History of the Museum / News Release Archive - December 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:
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Museum Names Additions to Advisory Committee The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum at its November 6 meeting named the following individuals to its Advisory Committee effective January 1, 2007: Margaret M. Cheeley, a North Tonawanda resident, owner of Humphrey House Antiques, who is also a retired art teacher from the Buffalo Schools. Mrs. Cheeley is also a member and Vice Chair of the North Tonawanda Historic Preservation Commission. She previously served on the Museum’s Board of Trustees and is an active volunteer. Diane M. Meholick, a Niagara Falls resident and North Tonawanda native, a self-employed author of three published books, and a title examiner for SecoLink Settlement Services, LLC. She previously served on the Museum’s Board of Trustees and is an active volunteer. H. William Feder, Ph.D., a Niagara Falls resident, historian, author, and former long-time Niagara County Legislator. Paul F. Hoover, a North Tonawanda resident and retired founder of Pioneer Printers. He previously served on the Museum’s Board of Trustees. George F. Rand IV, an Amherst resident, and descendent of the Calvin G./Almira Hershey Long Rand family which played an important role in the history of North Tonawanda. He previously served on the Museum’s Board of Trustees and is Honorary Chair of its “The Future of Our Past” Campaign committee. Senator George D. Maziarz, a Newfane resident and North Tonawanda native. He serves on “The Future of Our Past Campaign” committee and is a Charter Honorary Life Member, having served on the original steering committee to establish a history museum in North Tonawanda. Deborah L. Jaeger, a North Tonawanda resident, and partner in the management of Erie Heights Apartments in the City of Tonawanda. Dal Giuliani, Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager, Greater Buffalo Savings Bank, North Tonawanda branch. Additional members of the Advisory Committee are Kurt P. Alverson, retired former director of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, A. Daniel Bille, North Tonawanda City Historian, Dr. Thomas A. Chambers, Assistant Professor of History, Niagara University, William M. Davignon, of the North Tonawanda Waste Water Plant, andformer Niagara County Legislator, Randy C. Fahs, Esq., Director of Contracts, Northrup Grumman Electronic Systems, Carl P. Hoover, President and Owner of Pioneer Printers, Inc., Daniel R. Killian, retired Library Director of the North Tonawanda Pubic Library, Michael B. Mroczka, of RealtyUSA and a self-employed wedding photographer, John W. Percy, Town of Tonawanda Historian, Rae Proefrock, Chair of the Tourism Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, and a Trustee of the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, Lou Santiago, State Farm Insurance, Brett M. Sommer, a North Tonawanda High School teacher and President of the North Tonawanda Common Council, and Margaret A. Waite, Library Director, North Tonawanda Public Library. 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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The To receive an application, please submit a letter of interest and a resume or biographical sketch to the Nominating & Governance Committee, 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
Homes Tour Tickets Available for Holiday Giving; Homeowners Invited to Include their Homes in the Tour Advance sale tickets are available in time for holiday giving for the 2007 North Tonawanda History Museum Historic Treasures Tour, as was done with the first tour in 2005. Museum representatives are presently initiating the screening process for candidate homes for inclusion in the 2007 tour. 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 is expected to be repeated also, at a charge of $5 per person. A limited number of tickets will be sold. Last year’s tickets sold quickly; those wishing to participate in the 2007 tour are advised to order their tickets early. Payment may be made by cash, check, money order, or by Master Card or Visa. 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 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
NT History Museum and The Riviera Theater to present an ethnic folk music concert and workshops The North Tonawanda History Museum is offering advance sale tickets for its February 17 “SIMPLE GIFTS” CONCERT in The Historic Riviera Theater. Tickets may be purchased for holiday giving or for personal use. The concert will include a free post-concert workshop about the instruments, “Meet the 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. Tickets are: Adults-$12; Seniors-$10; ages 5-16: $5; ages 4 and under are free but should have a ticket. “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. Musicians are also invited to register for a free afternoon workshop on the same day, specifically for musicians. Call the Museum for more 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
