History of the Museum / News Release Archive - January 2007 * 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
North Tonawanda-Wheatfield Celebration of Shared History Planned for Sesquicentennial; Public’s assistance sought in providing materials The year 2007 marks the 150 th anniversary of what is now modern day North Tonawanda becoming part of the Town of Wheatfield. For eight years until we were ready to advance to being an incorporated village ourselves, we were part of Wheatfield. Our present day Martinsville and Gratwick sections were annexed to us but we, and Martinsville and Gratwick, remained part of Wheatfield as the Village of North Tonawanda until we made the further advancement in 1897 to becoming an incorporated city. The North Tonawanda History Museum will on Saturday, April 21, 2007, host our Museum’s 4 th annual “ North Tonawanda’s Birthday Party.” We are celebrating our third year as a chartered museum on April 20, North Tonawanda’s 110 th anniversary as a city on April 24, and our 142nd anniversary as a village on May 8. We also will be celebrating the 120 th anniversary of St. Peter’s Lutheran Brethren Church. This year, however, our focus will be on the Sesquicentennial Celebration – the forty year period following the State Legislature’s granting us permission to withdraw from the three-year-old Village of Tonawanda in 1857. From 1857 until our incorporation as a Village in our own right, we were governed by the Town of Wheatfield. Until we became a City, however, that Village would still have been considered part of the Town of Wheatfield, as the Village of Kenmore is part of the Town of Tonawanda, as the Village of Williamsville is part of the Town of Amherst, as the Village of Lancaster is part of the Town of Lancaster, and as the Village of Tonawanda we left to join the Town of Wheatfield was part of the Town of Tonawanda until its own incorporation as a city in 1903. Invited to participate with the Museum are Mayor Lawrence V. Soos of North Tonawanda, Supervisor Timothy Demler of the Town of Wheatfield, North Tonawanda City Historian A. Daniel Bille, Town of Wheatfield Historian Charles Cederman, the new Town of Wheatfield Historical Society, the Historical Society of North German Settlements in Western New York, and the North Tonawanda City School District, the North Tonawanda Public Library, and Wheatfield schools. We expect to publish our first full book on the history of North Tonawanda’s history in August 2007 and will incorporate as much as we are able to gather in the next several months about our common history into that first book. We were able, with the kind assistance of Fern Suckow and Wilma Lass, to present a wonderful “German Heritage Night” program on March 23, 2006, and a “German Christmas Night” on December 14, 2006, as a means of celebrating our common German heritage with Wheatfield. We have made arrangements for our Sesquicentennial Celebration/North Tonawanda’s Birthday Party on Saturday, April 21, to be held in the ballroom of the historic Louis F. Eggert-designed Elks Club building at 21 Main Street at the corner of Sweeney Street from 1 to 5 p.m. A tour of the historic building will be included in the day’s events. We will have our usual birthday cakes provided by Budwey’s Bakery and the Elks Club will provide an open bar and other refreshments. We are requesting assistance in creating some displays about the history of our two communities, especially things which may be relevant to the years when we were joined together. We look forward to the active participation in any way possible of individuals and groups with an interest in our shared history. Individuals with photos and/or historical materials and items about the shared heritage of North Tonawanda and Wheatfield are invited to contact the North Tonawanda History Museum at 213-0554 or by email at nthistorymuseum@aol.com, the Town of Wheatfield Historical Society at 693-5656 or the Historical Society of North German Settlements of Western New York at 731-9905. 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
North Tonawanda History Museum Saw Increase in Activity in 2006 The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum extends its thanks to the Western New York community for its support of our events and activities during 2006. Although we will celebrate our 3rd anniversary as a chartered museum on April 20, 2007, the North Tonawanda History Museum began as an idea on September 10, 2003, with a mailing list of 79 individuals. Our activities in 2004 were a trial run, attempting to develop our programs and events around the wishes of residents and former residents for the type of museum they wanted us to be. Our second full year of operations was 2005. Our third full year was 2006. We are proud to report on significant increases in membership, volunteer staffing, and fundraising. As an emerging organization not yet officially three years old, none of our accomplishments would have been possible without the tremendous volume of volunteer service. We were quite amazed when we tallied up our 2004 volunteer service hours and the figure exceeded 6,000 hours for that first partial year. We were proud to report that 2005 saw us the beneficiary of at least 12,454 hours of volunteer service. In 2006, volunteer staff donated more than 6,850 hours of service and other volunteers more than 5,348 hours, a total of more than 12,198 hours. These are the hours we can verify, although we know there were many other hours put in at home or other locations by our volunteer corps which they didn’t bother to report. Had we needed to pay these wonderful people for their service as paid employees, we would have required a minimum of $54,000 in 2004. We would have needed $127,454 in 2005, and $108,098 in 2006 to pay for comparable service! SOME ADDITIONAL STATISTICS FROM 2006: Visits to Actual Museum at 314 Oliver Street: 1,821 Attendance at history night events: 580 Special events attendance: Ethnic Heritage Festival: 1,713 Historic Gardens Tour 2006: 900+ Haunted Gardens on the EEEErie Canal Canceled due to weather Walking tours: 350 German Heritage Night: 120+ Polish Christmas Concert: 650+ German Christmas Night: 150+ Winter Walk: 400+ Nursing Home Programs: 700 Special Exhibits: 1,500+ VOLUNTEER SERVICE COMPOSITION (# OF INDIVIDUALS): Community service projects – youth: 180 College Learning Service Projects (BSC): 64 SUNYAB Architectural Student Projects: 2 College Student Volunteers: 37 High School Student Volunteers: 52 Middle School, Elementary School, Scout volunteers: 33 Youth groups: 3 Total volunteer hours: 12,198 Newsletters mailed: 7,000 Mailing list as of 12/31/06: 2,326 The Museum Online at www.nthistorymuseum.org in 2006 reported:
