1
200
13
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/d15f5ac963009944c33a3912d21324a2.jpg
a735fdfaafa700c4685cb11f485c8fc9
https://nthistory.com/files/original/3e61dbce2472dc96bbd7323d546d512c.png
82585124810bdcca0986ae316aedfa99
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Buffalo & Niagara High Speed Line (1918-1937)
Description
An account of the resource
The electric High Speed Line is an electric streetcar (trolley) passenger train operated by the International Railway Company from June 9, 1918 to August 20, 1937. It carries passengers from Buffalo to Niagara Falls in about an hour. <br /><br />For its NT stretch, <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/items/show/636">as shown in this 1935 map</a>, the line follows present-day Twin-City Highway. At Nash, it bends into the field east of the county building (its path is still clearly visible today), continues across Walck Road, and then proceeds northwesterly through 15th Avenue near Payne (before homes or the Mid-City Plaza were built), through Gratwick, across Oliver Street just south of Delmar Terrace and north of Ward Road, continuing west out to River Road and then on to Niagara Falls. <br /><br />For much of its course through NT, it is carried over east-west streets on a high earthen embankment (referred to in a 1948 article as our "Chinese wall"). Fill for the massive embankment was taken from Payne's Hill, near present-day Stanley Street. <br /><br />The High Speed line closes as buses and personal vehicles become more prevalent. The embankment is dismantled sometime later.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
IRC High Speed Train, Facebook, photo (c1920).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1920
train
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/bbc38dac5700fb25b023e93cde42bb4d.png
4724c23428affc3d64f002bd8537aa20
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Downtown
Description
An account of the resource
Most of North Tonawanda's downtown area developed between 1875 and 1900. In this collection are preserved views of many vanished buildings: The YMCA and City Hall at the southeast corner of Tremont and Main; the 6-story 1891 Smith building (Real Estate Exchange) at the northeast corner of Tremont and Webster, the gothic stone State National Bank at the northwest corner of Sweeney and Webster, and Scanlon's Hall on the southwest corner of the same intersection, to name a few.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
View from Real Estate Exchange building c1910, photo (Historical Society of the Tonawandas).png
bridge
canal
dam
tonawandacreek
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/c4772c4ef2abfdc766d41b819009a97c.jpg
42a62aae8c454b735a56aa13909487ac
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolleys and Trains
Description
An account of the resource
Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys and trains were an important means of personal transportation. Several lines ran throughout the city, moving people to and from their jobs, churches, or just out for a look around.
Though they may seem romantic to us now, people griped about the trolleys the same way we complain about snow plows today. Apparently their slow speed was sometimes targeted: An item in this set describes a "well-known peddler" in the Gratwick area who is injured by a trolley car. The author drolly observes, "'Twould have been a real miracle if a Gratwick car could have got up enough speed to have killed him" (Tonawanda News, 1908-2-13).
The trolley era did not last long. By the 1920s, the electric streetcar had been passed by the gasoline-powered bus as the most prevalent means of public transportation. Another article in this set from the Tonawanda News, "Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas," outlines the rise of the Carpenter Rapid Transit buses.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wurlitzer depot, photo, c1930.jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1930
bridge
station
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/5b1e1fbd5e72e4bbfa323767f7be2c56.jpg
309b291b7aacb2ee9e384e621c192b88
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolleys and Trains
Description
An account of the resource
Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys and trains were an important means of personal transportation. Several lines ran throughout the city, moving people to and from their jobs, churches, or just out for a look around.
Though they may seem romantic to us now, people griped about the trolleys the same way we complain about snow plows today. Apparently their slow speed was sometimes targeted: An item in this set describes a "well-known peddler" in the Gratwick area who is injured by a trolley car. The author drolly observes, "'Twould have been a real miracle if a Gratwick car could have got up enough speed to have killed him" (Tonawanda News, 1908-2-13).