Preservation Month Bus Tour Reservations Available for Holiday Giving 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. 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 Museum’s website at www.nthistorymuseum.org. Registration is limited. Advance recommendation is recommended. To give a registration as a holiday gift, visit the North Tonawanda History Museum 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:
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NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM NAMES 2007 BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Nominating and Governance Committee of the North Tonawanda History Museum has announced that at the December 4 Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees, the following Board of Trustees was established for 2007: New Trustees: John H. George, Ed.D., retired former superintendent of schools, who has been a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee since the inception of the Museum in September 2003 and is an honorary co-chair of its “Future of Our Past” campaign committee; James M. Perry, Esq., attorney; Stephen Kurbiel, retired plumbing and heating contractor and retired city code enforcement officer; Keri Gullo, owner, Gullo’s Macaroni Grill in Amherst; John H. Kolecki, retired educator in the Sweet Home School District, former Niagara County Legislator, and an author; April J. Orlowski, Esq., a civil litigator and insurance law specialist with Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, of Buffalo; Donald MacDonald, a registered architect with Trautman Associates of Buffalo; and Shari L. Kiesow, Vice President and Branch Manager, KeyBank in Williamsville; Continuing on the Board of Trustees: Donna Zellner Neal, volunteer Director of the Museum since 2003; Paula M. Belair, retired educator; Marilyn Pane Lasky, customer service representative with Impressive Imprints of North Tonawanda; and Barbara Wickman, owner of Barb’s Sweet Treats and Jack’s Trains of North Tonawanda. Kiesow is a resident of the City of Tonawanda. The other Trustees are all North Tonawanda residents. Judith L. Mittiga was named a Trustee Emeritus. Mittiga joins six other former Trustees who previously served as officers as Trustees Emeritus: Paul A. Rumbold, Jr., Kay Learned, John Borycki, Cynthia Fredricks, Betty Brandon, and Joyce L. Santiago. William M. Davignon and A. Daniel Bille continue as Ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the following Special Consultants were appointed: David Barrett, CPA, a tax accountant with Freed, Maxick & Battaglia, as Special Consultant to the Finance Committee; Clinton Brown, RA, AIA, of Clinton Brown Architecture, a preservation architect; Barbara P. Moore, a conservator, and Peter P. Poth, a retired financial executive and CPA, as Special Consultants to the Board of Trustees and Director. Barrett is a North Tonawanda resident; Moore is a resident of Pittsford; Brown and Poth have offices in Buffalo. The Board of Trustees has expanded its size and the Nominating & Governance Committee is conducting a search 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 its 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, advertising, graphics, volunteer management, events planning, and grant writing are particularly needed. Retired executives with business management backgrounds are also invited to contact the Committee. Individuals who have previous experience in serving on Boards of Directors or Boards of Trustees would be a valuable asset. Those interested in volunteering their time and expertise are invited to contact the museum at 213-0554 for more 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
NT History Museum and The Historic Riviera Theater to present an ethnic folk music concert and workshops The North Tonawanda History Museum is offering advance sale tickets for its February 17 “SIMPLE GIFTS” CONCERT in The Historic Riviera Theater. The concert will 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. 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 for holiday giving or for personal use. Tickets may be purchased at the Museum, or at the Theater, or by mail from the Museum. The Museum accepts Master Card and Visa. “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. Musicians are also invited to register for a free afternoon workshop from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on the same day, specifically for musicians. 