North Tonawanda History Museum © History of the Museum / News Release Archive

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 to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 to noon

The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum extends its thanks to the Western New York community for its support of our three-week “13 Historic Ghosts of the Niagara Frontier” event in the Haunted Gardens of the North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens on the Eerie Canal, which also included a Haunted Hay Ride and a Haunted Greenhouse.

Special thanks to Ghostlight Theatre, particularly Joanne Mis and Carl Tamburlin, who spent an unbelievable amount of time researching historical ghosts, creating skits, gathering props and costumes, and training the performers, coordinating rehearsals, and setting up the park to become an amazing haunted stage. We are grateful as well to Frank Budwey; Pioneer Printers; the North Tonawanda Auxiliary Police; the North Tonawanda Department of Youth, Recreation, Parks, & Senior Services; the North Tonawanda Department of Public Works; Hartland Carriages; and the hundreds of volunteers who helped create and carryout the event—and Mason Winfield for his inspiration.

We are pleased to report that we had youth groups from North Tonawanda, Wheatfield, Kenmore, the Town of Tonawanda, the City of Tonawanda, and Amherst; individual youth from North Tonawanda, Amherst, Grand Island, Kenmore, the City of Tonawanda, the Town of Tonawanda,, Lancaster, and Niagara Falls performing a wide variety of roles both for community service and simply for the enjoyment of volunteering. Over one hundred youngsters participated in some way in the event.

We look forward to it being an annual event. The net proceeds of this year’s event have become part of our capital fund for the future permanent home of the Museum.

2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 to noon

Museum Italian Christmas program to include recognition of volunteers and contributors of the year!

The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum will honor a number of its volunteers, donors, and other supporters for their contributions in the Museum’s first two years of existence at this event as part of their Italian Christmas program on December 17.

To be recognized are: VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR(S) 2003-2005: Stephen Ash, Betty Brandon, John Zellner Neal, Priscilla Zellner Neal, and Barbara Wickman, all of North Tonawanda; Cynthia Fredricks, formerly of North Tonawanda and now of Huchinson, Kansas; Jane Garis, formerly of North Tonawanda and now of Niagara Falls; JamiLee Piatt, formerly of North Tonawanda and now of Holland, New York.

Also: VOLUNTEER FAMILIES OF THE YEAR(S) 2003-2005: The Mittiga Family ( Joe, Judy, Ricky, Gabbie,and Lydia), The Neal Family ( Donna, John, Priscilla Neal; Kathy Delbert; Liz Hall; Lea Aquino; Bryan Blandford; Danielle Oney; Matthew DiNatale; Frank Zellner), and The Santiago Family ( Lou, Joyce, Sara, Maria, Leah Santiago; Bryan and Jason Kastelan; Michael Giglia), all of North Tonawanda.

Also: DONORS & BENEFACTORS OF THE YEAR(S) 2003-2005: Anthony Abdulla, of San Francisco, California; Frank Budwey, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Downtown Merchants Association, (the late) John and Alexandra Kopczynski, George D. Maziarz, The Neal Family, Pioneer Printers, Barbara Wickman, and David Zobrist, all of North Tonawanda; Keyser Buick, Inc., and Sterling Sommer, Inc., of the City of Tonawanda; Arlene Stocki McNair, of the Town of Tonawanda; - George and Marilyn Soemann of Appleton; and HSBC Bank, N.A., and RealtyUSA.

Abigail Cliff. of Grand Island, Michael El-Sharif of the City of Tonawanda, Ashley Herman of Lockport, Kathryn Jordan of North Tonawanda, Jason Law of the City of Tonawanda, Priscilla Neal, of North Tonawanda, and Heather Sowder of West Seneca.

Buffalo Suzuki Strings, Ghostlight Theatre, Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, North Tonawanda Public Library, and the North Tonawanda City School District.

Italian Christmas program scheduled for December 17 as Museum’s 2nd Annual Ethnic Christmas program; Refreshments to be served will include goodies whose recipes originated with the Wurlitzer family over three generations.

December’s event will be a musical production celebrating Italian Christmas traditions and culture and is fund for children and adults. “The Legend of LaBefana” will be presented by Dr. Emelise Aleandri, Artistic Director of Frizzi & Lazzi the Olde Time Italian-American Music and Theatre Company in New York City. This program is made possible through a grant from Speakers in the Humanities, a program of the New York Council for the Humanities. Italian Christmas refreshments will be served. This event will also be in the DeGraff Community Center, 139 Division Street, and will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 17. Dr. Aleandri is a singer, actress, and folk dancer. Her production borrows from many different versions of the Italian myth, and recreates the story of the good Italian witch who visits children on the eve of the Epiphany and leaves presents for good children, but coal, stones, and ashes for naughty ones. Many variations on the ancient legend of LaBefana have come down to us by tradition and folklore, but the common thread to all the stories is that on the Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, Twelfth Night, the night of magic when all things can happen, the Magi, three wise and learned Kings from the mystical East, faithfully and determinedly follow the brightest star in the heavens in a relentless search for a newborn king to welcome him as representatives of their own kingdoms. On their long journey, they unexpectedly encounter an old woman, LaBefana, as she diligently sweeps her little house and they ask her for directions to Bethlehem. The Kings invite her to accompany them but she declines because, she explains, she is too busy cleaning her house and cannot leave. They continue on without her but later Old Befana has misgivings and decides to embark on her own long journey in search of this new mysterious child. Flying through the sky on her magical broom, she never finds him but wherever she does see a sleeping child, she leaves a special gift just in case that one is the newborn king, the Neonato. And she has been fulfilling this purpose on Epiphany eve for centuries.