The trolley era did not last long. By the 1920s, the electric streetcar had been passed by the gasoline-powered bus as the most prevalent means of public transportation. Another article in this set from the Tonawanda News, "Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas," outlines the rise of the Carpenter Rapid Transit buses.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Martinsville Station, photo (c.1905).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1905
bridge
martinsville
station
train
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/0a2afae0826227c5002ccdef2caf825a.jpg
e19529f253f72bee364630da1ba8b44f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Buffalo & Niagara High Speed Line (1918-1937)
Description
An account of the resource
The electric High Speed Line is an electric streetcar (trolley) passenger train operated by the International Railway Company from June 9, 1918 to August 20, 1937. It carries passengers from Buffalo to Niagara Falls in about an hour. <br /><br />For its NT stretch, <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/items/show/636">as shown in this 1935 map</a>, the line follows present-day Twin-City Highway. At Nash, it bends into the field east of the county building (its path is still clearly visible today), continues across Walck Road, and then proceeds northwesterly through 15th Avenue near Payne (before homes or the Mid-City Plaza were built), through Gratwick, across Oliver Street just south of Delmar Terrace and north of Ward Road, continuing west out to River Road and then on to Niagara Falls. <br /><br />For much of its course through NT, it is carried over east-west streets on a high earthen embankment (referred to in a 1948 article as our "Chinese wall"). Fill for the massive embankment was taken from Payne's Hill, near present-day Stanley Street. <br /><br />The High Speed line closes as buses and personal vehicles become more prevalent. The embankment is dismantled sometime later.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Rand Company, baseball players, Hi-Speed line in distance (All of Us, 1920).jpg
Description
An account of the resource
This is likely at present-day Wheatfield Street and Erie, with the elevated mound being the Nash Road course of the Buffalo to Niagara Falls Hi-Speed line.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1920
baseball
labor
recreation
sports
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/3c462a4cda69525cc191be12501d2dd6.jpg
aefac81c5e821e63d830c3d6e9db326f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works
Description
An account of the resource
<img class="cover" src="http://www.nthistory.com/custom/cover/10.jpg" alt="North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works, colorized by the webmaster." /> <span class="cover-caption">North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works factory at 435 Payne Avenue, c1913; photo colorized by the webmaster.</span>
<div>(1906-1919) The North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works produces military band organs, player pianos, organs for (still silent) "moving picture" theaters and more. The factory is the third automatic musical instrument manufacturer in the city, starting about a year after the <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/75">Niagara Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company</a>. Like Niagara, NTMIW is partially comprised of men who have worked with <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/24">de Kleist's Musical Instrument Works</a> (president John Birnie had been secretary-treasurer for de Kleist). <br /><br />According to an article in this set, NTMIW originally operates out of "the Williams plant on the Ellicott Creek." They incorporate in 1906, and in the second half of 1907 build a substantial four-story factory. In 1911 that factory is tripled (articles suggest the work is not completed until early 1912). Although larger than Niagara, NTMIW will always be a distant second behind de Kleist and Wurlitzer. In 1918, NTMIW is acquired by the Rand Visible Records Company. Rand continues the musical manufacturing business, and the former NTMIW leadership at first sticks around. Rand's press officers kick into high gear, founding a monthly internal company magazine, <a href="http://nthistory.com/items/show/1192"><em>All of Us</em></a>, apparently aimed at easing the culture change. In spite of this gesture, NTMIW founding officer Stillman C. Woodruff and others leave Rand--and the bones of their former company--around 1920 to try their hand at the band organ game one last time with their <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/22">Artizan Factories Inc.</a> venture in 1922.</div>
Illustration
An abstracted line drawing or depiction.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works factory, illustration (Automatic Military Bands, c1913).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1913
factory
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/af93704fe2f2ffb861380766046309d4.jpg
89d12a5a1c97b22fed4a3d3e5fa19d3f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works
Description
An account of the resource
<img class="cover" src="http://www.nthistory.com/custom/cover/10.jpg" alt="North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works, colorized by the webmaster." /> <span class="cover-caption">North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works factory at 435 Payne Avenue, c1913; photo colorized by the webmaster.</span>
<div>(1906-1919) The North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works produces military band organs, player pianos, organs for (still silent) "moving picture" theaters and more. The factory is the third automatic musical instrument manufacturer in the city, starting about a year after the <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/75">Niagara Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company</a>. Like Niagara, NTMIW is partially comprised of men who have worked with <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/24">de Kleist's Musical Instrument Works</a> (president John Birnie had been secretary-treasurer for de Kleist). <br /><br />According to an article in this set, NTMIW originally operates out of "the Williams plant on the Ellicott Creek." They incorporate in 1906, and in the second half of 1907 build a substantial four-story factory. In 1911 that factory is tripled (articles suggest the work is not completed until early 1912). Although larger than Niagara, NTMIW will always be a distant second behind de Kleist and Wurlitzer. In 1918, NTMIW is acquired by the Rand Visible Records Company. Rand continues the musical manufacturing business, and the former NTMIW leadership at first sticks around. Rand's press officers kick into high gear, founding a monthly internal company magazine, <a href="http://nthistory.com/items/show/1192"><em>All of Us</em></a>, apparently aimed at easing the culture change. In spite of this gesture, NTMIW founding officer Stillman C. Woodruff and others leave Rand--and the bones of their former company--around 1920 to try their hand at the band organ game one last time with their <a href="http://www.nthistory.com/collections/show/22">Artizan Factories Inc.</a> venture in 1922.</div>
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works factory, colorized photo (Automatic Military Bands, c1913).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1913
factory
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/c0b2a5cb5226dacd4607a5ddd7f0f3e6.jpg
58d0d65f6253cb7d6f2513489c003e72
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Erie Canal
Description
An account of the resource
The Erie Canal in North Tonawanda followed the existing Tonawanda Creek from Pendleton. The first work done locally was the 1823 construction of a wooden dam near present-day Gateway Park to raise the level of the creek four feet. In 1918 this dam was removed when the length of the Erie was re-engineered to become the Erie Barge Canal. The Tonawanda and Buffalo portions of the canal were abandoned at that time, making North Tonawanda the canal's new western terminus. In 1923 Tonawanda began filling in the old canal. The work was not yet complete in 1929.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolley-Traction Canal Boat, Niagara Street, photo (1896).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1896
boat
canal
electricity
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/76e39c4e49900946fe3c12487717f9d2.jpg
895088a702cad33376fd8174905a9a95
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolleys and Trains
Description
An account of the resource
Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys and trains were an important means of personal transportation. Several lines ran throughout the city, moving people to and from their jobs, churches, or just out for a look around.