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
Homeowners and Volunteers Invited to Participate in Museum’s 2nd Historic Treasures Tour on August 5; The Historic Treasures Tour 2007 committee of the North Tonawanda History Museum will hold a planning meeting on Tuesday, January 23 at 7 p.m. Volunteers wishing to work on planning the event and/or as docents or other workers on the day of the event are invited to attend this meeting or to register for future meetings. The committee is presently screening candidate homes for inclusion in the 2007 tour on August 5. Homeowners interested in discussing having their home featured in the tour are invited to attend the meeting or to contact the Museum. The tour committee will arrange to visit each home and review arrangements with each homeowner. Marilyn Pane Lasky is the Chair of the 2007 event, and is assisted by the 2005 Chair Betty A. Brandon, and Paula Belair, Margaret Cheeley, David Walders, Peter Trinkwalder, Diane Meholick, Barbara Wickman, and Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal. Lasky is a life-long and 4 th generation resident of North Tonawanda and a Trustee of the North Tonawanda History Museum. Presently a customer service representative for Impressive Imprints, she served previously as Senior Buyer for the Catholic Health System and as Purchasing Director for Kenmore Mercy Hospital. The Belair home, the Cheeley home, the Walders home, and the Lasky home were included in the 2005 tour. Lasky, Belair, Meholick, and Wickman are Museum Trustees. Cheeley, a former Trustee, is a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Cipriano, Inc., Realtors of Tonawanda; the law firm of Brick, Brick & Elmer of North Tonawanda; Humphrey House Antiques of North Tonawanda; and Pioneer Printers, Inc. of North Tonawanda have already signed on as major sponsors for the event. Andy’s Tree Service is a general sponsor, and Bonterra Landscaping, Matt’s Music, Graf Land Surveyors and Niagara County Legislator Peter E. Smolinski are patrons for the event. The tour is scheduled for Sunday, August 5, 2007, from noon to 6 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 each for the tour of ten of North Tonawanda’s most interesting homes. Museum members pay $15. A Cinderella carriage ride by Hartland Carriages will be repeated also, at a charge of $5 per person. A limited number of tickets will be sold. Tickets sold out quickly for the previous tour; those wishing to participate in the 2007 tour are advised to order their tickets early. Orders have already come in from out of state. Payment may be made by cash, check, money order, or by Master Card or Visa. Tickets are available at the Museum at 314 Oliver Street, by mail, or may be ordered through the Online Gift Shop at www.nthistorymuseum.org. Tickets will be turned in for the guidebook and map at the starting point for the tour, which will be on the front veranda of the historic Paschal S. Humphrey House at 332 Goundry Street. Refreshments by Gullo’s Macaroni Grill may be enjoyed in the rear yard of the Humphrey House, surrounded by beautiful gardens which have been part of the Museum’s Historic Gardens Tours for the last three years as well. The first stop for tour goers will probably be at the lovely home across the street at 335 Goundry Street, the Stradella-McCarthy Home. The home was built around 1895 for Wilhelm H. Stradella, who married Congressman Charles Gillette’s daughter, Frances. Reportedly, it cost $8,235. The house was deeded to the Stradella family on February 26, 1895. Stradella, at first was the bookkeeper for the W. H. Sawyer Lumber Co., but by the 1920s, he was its secretary, and was also treasurer and manager of the Northern Lumber Co. His neighbor across the street, A. C. Tuxbury, at 324 Goundry, was president of Northern Lumber Co. Stradella also served as vice president of the Niagara Savings & Loan Association from 1907-08, 1909-10, and 1929-1950. In the 60 th anniversary booklet of Niagara Savings & Loan, it was noted that Stradella had served the company continuously for 51 years! Stradella’s son Charles was vice president of General Motors Acceptance Corp. and became a very wealthy man. The long period of Stradella family ownership and the succeeding ownership contributed to the excellent condition of the house today. In 1953, the house became the home of the Thomas and Martha Turchiarelli McCarthy family. Thomas and William McCarthy, Jr., were sons of Felice Cordapadre and Lucia Pane, who established McCarthy’s Market at 206 Oliver Street in the early 1900s. The store was known throughout the Tonawandas for over 75 years until it closed in the 1980s. It was known for its wide selection of fine fresh fruits and vegetables and meats. Thomas and William, Jr. operated the store in its later years, expanding the business. What a gem this house is! It is an early Colonial Revival house with cross gables, each of which has a Palladian window. The large enclosed front porch, a lobby area, and parlor-library with side doors are features of the house. The original cherry and oak wood was kept in its original state by the second owners of the home. The kitchen is enhanced by a large pantry. The full width porch is supported by Tuscan columns; note the nice classical carved detail in the pediment above the entrance. Thin pilasters demark the corners, capped by delicately molded brackets. There is also a large stained glass window above the staircase. This house is painted in colors appropriate for its period, and the porch has been enclosed the right way!