This musical production brings to life an assortment of colorful characters from the legend. Frizzi & Lazzi, which means “sparkling theatre,” is a music and theatre company of professional actors, singers, and musicians dedicated to reviving the delightful musical and theatrical entertainments performed by Italian-American immigrants at the turn of the century.

The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served, including goodies prepared from recipes in the 1956 “Wurlitzer Centennial Cookbook,” many of which originated with the Wurlitzer family over three generations. Barbara Wickman will prepare the refreshments. Parking is available behind the Community Center, which is located between Tremont Street and Christiana Street.

Call the Museum at 213-0554 or email at nthistorymuseum@aol.com for further information.

2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 to noon

History Museum Sets Orientation Sessions for First Ethnic Heritage Festival; also seeks student participation

“North Tonawanda : A Celebration of our Ethnic Diversity!” set for October 7, 2006, will be the first bi-annual ethnic heritage festival of the North Tonawanda History Museum. The Museum will host two orientation sessions to provide individuals and groups with an overview of the project. You may attend either or all of three Mondays, November 14, November 21, and November 28, or Tuesday, November 29, all beginning at 7 p.m., in the Museum at 314 Oliver Street. A phone call or e-mail would be appreciated so that Museum representatives may accommodate the number of interested individuals planning to attend each session. Those unable to attend at least one of the sessions who are interested in participating should call the Museum as soon as possible.

Event planners and workers, coordinators, and other participants are presently being interviewed. Needed are individuals or groups willing to perform or present demonstrations of ethnic and occupational skills and crafts, musical performers, dancers, narrators to explain various ethnic traditions with which they are familiar; providers of ethnic foods, individuals/businesses/groups with ethnic items to sell. Also needed are materials to use in exhibits or completed exhibits on various ethnic backgrounds and customs of individuals or groups calling North Tonawanda their home. There is no age limit. Participants may create a school or youth group project or an individual or other group project. Representatives of North Tonawanda organizations are invited to become part of the planning committee. Writers and researchers wishing to assist with creation of the event souvenir book are also invited to contact the Museum.

Students who are North Tonawanda residents—all age levels from elementary through college—are also invited to participate in the ethnic heritage celebration by researching and creating essays, art works, costumes, ethnic craft or occupational items or demonstrations, or musical performances related to North Tonawanda ’s ethnic heritage. Projects may be individual or group or class efforts.

Focus can be on any of the original ethnic groups who settled North Tonawanda or on more recent arrivals who now make North Tonawanda their home. Topics may include traditions and customs, holiday celebrations, general history of the immigrant heritage if a particular nationality, clothing, foods, or other appropriate topics.

Selected essays will be used in a souvenir book for “North Tonawanda : A Celebration of Our Diversity!” to be held on October 7, 2006. Art work will be considered for the cover and illustrations in the souvenir book. All created works will be displayed at the festival. The 79 entries in the 2004 student logo design contest will also be displayed at the festival. Ethnic costumes or ethnic craft or occupational demonstrations or musical performances will also be incorporated into the festival. The present 2005 logo design contest entries will also be displayed at the festival.

Prizes will be awarded for some of the best participating projects. Details will be announced in the future when sufficient responses have been received to make it possible to determine categories for allocation of prizes.

Museum representatives plan the celebration to be a bi-annual event. Although still in the developmental stage, as with all Museum programming, their educational responsibility to the community is a central focus of this project.

To register for participation or to discuss how you or your group or class may participate, call the Museum at 213-0554.

For additional information contact the Museum at 213-0554 or by email at 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

2005 Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursdays 9 to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 to noon

Also open by appointment

Museum Names Carl P. Hoover to Advisory Committee

The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum has named Carl P. Hoover, President of Pioneer Printers, Inc., to its Advisory Committee. Other members of the Advisory Committee who have served in this capacity, many since 2003, and will continue in 2006 are: Paul A. Rumbold, Jr., Kurt Alverson, A. Daniel Bille, Elizabeth M. Brick-Schutt, Thomas A. Chambers, Penny Creasey, William M. Davignon, Randy C. Fahs, Esq., Dr. John H. George, Thomas M. Jaccarino, Daniel R. Killian, Dale M. Marshall, John W. Percy, Lou Santiago, Leslie J. Stolzenfels, Michael B. Mroczka, Rae Proefrock, Brett M. Sommer, and Margaret A. Waite.