Though they may seem romantic to us now, people griped about the trolleys the same way we complain about snow plows today. Apparently their slow speed was sometimes targeted: An item in this set describes a "well-known peddler" in the Gratwick area who is injured by a trolley car. The author drolly observes, "'Twould have been a real miracle if a Gratwick car could have got up enough speed to have killed him" (Tonawanda News, 1908-2-13).
The trolley era did not last long. By the 1920s, the electric streetcar had been passed by the gasoline-powered bus as the most prevalent means of public transportation. Another article in this set from the Tonawanda News, "Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas," outlines the rise of the Carpenter Rapid Transit buses.
Article
Text appearing in a newspaper.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Peddler struck by Gratwick trolley car, joke, article (Tonawanda News, 1908-02-13).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1908-02-13
gratwick
oddity
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/fb58e13e4fcbcff2ad3b144f2cb2d203.jpeg
4e068af8c50571c24d2f8bb22565bc92
https://nthistory.com/files/original/28a369b2f7f0863745f6998e96ca2e6d.jpeg
3440f666859ceacec594375ad42b95f2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolleys and Trains
Description
An account of the resource
Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys and trains were an important means of personal transportation. Several lines ran throughout the city, moving people to and from their jobs, churches, or just out for a look around.
Though they may seem romantic to us now, people griped about the trolleys the same way we complain about snow plows today. Apparently their slow speed was sometimes targeted: An item in this set describes a "well-known peddler" in the Gratwick area who is injured by a trolley car. The author drolly observes, "'Twould have been a real miracle if a Gratwick car could have got up enough speed to have killed him" (Tonawanda News, 1908-2-13).
The trolley era did not last long. By the 1920s, the electric streetcar had been passed by the gasoline-powered bus as the most prevalent means of public transportation. Another article in this set from the Tonawanda News, "Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas," outlines the rise of the Carpenter Rapid Transit buses.
Photo
A photographic depiction of a person or place.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
North Tonawanda Street Railroad trolley car outside Hotel Sheldon, photo (c1896).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1896
goundry
hotel
person
trolley
village
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/686ba3ba643e246f7cd1198fda66c948.jpg
a32e2432628f191013a847a97d7e310b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trolleys and Trains
Description
An account of the resource
Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys and trains were an important means of personal transportation. Several lines ran throughout the city, moving people to and from their jobs, churches, or just out for a look around.
Though they may seem romantic to us now, people griped about the trolleys the same way we complain about snow plows today. Apparently their slow speed was sometimes targeted: An item in this set describes a "well-known peddler" in the Gratwick area who is injured by a trolley car. The author drolly observes, "'Twould have been a real miracle if a Gratwick car could have got up enough speed to have killed him" (Tonawanda News, 1908-2-13).
The trolley era did not last long. By the 1920s, the electric streetcar had been passed by the gasoline-powered bus as the most prevalent means of public transportation. Another article in this set from the Tonawanda News, "Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas," outlines the rise of the Carpenter Rapid Transit buses.
Postcard
A pictorial representation of a place or entity, intended to be written upon and mailed.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Junction Point, Niagara Falls and Lockport railroad lines, Payne Avenue, postcard (c1910).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1910
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/db96bb3e24a7406b46df4e83a187585b.jpg
68c5b60fad352e7d6d54ea1262925bf3
Article
Text appearing in a newspaper.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Carpenter now operates 14 busses in the Tonawandas, trolleys fade, article photo (Tonawanda News, 1928-06-21).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1928-06-21
automobile
trolley
-
https://nthistory.com/files/original/6affb3f3ae1fde9ecc6a9be9480ad15c.jpg
87e6ab3c30184a17b64e079d3b12e5d6
Postcard
A pictorial representation of a place or entity, intended to be written upon and mailed.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ascension Roman Catholic Church, postcard (1907).jpg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1907
Description
An account of the resource
Notice the trolley tracks in the road.
church
ironton
trolley