* Also to be included in this year’s tour is the 86 year old Louis F. Eggert-designed Elks Club building at 21 Main Street. The Elks Lodge 860 was established in 1902. Elks Club Chaplain and Historian Mark Haacker is working with Museum representatives to make this part of the tour an exciting experience. The North Tonawanda History Museum’s first award-winning historic homes tour, “Historic Treasures Tour 2005,”on July 31, 2005, was attended by visitors from five states, Canada, and all over New York State, with a significant number of visitors expressing serious interest in relocating to North Tonawanda if the appropriate historic home were available for purchase in the future. The 2005 tour was the first of what is planned as a bi-annual event in odd-numbered years, rotating with an ethnic heritage festival in even-numbered years. The Western New York Association of Historical Agencies awarded the North Tonawanda History Museum an Organizational Award of Merit for excellence in presenting the 2005 tour and the 65-page guidebook created as the passport to the tour which has continued to be purchased by people from all over the country. RealtyUSA was the event’s major sponsor in 2005. The event’s primary purpose is to present and promote North Tonawanda as a wonderful city in which to live. North Tonawanda is described by Museum representatives as “the best little city in New York State, with a small town atmosphere and a rich and unique history.” In conjunction with the bi-annual tours, the Museum has established a North Tonawanda History Museum Historic Treasures Recognition Plaque program. Cast bronze plaques may be purchased through the Museum for installation on historic homes and buildings in the City. Contact the Museum or the Online Museum for an order blank. Contact the Museum at 213-0554 for further information 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
North Tonawanda History Museum Names Officers and Key Committees As part of the 3-year old Museum’s transition from Phase One, or its startup phase, to Phase Two of its development, the Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum elected officers at the January 8 meeting. Elected Interim President as the new and enlarged Board of Trustees becomes familiar with Museum affairs is Donna Zellner Neal. Neal has served as Secretary of the Board since the organization began as an interest group in September 2003. She has also served as volunteer Director since October 9, 2003. She also serves on the North Tonawanda Historic Preservation Commission. Neal is Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee and requests that individuals with an interest in serving on the enlarged Board of Trustees contact her as soon as possible for further information. Especially of interest are individuals with grant-writing, creative writing, building construction background, strategic and long-term planning, curriculum planning, and non-profit management experience. A North Tonawanda resident, she is a native of the City of Tonawanda and a former resident as well of Buffalo, Amherst, and the Town of Tonawanda. John H. Kolecki, a retired Sweet Home High School teacher and former Niagara County Legislator, as well as an author of books about growing up in North Tonawanda, was elected Vice President. Kolecki is a North Tonawanda native. Marilyn Pane Lasky is 2 nd Vice President. Lasky, a life-long and 4 th generation resident of North Tonawanda, is a customer service representative for Impressive Imprints. She served previously as Senior Buyer for the Catholic Health System, and as Purchasing Director for Kenmore Mercy Hospital and was an employee at the hospital for over 30 years. Lasky is Chair of the Museum’s Historic Treasures Tour 2007 Committee. She is a member of the North Tonawanda Historic Preservation Commission. Shari L. Kiesow, Vice President and Branch Manager of the Williamsville office of KeyBank, is Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. She is a resident of the City of Tonawanda. Also serving on the Finance Committee are Thomas Galdys, a financial planner with Aurora Financial; John H. Kolecki; Dr. John H. George, retired superintendent of schools in North Tonawanda; Stephen Kurbiel, William M. Davignon; Dal Giuliani, Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager of Greater Buffalo Savings Bank; and Donna Zellner Neal.David Barrett, CPA, is special consultant to the Finance Committee. April J. Orlowski, an associate attorney with Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, is Secretary. An insurance law and civil litigation specialist, she is a North Tonawanda resident. Named Trustees Emeritus are: Margaret M. Cheeley and Diane M. Meholick. Cheeley is a retired art teacher and operates an antique business. She is a former Museum Trustee and a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Meholick is a title examiner for KeyBank and a self-employed author. She is a former Museum Trustee and a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Neal announced some additional preliminary committee assignments: Stephen Kurbiel and Donald R. MacDonald are Co-Chairs of the House & Grounds/Facilities Management Committee. Kurbiel is a retired plumbing and heating and air conditioning contractor and former code enforcement officer for North Tonawanda. MacDonald is a registered architect with Trautman Associates. Deborah L. Jaeger, a developer, also serves on the committee. Jaeger is a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Named to the Public Relations/Community Relations Committee are Dan Kelley, a retired radio broadcaster and a former executive director of not-for-profit organizations, including the Variety Club and the Cystic Fibrosis Association, who now is a self-employed voice over