lumber City” will be a 352 page book and will be printed for the Museum by Buffalo Spree Publications, Inc. The book will have a preprint hard cover and 50# stock for the pages. Upon publication, it will sell for $29.95 plus applicable sales tax. It will be a general overall account of the city’s development. Future volumes planned will focus in detail on historical homes and other sites, industrial heritage, and specific periods of time. Donations to the project may be made by cash, check, or money order payable to “ North Tonawanda History Museum” and marked “BOOK PROJECT.” Donations may also be made by using Master Card or Visa. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
Cultural
Military Heritage Program part of New York State History Month The North Tonawanda History Museum will present its 3rd Annual MILITARY HERITAGE NIGHT on Thursday, November 16, 2006. It will be a New York State History Month Event! Scott Scanlon, Niagara Bureau Chief for the Buffalo News, will share his experiences as President during the 1990s of Safe Haven, Inc., a non-profit group devoted to recounting the story of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, the only spot on American soil to house Holocaust survivors during World War II Scott Scanlon has been the Niagara County Bureau Chief since September 2004, when he returned to his native Western New York after living in Oswego, on the far end of Lake Ontario, for 15 years. During that time, he was a reporter and editor with The Post-Standard, the Syracuse-based daily newspaper in Central New York. He became acquainted with the story of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter during a small gathering of former refugees in the early 1990s and joined an organization dedicated to recounting the story of the only refugee camp for Holocaust survivors on American soil during World War II. Most Americans don't know such a place ever existed. Before he met the refugees, neither did Scott, who in the 1980s had received a bachelor's degree in history and English from the University at Buffalo and a master's degree in history from the University at Binghamton. He majored in European history, with a focus on the World Wars. But this sort of "local history" had never been covered, not even at Oswego State College, until recently. Between August 1944 and early 1946, nearly 1,000 refugees from 18 countries in Europe were housed at a decommissioned military base at Fort Ontario in Oswego. About one-third had escaped from Nazi concentration camps and most had been detained in Italian concentration camps. All had managed to survive, and flee into Italy as the Allied Army moved north in that country, and a flood of refugees moved south. They came to America in a Naval convoy that carried four times as many Nazi POWs as Holocaust survivors, arrived in New York Harbor and were deloused, then taken by train to an unknown destination on the shores of Lake Ontario. During their stay in Oswego, they were integrated into the local community and, despite some opposition, allowed to remain in the U.S. and apply for citizenship after the war. Safe Haven Inc., an all-volunteer non-profit group made up of a cross-section of Central New Yorkers, helped saved this story from extinction and, in the fall of 2002, opened the Safe Haven Museum and Education Center in Fort Ontario Park. Scott served as president of the group from 1993 to 2000, and led the planning for 50th and 55th reunions of the former refugees and Oswegonians that helped gather hundreds of photographs, documents and videotaped interviews from those who had been involved with what has become known as the Safe Haven story. Those materials served as the foundation for the museum and a documentary, "Safe Haven," which will be shown during Scott's presentation Nov. 16. Scott also will share information about an interesting Niagara County tie to the Safe Haven story and discuss what it took for a non-profit group to open a permanent museum. For more information about Safe Haven, go online to www.oswegohaven.org There will also be a reading and book signing by North Tonawanda native and author Diane M. Meholick of her new book, “Buffalo Stories,” and her first two books, “Painting Katherine” and “A Switch in Time.” The winners will also be selected during the evening of prizes in the Museum’s 1 st Annual Fall Raffle. The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum is preparing to advance from Phase One, the startup phase, of its 2-1/2 year old museum of the history of North Tonawanda to Phase Two of an eventual Three-Phase Plan. The raffle was initiated to kick off the campaign for the project. The following wonderful prizes have been donated for this raffle by some of the Museum’s loyal and dedicated members: A CASIO handheld color TV from the North Tonawanda office of Greater Buffalo Savings Bank; a GOOSE WEATHERVANE PLANTER from Hodgepodge Café & Gifts in our historic DowNTown Shopping District; an autographed copy of the newly released collection of short stories, “BUFFALO STORIES” by North Tonawanda native Diane M. Meholick, the latest of her three published books ; and a set of two ANTIQUE STONEWARE CROCKS (10 gal. & 3 gal.) from Humphrey House Antiques. The donation for individual tickets is $1 and a book of 6 is $5. The public is invited to the program. There is no admission charge. Many of the historical and ethnic gift items sold in the Museum and on its online gift shop will be available for purchase also. Also available for purchase for holiday giving are tickets to the Museum’s February 17 “Simple Gifts” concert in the Riviera Theatre and tickets to the August 5 Historic Treasures Tour. You may also make reservations as holiday gifts for the May 19 bus tour to the Cobblestone Museum and Medina Railroad Museum. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the North Tonawanda Senior Center at 110 Goundry Street. Light refreshments are provided. For information, call 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com. NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM Telling the Story of Our City’s Rich Ethnic & Industrial Heritage As a City Located on the Historic Erie Canal & Mighty Niagara River 314 Oliver Street North Tonawanda, New York 14120 (716) 213-0554 e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org A new museum of the rich immigrant heritage of North Tonawanda and its role as an important shipping and manufacturing center on the Historic Erie Canal and the Mighty Niagara River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as the “Lumber Capital of the World” in the late 19th century. 2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to noon Also open by appointment; admission free; donations accepted Proud to be a member of/affiliated with:
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Volunteer Board Members Wanted The North Tonawanda History Museum is looking for a few talented and conscientious volunteer board members to lead and strengthen our programs and help us move from our startup phase to the next stage of our development. Retired executives especially useful. If you can contribute your time, thoughtfulness, and leadership one evening a month, and are interested in exploring this opportunity, contact the Museum at 213-0554. We're especially looking for folks with legal, accounting, marketing, planning, advertising, construction/remodeling, education, history, volunteer management, personnel management, or grant writing experience or backgrounds. |
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© 2005 North Tonawanda History Museum |
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