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 tickets to the concert for $6 each for adults and $2 each for their children and for musicians who are under 18 years of age. Call the Museum at 213-0554 for further information. When the Rivera Theatre opened on December 30, 1926, it was billed as the “Showplace of the Tonawandas.” Built by the Yellen family, advance admission for opening night was $1. Leon H. Lempart and Son, Architects, created the design, patterned after the opulent Italian Renaissance style. The interior artwork was painted at the Rochester Studio of Willard M. Lusk by Ferdinand Kebely. The Wurlitzer organ, the “Mighty Wurlitzer,” a demonstrator model Opus 1524, was shipped from the Wurlitzer factory on November 19, 1926, and is still in use. The Opus 1524 was listed as a Model 235 Special. The organ differed from a standard 3 manual 11 rank Model 235, by substituting an Oboe Horn rank of pipes from the standard Salicional pipes usually found on this model. Other differences included the omission of the standard remote Piano, and a 5 H.P. blower instead of the 7-1/2 H.P. The console was painted and decorated to harmonize with the Theatre’s interior by a Wurlitzer Co. band organ artist. The theatre was named the New Rivera. Opening night was December 30, 1926. Advance reservations cost $1. The mayors of both cities attended opening night. North Tonawanda Mayor James P. MacKenzie of North Tonawanda, praised the President of the corporation that owned the theatre, Henry Henshel, and the theatre’s manager, James J. Kelly. The building adjacent to and south of the theatre building still bears the names of Henshel-Yellen. Congratulatory messages arrived from Governor Alfred E. Smith and movie producer Cecil B. Demille. First night features were the movies, “Upstage,” starring Norman Shearer, and “The Mona Lisa” in Technicolor. A newsreel was part of the program. Fred Meyer was organist, accompanying the films and soloing on the Mighty Wurlitzer. Vaudeville and musical performances were also included. Then came the Depression. Paramount Publix Corporation, owned by Paramount Pictures, with Michael Shea operating out of an office in the Buffalo Shea’s Theatre serving as their general manager, took over management of the Rivera Theatre in 1930 and changed the name to the Riviera Theatre. It later became a Dipson & Basil Theatre. Michael Shea and his business colleagues had been forced to sell out to Paramount Pictures in 1924. Paramount continued to use his name to attract local business, giving the illusion of an alliance with Shea. He was, however, a general manager for them. The use of “Shea’s” on their marquees was an operational title, not a statement of ownership. By 1933, because of anti-trust law violations and the stock market crash, Paramount Pictures was bankrupt. In July 1939, Max Yellen informed Nick Basil that Vincent McFaul of Shea’s Theatres was not renewing leases at his Century and Bailey Theatres in Buffalo or the Riviera in North Tonawanda. Yellen still owned the Riviera Theatre. Basil Theatres, which began in 1923, became the most prominent theatre chain in Western New York during the 20 th century. The Basil group, known as Dipson & Basil Theatres, took over the Riviera Theatre operations in July 1939. The organ was used for the first seven years. In the early 1930’s, use of the organ was discontinued as a regular program feature, only used thereafter on special occasions. Time and the absence of maintenance took its toll. In 1944, the theatre management authorized Carlton Finch and his father Harry to restore the organ. The found that only part of the great manual would play. After months of work, on “D” Day 1944 the organ was ready for Carlton to celebrate the event with the first public concert at the Riviera in at least 10 years. Carlton and Harry continued restoration and maintenance but the public did not hear the organ again until the management introduced “teenage dance parties” on the stage. These ended by the early 1950’s and the organ was only used for weekly practice sessions by Carlton. It was not heard again by the public until March 18, 1962. The original theatre was decorated with stained glass windows, elaborate tile floors, paintings, and murals. Seating 1,200 people, it was a motion picture house from the day it opened, showing silent movies accompanied by Wurlitzer organ music. Monthly organ concerts kept the theatre going after television replaced movies and the theatre fell into neglect. In the 1960s, the theatre became part of the Dipson Theatre chain, and a more extensive organ restoration project began. In 1970 the theatre was sold to MDA Associates and operated under MDA until 1971 when the theatre closed, going up for auction, and was reacquired by Smith Properties which was owned by Max Yellen. Remaining closed for a year, the theatre was then acquired by MACDOP Enterprises, reopening in 1972 with North Tonawanda’s mayor present for the opening. The Niagara Frontier Theatre Organ Enthusiasts became involved with the theatre because of the Mighty Wurlitzer in 1962 and remained active in efforts to preserve the theatre. They enhanced the theatre itself with the purchase of the present huge crystal chandelier from the Genesee Theatre in Buffalo in 1974. A smaller chandelier from the Park Lane Restaurant in Buffalo was installed in the outer lobby. The Riviera Theatre was placed on the Register of Historic Landmarks by the U. S. Department of the Interio on April 22, 1980. The Niagara