specialist; Laura E. Winchester, retired newspaper reporter/editor who has worked for the Buffalo News, Courier-Express, and the Niagara Gazette locally, and has held editing positions at newspapers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Arkansas; Diane M. Meholick,; Keri Lee Gullo, owner of Gullo’s Macaroni Grill in Amherst; Carl P. Hoover, President of Pioneer Printers; John Zellner Neal, Danielle Oney, and Donna Zellner Neal. Hoover is also a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. John Zellner Neal is the Museum’s volunteer webmaster and Online Museum Curator. Oney is a Museum volunteer Event Coordinator. Kelley is a Buffalo resident. Winchester is a Snyder resident. Meholick is a Niagara Falls resident. Named to the General Education Committee are Dr. John H. George; John H. Kolecki; Stephen Ash; Jason Law; Michael El-Sharif; Dr. Thomas Chambers, Assistant Professor of History, Niagara University; Paula Belair; Charles Belair; Timothy Contangelo, Margaret M. Cheeley, and Donna Zellner Neal. Jason Law is Chair of the Oral History Sub-Committee and serves as the Museum’s volunteer Oral History Curator. John Zellner Neal is Chair of the Website/Online Museum Sub-Committee. Lou Omel and Walter Wozniak are co-chairs of the Research Sub-Committee. Omel is the Museum’s volunteer Digital and Internet Research Coordinator. Wozniak is the Museum’s volunteer Archival Research Coordinator. Law is a City of Tonawanda resident. Omel is an Amherst resident. Wozniak is a Town of Tonawanda resident. Named to the Collections Committee are: Michael El-Sharif and Donna Zellner Neal, Co-Chairs of the General Collections Committee; Jane Garis and Lou Omel, Co-Chairs of the Archival Records Sub-Committee; John Zellner Neal and Lou Omel, Co-Chairs of the Digital Records Sub-Committee. El-Sharif serves as the Museum’s volunteer Collections & Educational Curator. Garis serves as the Museum’s volunteer Archival Records Coordinator. Garis is a Niagara Falls resident. Named to the Program and Events Committee are Donna Zellner Neal, Chair; Danielle Oney, Stephen Ash, Carol Kopczynski, and Barbara Wickman. Named to the Ethnic Program and Events Sub-Committee are Stephen Kurbiel, John H. Kolecki, Carol Kopczynski, Danielle Oney, and Donna Zellner Neal. All not specifically noted otherwise are North Tonawanda residents. 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
Homeowners Invited to Include their Homes in 2nd Historic Treasures Tour The Historic Treasures Tour 2007 committee of the North Tonawanda History Museum is presently screening candidate homes for inclusion in the 2007 tour on August 5. Homeowners interested in discussing having their home featured in the tour are invited to contact the Museum. The tour committee will arrange to visit each home and review arrangements with each homeowner. Marilyn Pane Lasky is the Chair of the 2007 event, and will be assisted by the 2005 Chair Betty A. Brandon, and Paula Belair, Margaret Cheeley, David Walders, Peter Trinkwalder, Diane Meholick, Barbara Wickman, and Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal. Lasky is a life-long and 4 th generation resident of North Tonawanda and a Trustee of the North Tonawanda History Museum. Presently a customer service representative for Impressive Imprints, she served previously as Senior Buyer for the Catholic Health System and as Purchasing Director for Kenmore Mercy Hospital. The Belair home, the Cheeley home, the Walders home, and the Lasky home were included in the 2005 tour. Lasky, Belair, Meholick, and Wickman are Museum Trustees. Cheeley, a former Trustee, is a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Cipriano, Inc., Realtors of Tonawanda; the law firm of Brick, Brick & Elmer of North Tonawanda; Humphrey House Antiques of North Tonawanda; and Pioneer Printers, Inc. of North Tonawanda have already signed on as major sponsors for the event. The tour is scheduled for Sunday, August 5, 2007, from noon to 6 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 each for the tour of ten of North Tonawanda’s most interesting homes. Museum members pay $15. A Cinderella carriage ride by Hartland Carriages will be repeated also, at a charge of $5 per person. A limited number of tickets will be sold. Tickets sold out quickly for the previous tour; those wishing to participate in the 2007 tour are advised to order their tickets early. Orders have already come in from out of state. Payment may be made by cash, check, money order, or by Master Card or Visa. Tickets are available at the Museum at 314 Oliver Street, by mail, or may be ordered through the Online Gift Shop at www.nthistorymuseum.org. The North Tonawanda History Museum’s first award-winning historic homes tour, “Historic Treasures Tour 2005,”on July 31, 2005, was attended by visitors from five states, Canada, and all over New York State, with a significant number of visitors expressing serious interest in relocating to North Tonawanda if the appropriate historic home were available for purchase in the future. The 2005 tour was the first of what is planned as a bi-annual event in odd-numbered years, rotating with an ethnic heritage festival in even-numbered years. The Western New York Association of Historical Agencies awarded the North Tonawanda History Museum an Organizational Award of Merit for excellence in presenting the 2005 tour and the 65-page guidebook created as the passport to the tour which has continued to be purchased by people from all over the country. RealtyUSA was the event’s major sponsor in 2005. The event’s primary purpose is to present and promote North Tonawanda as a wonderful city in which to live. North Tonawanda is described by Museum representatives as “the best little city in New York State, with a small town atmosphere and a rich and unique history.” In conjunction with the bi-annual tours, the Museum has established a North Tonawanda History Museum Historic Treasures Recognition Plaque program. Cast bronze plaques may be purchased through the Museum for installation on historic homes and buildings in the City. Contact the Museum or the Online Museum for an order blank. Contact the Museum at 213-0554 for further information 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
