North Tonawanda History Museum
HOPES TO OPEN AT 315 SCHENCK IN 2004
On Thursday evening, January 15, the Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum met with the Museum Interest Group in the Paul F. & Margaret M. Wutz Concert Hall in the Buffalo Suzuki Strings Musical Arts Center at 4 Webster Street, North Tonawanda, at 7 p.m. It was the fifth public meeting held by the Museum group.
President Paul A. Rumbold, Jr., announced that the Board of Trustees, at its January 8 meeting, agreed to proceed with necessary action to facilitate transfer of ownership of a building offered recently as soon as possible upon receipt of notice of approval of their application for a Provisional Charter as a museum from the New York State Education Department. The property is located at 315 Schenck Street, corner of Bryant. “Our attorneys advise us that we should have our Provisional Charter in place in the next month or two,” said Rumbold. “The attorneys believe our 501 (c)(3) status will be approved this year also.”
Rumbold reported that Acting Director Donna Zellner Neal and North Tonawanda City Historian Daniel Bille had toured the building with its owners on December 29, and that the full Board of Trustees and many of their Advisory Board members and other consultants toured the building prior to the Interest Group meeting.
“We expect to be able to do some basic remodeling to transform the first floor into a museum exhibit room and should be able to set up the museum this year,” said John Borycki, a Trustee, Acting Curator, and Collections and House & Grounds Chair for the Museum. “The building has a full basement and a full attic, and approximately 7,500 square ft. of usable space. The Museum will occupy the first floor in the startup phase. The building has been owner occupied for the last twenty years, with two apartments on the second floor.”
“The property was once owned by William Vandervoort and is believed to have been built in 1873,” noted Donna Zellner Neal. “It was known as Tonawanda Brewing Co. in 1901. For many years, it served the community as a neighborhood tavern, known as McRae’s Tavern and then as C.J.’s Tavern until about five years ago. In the early 1900’s, it was known as Bach’s Bar and was owned by City Treasurer Leslie Stolzenfels’ great-grandparents. ”
Rumbold noted that, although the Board of Trustees originally planned to focus on the Oliver Street area, the magnitude of the potential afforded by North Tonawanda’s unique heritage has quickly become evident as news of the group’s plans spread, almost taking on a life of its own. “It is obvious that more than one facility is not only possible but attainable in the future,” continued Rumbold. “At this point, we need a home and administrative center for the Museum.”
“A downtown location to supplement North Tonawanda’s developing cultural and tourism activities, with a particular emphasis on the Erie Canal, Niagara River, lumber and industrial heritage, would seem to be important as soon as we can manage it,” said Timothy J. Neal, Treasurer, who is also Development Director of Buffalo Suzuki Strings, which is located on Webster Street in an historic building designed by E. B. Green.
“An Oliver Street ethnic heritage center has been a central part of our vision from the beginning,” noted Kay Learned, Vice President, who is co-owner of Hodgepodge on Webster Street, but which also has been an Oliver Street business as well for a period of time. “This is still part of our long-range vision.”
“As we learn about artifacts existing and awaiting a museum home,” continued John Borycki, “we are also incorporating plans for a military heritage center.”
Donna Zellner Neal continued, “We will begin in one building, the North Tonawanda History Museum, and will begin accumulating the wonderful history of the people of our City under one roof. We will be developing historic tours, and our programming will have a flavor unique to our own City’s heritage. We are already collaborating with almost every other historical society and museum in Western New York, many of the municipal historians in both Niagara and Erie County, and have established relationships with numerous other cultural and tourist efforts in the region. Our goal is to not duplicate anything already being done but to fill a void that has existed for too long — by establishing a museum about the people of North Tonawanda in North Tonawanda! We will be working closely with area schools and colleges, our North Tonawanda School District and North Tonawanda Public Library, the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, Project Pride, and Oliver Street Pride. We have already participated successfully in our first Winter Walk sponsored by the Downtown Merchants and are looking forward to Winter Walk 2004. We will participate in Canal Fest for the first time this year also. These activities are to show our determination to take an active role in the life of our City in addition to preserving the story of its unique history.