Frontier Theatre Organ Society acquired the theatre on November 26, 1989, and has worked with the community since to restore the Riviera to its original grandeur. The original theatre was decorated with stained glass windows, elaborate tile floors, paintings, and murals. Seating 1,200 people, it was a motion picture house from the day it opened, showing silent movies accompanied by Wurlitzer organ music. Monthly organ concerts kept the theatre going after television replaced movies and the theatre fell into neglect. On the south wall of the theatre building a mural welcomes visitors approaching over the North Tonawanda Main Street/Tonawanda Delaware Street bridge and the Renaissance Bridge between Webster Street and Main Street in the City of Tonawanda. Diane Meholick, a North Tonawanda native, wrote a historical novel, “Painting Katherine,” about North Tonawanda at the time of the establishment of the Rivera Theatre, telling a story of a couple who inherited a mansion and moved to North Tonawanda from Washington, D.C. ---- This event is 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. 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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The North Tonawanda History Museum has produced a weekly column on local history,"Remembering Yesteryear," in the Tonawanda News since March 29, 2004. Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal coordinates the column. The column, which appears on Mondays, has developed a regular following. The Museum is in its third year of operations. 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
Letter to the Editor: The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum and the Museum Education Committee extend our gratitude to the Chopin Singing Society, the Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish Community, the Historical Society of North German Settlements in Western New York, and the North Tonawanda Senior Center for their collaboration in the presentation of our two holiday programs, the December 13 “Polish Christmas Concert,” and the December 14 “German Christmas Night.” The Chopin Singing Society concert filled Our Lady of Czestochowa Church with the voices of angels, following a brief performance as well by the church choir. An audience of more than 650 people enjoyed this Christmas gift to the community from the OLC parish and the North Tonawanda History Museum. The OLC ladies deserve generous thanks as well for their all-day effort in preparing the refreshments offered in the school hall following the concert. Thanks to local author, John Kolecki, who was on hand to autograph is book about growing up in North Tonawanda’s Polish community. The recently renovated Senior Center hosted more than 140 attendees, including Cub Scout Pack 193, and the Alpha Phi Omega, Epsilon Sigma Chapter, of SUNYAB. The Cub Scouts and the college students assisted during the program also. We were pleased to be able to celebrate with our colleagues from Bergholz the 35 th anniversary of the Historical Society of North German Settlements in Western New York. A moment of silence in memory of their founder Eugene Camann followed Wilma Lass’s history of their Society and their Das Haus Museum. The presentation on German Chistmas traditions and foods was enjoyed by all. Our thanks as well to SUNYAB student Danielle Oney for a display on German and pre-German Christmas customs—and to Danielle and Terri Oney, Barbara Wickman, and the ladies from Das Haus for the holiday treats for refreshments. On behalf of those attendees who have expressed their thanks to Museum representatives, we extend our thanks to all who helped make these two events possible. Sincerely, Donna Zellner Neal 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 Announces Approval of Four Grants The North Tonawanda History Museum has been awarded a $200 grant from the Niagara Area Foundation, a division of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, for the purchase of a DVD player for its oral history program in area nursing homes. The Museum initiated monthly history programs at the DeGraff Skilled Nursing Facility, Alterra Sterling House of Niagara, and Northgate Healthcare Facility in the summer of 2006. In its infancy, and being developed by Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal and Oral History Program Coordinator Jason M. Law, it is expected to be a permanent regular museum activity and incorporates the Museum’s oral history program. The Museum has been awarded a $1,000 grant 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, for its February 17 “Simple Gifts Concert & Workshops,” featuring ethnic folk music. The concert will be held in the historic Riviera Theatre. The Museum has also been awarded a $2,500 grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) Presenter Program, for the “Simple Gifts Concert & Workshops.” The Museum 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 its 2006 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, with an estimated value of $2,000, 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 17 th century Dutch art works depicting various foodstuffs will be included in the lecture. Saturday, December 8, 2007 – “Dutch Christmas Celebration” : “The Forgotten Holidays” beginning at 2 p.m. 