North Tonawanda-Wheatfield Celebration of Shared History Planned for Sesquicentennial; Students and classes invited to create exhibits Public’s assistance sought in providing materials
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
Preservation Month Bus Tour Reservations For the second year, the North Tonawanda History Museum, the Historical Society of North German Settlements in Western New York, and the Sanborn Area Historical Society are collaborating on a Preservation Month Bus Tour. The Historical Association of Lewiston is joining as well in this year’s tour. Set for Saturday, May 19, 2007, the tour will include a visit to the Cobblestone Society Museum in Childs, with a tour of seven historic buildings and two talks by Museum Director Bill Lattin; lunch at Tillman’s Historic Village Inn; and a tour of the Medina Railroad Museum (including a Big Train cookie, coffee, tea, or juice. Time permitting, and if desired by the group, on the way back, there will be a stop for ice cream cones at a farmer’s market. Lunch selections include a petite prime rib sandwich with potato and garlic toast; boneless chicken breast with potato and garnish; and veggie lasagna with garlic toast. Fee for the tour is $45 each and includes the bus, lunch, admission to the two museums, and all gratuities. The bus will be provided by Gray Line and will depart at 8 a.m. from the North Tonawanda History Museum at 314 Oliver Street, at 8:20 a.m. from the Wheatfield Senior Center, 2800 Church Road, off Ward, at 8:40 a.m. from the Sanborn Fire Hall, 5811 Buffalo Street (Rt. 429), and at 9 a.m. from the Tops parking lot at 906 Center Street, Lewiston. Participants are requested to arrive 15 minutes or more prior to the departure time. The bus will leave promptly at the scheduled time from each stop. Parking is available at all pick up points, with parking in North Tonawanda available on Oliver or adjoining streets. Participants can plan on being returned to the Tops parking lot at 4:30 p.m., the Sanborn Fire Hall at 4:50 p.m., the Wheatfield Senior Center at 5:10, and at the North Tonawanda History Museum at 5:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Drop off at Tops parking lot, Lewiston 4:50 p.m. Drop off at Sanborn Fire Hall 5:10 p.m. Drop off at Town of Wheatfield Senior Center 5:30 p.m. Drop off at North Tonawanda History Museum Preservation Month serves as a showcase for our country’s diverse and unique heritage. Thousands of state and local community groups are honoring their distinct histories this month through various activities and are seeking to bring historic preservation to the forefront of Americans’ daily lives by emphasizing the vital importance of protecting our nation’s past. The North Tonawanda History Museum began the Preservation Month tours in May of 2004, making it a joint tour in 2005. This second joint bus tour is an effort by three Western New York historical organizations to participate together in celebrating Preservation Month and to visit and learn from other Western New York historical organizations. A registration form may be requested from any of the participating organizations or may be downloaded from the North Tonawanda History Museum’s website at www.nthistorymuseum.org. Registration is limited. Advance recommendation is recommended. Visit the North Tonawanda History Museum at 314 Oliver Street or mail a check or phone in your Master Card or Visa Card information at 213-0554. 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
Concert and Workshops part of History Museum’s focus on North Tonawanda’s rich ethnic heritage with Historic Riviera Theater as the setting; local author to be present as well with her novel about the establishment of the Riviera Theater. Three women plus twelve instruments equals one good time when Simple Gifts takes the stage at the Historic Riviera Theater on Saturday, February 17 at 7 p.m. The concert and a post-concert workshop as well as a free afternoon workshop specifically for musicians and music students are presented by the North Tonawanda History Museum as part of its focus on the rich ethnic heritage of North Tonawanda. This award-winning band performs on an impressive array of instruments, including two violins, concertina, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, recorders, guitar, and piano plus some more unusual instruments like the bowed psaltery, baritone fiddle, banjolin, guitjo, tabla, and doumbek. Simple Gifts presents a wide variety of ethnic folk music, including everything from lively Irish jigs and down-home American reels to hard-driving Klezmer freilachs, haunting Gypsy melodies, and exotic Balkan dance tunes. Throughout their performances, they put their own distinctive stamp on traditional tunes, easily blending styles from diverse cultures. According to the Celtic Classic Festival in Bethlehem, PA, "few musicians can match the warmly personal stage presence Simple Gifts possesses." It is obvious that these women love the music they play, and they know how to share their talents, their enthusiasm, and their sense of humor with the audience. Linda Littleton, Rachel Hall and Karen Hirshon have performed as Simple Gifts since 1995. The group was founded by Littleton in 1989 and has performed throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including appearances at the Smithsonian, Brooklyn Museum of Art, National Governors' Convention, Longwood Gardens, Whitaker Center, Hershey Theatre, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ontario Center for Performing Arts, Clarion Folk College, and dozens of colleges and universities throughout the region. Simple Gifts has opened for Natalie MacMaster, Tom Paxton, John McCutcheon, Robin and Linda Williams, Jay Unger and Molly Mason, and Boys of the Lough. Simple Gifts has recorded six albums. Their newest, "Crossing Borders: Music of Many Lands," was recognized by Indie Acoustic as including "one of the best songs of 2005." Their previous album, "Time and Again," won a bronze star (third place) in the Crossroads Music Awards. Their recordings include traditional music from Romania, Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, France, Sweden, Denmark, and America, plus original compositions by each group member. In addition to the evening concert, area musicians and music students are invited as well to register for a free afternoon workshop from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on February 17 presented by Simple Gifts. Simple Gifts is a 3-woman group from Pennsylvania which includes twelve instruments. They draw on an impressive variety of ethnic folk styles, combining tradition with innovation. They create some of the finest arrangements of folk music today. Linda Littleton, Rachel Hall, and Karen Hirshon switch between two violins, concertina, mandolin, banjolin, recorders, bowed psaltery, hammered dulcimer, baritone fiddle, guitar, piano, and percussion. Specifically for musicians, the workshop is called, “ Join the band!” Musicians who attend will become part of the band. Together the band will arrange a piece of music to be performed during the evening concert. Depending upon the group’s level and interest, topics such as creating harmony lines, playing interesting and varied back up rhythms, creating a distinctive band sound, and making your sound and presentation as professional as possible will be included. All instruments and levels are welcome. Musicians who attend the free afternoon workshop may purchase reduced rate tickets to the evening concert for $6 each for adults and $2 each for their children and for musicians who are under 18 years of age. The musician’s workshop will take place in Dwyer’s Irish Pub, adjacent to the Riviera Theater. Advance registration is required for “Join the band!” and reservations may be made until noon on Friday, February 16 by calling 213-0554. The actual concert will also include a free post-concert workshop about the instruments, “Meet the Artists & Instruments.” This workshop will give audience members the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the musicians, to see their instruments up close, and to ask questions. In previous workshops, this sort of session has encouraged people who thought they had no musical talent at all to start playing instruments such as hammered dulcimer, bowed psaltery, and folk piano. Concertgoers may purchase the group’s CDs during intermission and following the concert. In addition, North Tonawanda native, Diane M. Meholick, will be present with autographed copies of her three books, including “Painting Katherine,” which is a romantic time travel story set in North Tonawanda and showcasing the establishment of the Riviera Theater. She will also have copies of her latest book, “Buffalo Stories,” a short story collection that explores love in the City of Buffalo. Concert tickets are: Adults-$12; Seniors-$10; ages 5-16: $5; ages 4 and under are free but should have a ticket. Tickets may be purchased at the Museum, or at the Theater, or by mail from the Museum. The Museum accepts Master Card and Visa. The concert and workshops are made possible, in part, with funds from the Arts Niagara Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Tonawandas' Council on the Arts/Carnegie Art Center, and is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by the Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Call the Museum at 213-0554 for further information. 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 is looking for a few additional talented and conscientious volunteer Board members to lead and strengthen its programs and to help bring the organization into the next phase of development, including its present plans to move into larger and more appropriate quarters. The organization is seeking people from a broad range of disciplines: people with accounting, marketing, planning, business administration, personnel management/human resources, volunteer management, advertising, graphics, events planning, and grant writing are particularly needed. Also needed are individuals with clerical and administrative skills able to volunteer Monday or Tuesday mornings, afternoons or evenings, Thursday mornings or afternoons, or Friday mornings. Experience in Word and Excel useful. Desk-top publishing and Power Point skills not necessary but would be helpful. 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 opportunity to be book patron The North Tonawanda History Museum offers the opportunity to be a patron and to purchase copies of its first full-length book on the history of North Tonawanda for yourself or for gift giving. Gift certificates may be purchased if desired. 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 (or a person or entity of the donor’s choice) 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. “North Tonawanda: The Lumber City” will be a 400 page book. 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