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. 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 2007 BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Nominating and Governance Committee of the North Tonawanda History Museum has announced that the following additional Trustees were named to the Board: Thomas M. Galdys, a financial planner with Aurora Financial, Inc., 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; and 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. She has been a volunteer/docent on several local l history projects in Bergholz, Lockport, and the Town of Niagara. A former food editor and restaurant reviewer, she also has participated in cooking demonstrations relating to specific eras including Victorian. She has taught cooking in the continuing education programs at Niagara University and at Artpark. Winchester has a keen interest in early American decorative arts and has written a weekly column on antiques for both the Courier-Express and the Stamford Advocate in Connecticut. She has started her own business, Winaura Communications, whose services include public relations, preparation of news releases, brochures and newsletters, copyediting, and political campaign consulting. Galdys is a Getzville resident; Kelley is a Buffalo resident; and Winchester is a Snyder resident. Additional members of the Board of Trustees established for 2007: New Trustees: John H. George, Ed.D., retired former superintendent of schools, who has been a member of the Museum’s Advisory Committee since the inception of the Museum in September 2003 and is an honorary co-chair of its “Future of Our Past” campaign committee; James M. Perry, Esq., attorney; Stephen Kurbiel, retired plumbing and heating contractor and retired city code enforcement officer; Keri Gullo, owner, Gullo’s Macaroni Grill in Amherst; John H. Kolecki, retired educator in the Sweet Home School District, former Niagara County Legislator, and an author; April J. Orlowski, Esq., a civil litigator and insurance law specialist with Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, of Buffalo; Donald MacDonald, a registered architect with Trautman Associates of Buffalo; and Shari L. Kiesow, Vice President and Branch Manager, KeyBank in Williamsville; Continuing on the Board of Trustees: Donna Zellner Neal, volunteer Director of the Museum since 2003; Paula M. Belair, retired educator; Marilyn Pane Lasky, customer service representative with Impressive Imprints of North Tonawanda; and Barbara Wickman, owner of Barb’s Sweet Treats and Jack’s Trains of North Tonawanda. Kiesow is a resident of the City of Tonawanda. The other Trustees are all North Tonawanda residents. Judith L. Mittiga was named a Trustee Emeritus. Mittiga joins six other former Trustees who previously served as officers as Trustees Emeritus: Paul A. Rumbold, Jr., Kay Learned, John Borycki, Cynthia Fredricks, Betty Brandon, and Joyce L. Santiago.William M. Davignon and A. Daniel Bille continue as Ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees. Named to the Advisory Committee is Mark H. Haacker, Sales Representative for Service Guide, Inc., of Cortland, Ohio. Haacker is a North Tonawanda resident. In addition, the following Special Consultants were appointed: David Barrett, CPA, a tax accountant with Freed, Maxick & Battaglia, as Special Consultant to the Finance Committee; Clinton Brown, RA, AIA, of Clinton Brown Architecture, a preservation architect; Barbara P. Moore, a conservator, and Peter P. Poth, a retired financial executive and CPA, as Special Consultants to the Board of Trustees and Director. Barrett is a North Tonawanda resident; Moore is a resident of Pittsford; Brown and Poth have offices in Buffalo. The Board of Trustees has expanded its size and the Nominating & Governance Committee is conducting a search 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 its 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, advertising, graphics, volunteer management, events planning, and grant writing are particularly needed. Retired executives with business management backgrounds are also invited to contact the Committee. Individuals who have previous experience in serving on Boards of Directors or Boards of Trustees would be a valuable asset. Those interested in volunteering their time and expertise are invited to contact the museum at 213-0554 for more 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
History Museum continues “Heritage Cookbook” tradition; Soliciting recipes and historical trivia for 2 nd volume; First volume in 4th printing since January 2005! The “North Tonawanda Ethnic Heritage Cookbook, published by the North Tonawanda History Museum, which was released for sale on January 6, 2005, has been already reprinted three times since the first run. Orders have come in from all over the country, and as far away as Hong Kong. The unique cookbook contains 115 recipes, with a variety of ethnic flavoring, each including a historical note about the family or individuals contributing or originating the recipe. A brief history of North Tonawanda is included as well. The cookbook is dedicated to Ken Mountain, a 1958 graduate of North Tonawanda High School, who is a Charter member of the new Museum and a researcher/writer for the Museum. He is credited as having suggested the cookbook project. He is now a resident of Texas. Cynthia Fredricks coordinated the creation and compilation of first the cookbook. This cookbook is available at the Museum offices at 314 Oliver Street, at Hodgepodge, 72 Webster Street, Barb’s Sweet Treats, 238 Oliver Street, at Lovin’ Life at 305 Robinson Street, the North Tonawanda Public Library, 505 Meadow Drive, and in the gift shop at DeGraff Memorial Hospital. The cookbooks sell for $7 including tax. Cookbooks are also available by mail from the Museum (include $3 for shipping and handling for 1 – 3 cookbooks). The cookbook is the first in a series of heritage cookbooks to be published by the Museum. Recipes have already come in for inclusion in the second cookbook, “ North Tonawanda Families & Their Favorite Recipes.” Museum representatives request additional recipes from North Tonawanda residents and former residents, each including a brief biographical or historical note about the contributing family or individual. Barbara Wickman is Heritage Cookbook Committee Chair. Recipes and the accompanying notes may be dropped off at or mailed to the Museum at 314 Oliver Street; Barb’s Sweet Treats at 238 Oliver Street; Hodgepodge at 72 Webster Street; or Lovin’ Life at 305 Robinson Street. You may also email them to nthistorymuseum@aol.com. The new cookbook will sell for $11 including sales tax. Advance orders may be placed through the Museum. Include $3 for shipping and handling per cookbook. The new cookbook will be released either during Canal Fest 2007 as part of its 25 th anniversary celebrations or for Winter Walk 2007. Call 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
History Museum and Buffalo State College Career Development Center partnership; SUNYAB Volunteer Service Fraternity partners as well with museum. The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum recognized the Buffalo State College Volunteer and Service-Learning Center as a Cultural & Educational Partner at its December 14 “German Heritage Night.” During 2006, the 32-member Sociology Department class on Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, under the direction of Dr. Amitra Hodge, Assistant Professor, Sociology, and Coordinator of Women’s Studies Unit, at Buffalo State College, successfully completed a learning service project for the museum. The students worked on creating written essays and artistic renderings on ethnic heritage and culture for the Museum’s souvenir book for the October 7, 2006, ethnic heritage festival: “North Tonawanda: A Celebration of Our Diversity!” In addition, twelve of the students took an active role in assisting the museum representatives in the set up and take down activities for the October event, as well as working as event staff during the day. Esther Niesen, a Buffalo State College student from Dr. Hodge’s class, also completed three oral history interviews of senior citizens with Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal in 2006. Niesen was recognized as a Student Volunteer of the Year by the Museum. Members of the Alpha Phi Omega, Epsilon Sigma Chapter, at SUNYAB, under the leadership of Kristen Rinaldo, also assisted with the ethnic heritage festival and assisted at the museum’s “German Christmas Night” program on December 14 at which the fraternity also was recognized as a Cultural & Educational Partner. Both groups had planned to, and prepared for, participate in the museum’s 2nd annual Haunted Gardens on the EEEErie Canal, a 3-week event which was canceled because of the October 12 storm. Laura Hill Rao, Coordinator of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center of the Career Development Center at Buffalo State College is working with Museum Director Donna Zellner Neal and the Museum’s Oral History Coordinator Jason Law on a partnership with the Oral History Program. 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
Area musicians and music students are invited 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 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