North Tonawanda History Museum Names Officers and Key Committees As part of the 3-year old Museum’s transition from Phase One, or its startup phase, to Phase Two of its development, the Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum elected officers at the January 8 meeting. Elected Interim President as the new and enlarged Board of Trustees becomes familiar with Museum affairs is Donna Zellner Neal. Neal has served as Secretary of the Board since the organization began as an interest group in September 2003. She has also served as volunteer Director since October 9, 2003. She also serves on the North Tonawanda Historic Preservation Commission. Neal is Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee and requests that individuals with an interest in serving on the enlarged Board of Trustees contact her as soon as possible for further information. Especially of interest are individuals with grant-writing, creative writing, building construction background, strategic and long-term planning, curriculum planning, and non-profit management experience. A North Tonawanda resident, she is a native of the City of Tonawanda and a former resident as well of Buffalo, Amherst, and the Town of Tonawanda. John H. Kolecki, a retired Sweet Home High School teacher and former Niagara County Legislator, as well as an author of books about growing up in North Tonawanda, was elected Vice President. Kolecki is a North Tonawanda native. Marilyn Pane Lasky is 2 nd Vice President. Lasky, a life-long and 4 th generation resident of North Tonawanda, is a customer service representative for Impressive Imprints. She served previously as Senior Buyer for the Catholic Health System, and as Purchasing Director for Kenmore Mercy Hospital and was an employee at the hospital for over 30 years. Lasky is Chair of the Museum’s Historic Treasures Tour 2007 Committee. She is a member of the North Tonawanda Historic Preservation Commission. Shari L. Kiesow, Vice President and Branch Manager of the Williamsville office of KeyBank, is Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. She is a resident of the City of Tonawanda. Also serving on the Finance Committee are Thomas Galdys, a financial planner with Aurora Financial; John H. Kolecki; Dr. John H. George, retired superintendent of schools in North Tonawanda; Stephen Kurbiel, William M. Davignon; Dal Giuliani, Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager of Greater Buffalo Savings Bank; and Donna Zellner Neal. David Barrett, CPA, is special consultant to the Finance Committee. April J. Orlowski, an associate attorney with Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, is Secretary. An insurance law and civil litigation specialist, she is a North Tonawanda resident. Named Trustees Emeritus are: Margaret M. Cheeley and Diane M. Meholick. Cheeley is a retired art teacher and operates an antique business. She is a former Museum Trustee and a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Meholick is a title examiner for KeyBank and a self-employed author. She is a former Museum Trustee and a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Named to the Advisory Committee are: Mark Haacker and James Weber. Haacker is Chaplain and Historian of the Elks Lodge 860 and Weber is President and Owner of Wizard Communications. Neal announced some additional preliminary committee assignments: Stephen Kurbiel and Donald R. MacDonald are Co-Chairs of the House & Grounds/Facilities Management Committee. Kurbiel is a retired plumbing and heating and air conditioning contractor and former code enforcement officer for North Tonawanda. MacDonald is a registered architect with Trautman Associates. Deborah L. Jaeger, a developer, also serves on the committee. Jaeger is a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Named to the Public Relations/Community Relations Committee are Dan Kelley, a retired radio broadcaster and a former executive director of not-for-profit organizations, including the Variety Club and the Cystic Fibrosis Association, who now is a self-employed voice over specialist; Laura E. Winchester, retired newspaper reporter/editor who has worked for the Buffalo News, Courier-Express, and the Niagara Gazette locally, and has held editing positions at newspapers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Arkansas; Diane M. Meholick,; Keri Lee Gullo, owner of Gullo’s Macaroni Grill in Amherst; Carl P. Hoover, President of Pioneer Printers; John Zellner Neal, Danielle Oney, and Donna Zellner Neal. Hoover is also a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. John Zellner Neal is the Museum’s volunteer webmaster and Online Museum Curator. Oney is a Museum volunteer Event Coordinator. Kelley is a Buffalo resident. Winchester is a Snyder resident. Meholick is a Niagara Falls resident. Named to the General Education Committee are Dr. John H. George; John H. Kolecki; Stephen Ash; Jason Law; Michael El-Sharif; Dr. Thomas Chambers, Assistant Professor of History, Niagara University; Paula Belair; Charles Belair; Timothy Contangelo, Margaret M. Cheeley, and Donna Zellner Neal. Jason Law is Chair of the Oral History Sub-Committee and serves as the Museum’s volunteer Oral History Curator. John Zellner Neal is Chair of the Website/Online Museum Sub-Committee. Lou Omel and Walter Wozniak are co-chairs of the Research Sub-Committee. Omel is the Museum’s volunteer Digital and Internet Research Coordinator. Wozniak is the Museum’s volunteer Archival Research Coordinator. Law is a City of Tonawanda resident. Omel is an Amherst resident. Wozniak is a Town of Tonawanda resident. Named to the Collections Committee are: Michael El-Sharif and Donna Zellner Neal, Co-Chairs of the General Collections Committee; Jane Garis and Lou Omel, Co-Chairs of the Archival Records Sub-Committee; John Zellner Neal and Lou Omel, Co-Chairs of the Digital Records Sub-Committee. El-Sharif serves as the Museum’s volunteer Collections & Educational Curator. Garis serves as the Museum’s volunteer Archival Records Coordinator. Garis is a Niagara Falls resident. Named to the Program and Events Committee are Donna Zellner Neal, Chair; Danielle Oney, Stephen Ash, Carol Kopczynski, and Barbara Wickman. Named to the Ethnic Program and Events Sub-Committee are Stephen Kurbiel, John H. Kolecki, Carol Kopczynski, Danielle Oney, and Donna Zellner Neal. All not specifically noted otherwise are North Tonawanda residents. 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
JUDGES SELECTED FOR HISTORY MUSEUM’S 3rd ANNUAL HISTORIC GARDENS CONTEST; Sponsors Announced The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum and the Towpath Tiller have appointed the Judging Committee for the 2007 Historic Gardens Contest. Margaret A. Cheeley, Linda Hankinson, and Dale Rogers, all North Tonawanda residents are this year’s judges. Major sponsors for this year’s contest are Ascension Industries and Michael Mroczka/RealtyUSA; general sponsors are Brady Electric, Inc., and Andy’s Tree Service; patrons are Graf Land Surveyors, Bonterra Landscaping, Matt’s Music, and Niagara County Legislator Peter E. Smolinski. The 3rd annual contest is open to residents, businesses, and civic and cultural organizations of North Tonawanda. The contest is meant to encourage visitors to the city as well as to serve city residents and to emphasize the enjoyment of history, things historical, and gardening. The 2005 contest resulted in the North Tonawanda Historic Gardens Tour 2005, a walking/driving tour of twelve participating gardens. The tour brought in visitors from other communities and proved to be a satisfying experience for the visitors as well as for the gardeners. The 2006 contest resulted in a 32-site tour and a guidebook/map which includes historical trivia about participating sites. A limited number of copies of the publication are still available for a $1 donation. It is not necessary for the garden to be historic. The property or location or area in which the garden is located and its history can fulfill the historic requirement. Museum representatives will work with homeowners and others wishing to include their garden in the contest and tour. The three top winners each year will each receive a cast bronze plaque for display on their homes. Other prizes will be distributed as well. The contest is:
The tour is:
Judging:
Specifications for participation:
This could also provide students or youth groups with an opportunity to create participating gardens, either at their own homes or for neighbors or businesses or area community organizations. It is hoped that all community organizations and cultural attractions will be included in the tour guide. Call the Museum to discuss how to be included. Call the Museum at 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com for an application form. You may also download the application form from the Online Museum at 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
North Tonawanda History Museum Names Advisory Committee Members and committees The Nominating & Governance Committee of the North Tonawanda History Museum announces the following appointments: Named to the Advisory Committee are: Mark H. Haacker and James J. Weber. Haacker is Chaplain and Historian of the Elks Lodge 860 and a sales representative with Service Guide, Inc., and Weber is President of Wizard Communications Systems. Interim President Donna Zellner Neal has appointed additional committee chairs and members. Named to the Historic Gardens Contest & Tour 2007 Committee: Donna Zellner Neal, Chair; Margaret A. Cheeley, Linda Hankinson, and Dale Rogers, who will serve as the contest judges. Cheeley, a Trustee Emeritus, is a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee. Rogers is credited with having originally suggested the concept for the contests and tours. Named to the Haunted Gardens on the EEEErie Canal 2007 Committee: Danielle Oney, Chair; Joann V. Mis of Kenmore, and Carl Tamburlin, Co-Chairs; and Donna Zellner Neal. Oney is a SUNYAB nursing student and a volunteer event coordinator for the Museum. She is a member of the Museum’s Education Committee. Mis and Tamburlin co-chaired the 2005 event with Neal. Both are active members of Starry Night Theater. Additional members named to the Historic Treasures Tour 2007 Committee chaired by Marilyn Pane Lasky are Laura E. Winchester, an Amherst resident; Dan Kelley, a Buffalo resident; Donald R. MacDonald and Stephen Kurbiel. Winchester, Kelley, MacDonald, and Kurbiel are Museum Trustees. Lasky is 2 nd Vice President of the Museum. All not specifically noted otherwise are North Tonawanda residents. 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
History Museum announces 3rd ANNUAL HISTORIC GARDENS CONTEST; Judges, Sponsors Announced The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum and the Towpath Tiller have appointed the Judging Committee for the 2007 Historic Gardens Contest. Margaret A. Cheeley, Linda Hankinson, and Dale Rogers, all North Tonawanda residents are this year’s judges. Cheeley operates Humphrey House Antiques. Rogers operates Bonterra Landscaping and writes a column in the Tonawanda News, “The Towpath Tiller.” Major sponsors for this year’s contest are Ascension Industries and Michael Mroczka/RealtyUSA; general sponsors are Brady Electric, Inc., and Andy’s Tree Service; patrons are Graf Land Surveyors, Bonterra Landscaping, Matt’s Music, Niagara County Legislator Peter E. Smolinski, and the North Tonawanda Senior Center. The 3rd annual contest is open to residents, businesses, and civic and cultural organizations of North Tonawanda. The contest is meant to encourage visitors to the city as well as to serve city residents and to emphasize the enjoyment of history, things historical, and gardening. The 2005 contest resulted in the North Tonawanda Historic Gardens Tour 2005, a walking/driving tour of twelve participating gardens. The tour brought in visitors from other communities and proved to be a satisfying experience for the visitors as well as for the gardeners. The 2006 contest resulted in a 32-site tour and a guidebook/map which includes historical trivia about participating sites. A limited number of copies of the publication are still available for a $1 donation. It is not necessary for the garden to be historic. The property or location or area in which the garden is located and its history can fulfill the historic requirement. Museum representatives will work with homeowners and others wishing to include their garden in the contest and tour. The three top winners each year will each receive a cast bronze plaque for display on their homes. Other prizes will be distributed as well. The contest is:
The tour is:
Judging:
Specifications for participation:
Call the Museum at 213-0554 or email to nthistorymuseum@aol.com for an application form. You may also download the application form from the Online Museum at 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 |