Heritage Cookbook Committee Gears up for Production of Second “Heritage Cookbook” Barbara Wickman is Heritage Cookbook Committee Chair for the North Tonawanda History Museum’s second Heritage Cookbook. Wickman is owner of Barb’s Sweet Treats and Jack’s Trains. Jessica Brant, a North Tonawanda High School student who was named a Student Volunteer of the Year for 2006 by the Museum, is in charge of the typing of the cookbook copy. The cookbook, “North Tonawanda Families & Their Favorite Recipes,” is expected to be released in time for sale during Canal Fest’s 25 th anniversary in July. Recipes have already come in for inclusion in the second cookbook from former residents now living as far away as California and Texas.Museum representatives request additional recipes from North Tonawanda residents and former residents, each including a brief biographical or historical note about the contributing family or individual. Recipes and the accompanying notes may be dropped off at or mailed to the Museum at 314 Oliver Street; Barb’s Sweet Treats at 238 Oliver Street; Hodgepodge at 72 Webster Street; or Lovin’ Life at 305 Robinson Street. You may also email them to nthistorymuseum@aol.com. The new cookbook will sell for $11 including sales tax. Advance orders may be placed through the Museum. Include $3 for shipping and handling per cookbook. The first in the series, the “North Tonawanda Ethnic Heritage Cookbook, which was released for sale on January 6, 2005, is in its fourth printing since the first run. Orders have come in from all over the country, and as far away as Hong Kong. The unique cookbook contains 115 recipes, with a variety of ethnic flavoring, each including a historical note about the family or individuals contributing or originating the recipe. A brief history of North Tonawanda is included as well. The cookbook is dedicated to Ken Mountain, a 1958 graduate of North Tonawanda High School, who is a Charter member of the new Museum and a researcher/writer for the Museum. He is credited as having suggested the cookbook project. He is now a resident of Texas. Cynthia Fredricks coordinated the creation and compilation of first the cookbook. The first cookbook is available at the Museum offices at 314 Oliver Street, at Hodgepodge, 72 Webster Street, Barb’s Sweet Treats, 238 Oliver Street, at Lovin’ Life at 305 Robinson Street, the North Tonawanda Public Library, 505 Meadow Drive, and in the gift shop at DeGraff Memorial Hospital. The cookbooks sell for $7 including tax. Cookbooks are also available by mail from the Museum (include $3 for shipping and handling for 1 – 3 cookbooks). Call 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
HISTORY MUSEUM ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 3rd ANNUAL HISTORIC GARDENS CONTEST AND TOUR The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum and the Towpath Tiller are pleased to announce the 3rd Annual North Tonawanda Historic Gardens Contest. The 2007 contest is open to residents, businesses, and civic and cultural organizations of North Tonawanda. Jane Garis, a 3-year volunteer with the Museum, is in her third year as chair of the Judging Committee. Garis is a Niagara Falls resident and former North Tonawanda resident. 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. 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, or download now by clicking HERE at any time to save for viewing in your word processor. 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 will mark the 150 th anniversary of what is now the modern day City of North Tonawanda’s becoming part of the Town of Wheatfield. For eight years from 1857 until North Tonawanda was ready to advance to being an incorporated village in 1865, it was part of Wheatfield, and continued to be part of the Town of Wheatfield as a village within it, until April 24, 1897. The present day Martinsville and Gratwick communities of North Tonawanda remained part of Wheatfield as well until the further advancement in 1897 of North Tonawanda as an incorporated city. Martinsville and Gratwick were then were annexed to the new City of North Tonawanda. The North Tonawanda History Museum hopes to focus many of its 2007 activities on a celebration of the “Sesquicentennial” of its becoming and remaining part of the Town of Wheatfield for the forty year period from 1857 to 1897. In April, the Museum will hold its third annual “North Tonawanda’s Birthday Party.” The program will focus on the Sesquicentennial theme of North Tonawanda and its wonderful neighbor, Wheatfield, the 142 nd anniversary of North Tonawanda’s incorporation as a village (May 8, 1865), and its 110 th anniversary as a City (April 24, 1897). The Museum will also celebrate its 3 rd anniversary as a chartered museum (April 20, 2004). Already planning to join in the festivities of the day is St. Peter’s Lutheran Brethren Church, which will be celebrating its 120 th anniversary in 2007. The new Town of Wheatfield Historical Society and the Historical Society of North German Settlements of Western New York will be included in the celebration. Mayor Lawrence V. Soos of North Tonawanda and Supervisor Timothy Demler of Wheatfield will also be included. It is hoped that the schools in North Tonawanda and Wheatfield will also be able to join in creating a wonderful “North Tonawanda/Wheatfield Sesquicentennial Celebration!” 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: |