The lost village of Ironton and the birth of the Avenues

(Read time: 9 minutes)

Sometimes a place name can be on the lips of generations, and then just…disappear.

Such is the fate of “Ironton,” the name of a working-class neighborhood and industrial tract that laid just north of the original Village of North Tonawanda. Its name graced schools, businesses, sports teams, and headlined a Tonawanda News section. Yet, unlike other nearby districts Gratwick and Martinsville, Ironton is now largely forgotten, surviving only in the name of “Ironton Street,” a leafy, junk-strewn, half-mile stretch near the river.

But Ironton’s story is more than just the disappearance of a place name—it is the story of the emergence of The Avenues and an industrial force from the farms and marshes north of Wheatfield Street in the 1870s.

Let’s have a look at Ironton’s origin, its vanished landmarks, and how its legacy shapes the community we know today.

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1873: Iron on the river

You could say Ironton was born in fire.

In 1873, the Buffalo-backed Niagara River Iron Company establishes a blast furnace on the Niagara River, north of Wheatfield Street. The river location is advantageous: the fifty tons of pig iron the works is expected to turn out daily can be loaded directly onto lake vessels for shipment to the Midwest.

Although the company closes after only a year, Tonawanda Iron and Steel purchases, renovates and re-opens the works starting in 1889. They add 450 jobs in 1896 alone.

For decades to follow, the blast furnaces and slag pits from the iron works on the river will cast “a beautiful ruddy glare on the sky in the direction of the Ironton district,” nightly evidence of the literal engine of prosperity, still remembered by some of our city’s elder statespeople. (“Rainbow of Promise,” Tonawanda News, November 6, 1896).

Ironton Land boom

Ad for the Ironton Land Company (1894). In 1890 alone, the firm sells 500 building lots on the avenues, 100 of which have homes one them.

In recognition of the prosperity the iron works is hoped to bring to the region, real estate speculators name the adjacent area (part of the Town of Wheatfield at the time) “Ironton.” The name is likely a nod to Ironton, Ohio, another village near a foundry on a river.

The North Tonawanda Land Co., the Ironton Land Co. and others purchase the land from previous investors and local farmers, including the Carr family, whose name is memorialized in Carr street. The re-platted lots are offered to both residential and industrial customers.

An industrial corridor

Buffalo Bolt was one of several industries attracted to Ironton.

After the iron works arrives, additional manufacturing concerns locate here in the early 1890s, including: Plumb, Burdict and Barnard (later Buffalo Bolt), Buffalo Pumps, Gillie, Goddard & Co. (who make merry-go-rounds and bicycles on Oliver near 15th), and the short-lived, tragedy-plagued Boulton Carbon Mfg Co. (on 17th). The generally favorable conditions for industry are described in an 1891 guide book to the Tonawandas:

The Ironton addition is less than a mile from the North Tonawanda City Hall…This section of the city will make a convenient and desirable place for mechanics and business firms. It has the water supply, electric lights, and will soon be connected by the electric street car line.

North Tonawanda and Tonawanda – The Lumber City (1891)

Poles, Hungarians and others flock to the affordable land and job opportunities, bringing their languages, traditions, and often chickens with them. As Ironton’s avenues begin to fill up in the 1890s and 1900s, Oliver Street (named decades before for Grand Mason Francis J. Oliver) emerges as the community’s main business street. Schools are added to help educate the area youth, and night classes are offered to teach the adults English.

A rowdy reputation

Polish-born Szymon Kijowski (right) worked at Buffalo Bolt and lived at 47 15th Avenue. (c1920)

Fairly or not, Ironton soon gains a reputation for unruly behavior, drawing the ire of local police and public health authorities.

Robberies are common enough, and the specter of violent “gangs of Poles” is frequently invoked in the News. In a typical 1914 article, “notorious Ironton character” Patrick Zelinski of 141 7th Ave is shot dead while attempting to rob a (stationary) train car. “No man in the Ironton district was more feared than Zelinski,” a resident says after the incident. The article continues:

Freight cars have been broken into in the local freight yards with such frequency of late that detectives have been detailed to apprehend the offenders. Last night was the second night that [Detective] Griffin had been stationed here.

“Car burglar shot dead by railroad detective.” Tonawanda News, June 4, 1914

The language barrier between authorities and the Poles and Hungarians doesn’t help matters. When an Irontonian is finally identified and hauled in for questioning, whatever English skills they possess often evaporate like the alcohol in their stills.

Indeed: “Ironton moonshine” is a very profitable and popular commodity in the Tonawandas and beyond during Prohibition. At least one Ransomville farmer enjoys it enough to trade pickles for it until he is, himself, properly pickled. The newspapers of the day are filled with stories of exploding stills and raided taverns and homes on the Avenues.

During the deadly Spanish Flu epidemic (1918-1919), authorities bemoan the stubborn ignorance of the primitives in the “foreign-settled” district, who appear reluctant to call doctors when new cases appear. When quarantine breakers “uptown” are discovered, Dr. Barnard of the Board of Health asks condescendingly in a News interview, “What can we expect of Ironton, when supposedly intelligent and well informed people in vicinity of Goundry street school do not obey quarantine?”

Evidently, not even monkeys are safe in Ironton. An amusing 1898 item tells the story of some primate pestering that escalates quickly:

“I shoota de man who teasa de monk,” shrieked Tony Sando, an Italian organ-grinder, as he wildly flourished a revolver in front of a crowd of men and boys in the Ironton District last night.

Sando came from Buffalo yesterday afternoon to entertain the inhabitants of the lower section of the city with his music and monkey, but it seems that the boys who collected around his organ took more interest in the monkey than they did in the music. They pinched its tail, pulled its ears and did everything possible to make life miserable for the little beast. At last Sando became exasperated and drew a revolver on the mischievous crowd. Patrolman Kinsley appeared on the scene at that stage of the proceedings and immediately attempted to take the weapon from the Italian. Sando resisted, however, and threatened to shoot the officer. After a short struggle he was handcuffed and locked up in the police station in Thompson Street to await trial before City Judge Watkins. When arraigned in the city court the prisoner was fined $5 and after his revolver was returned to him he was ordered out of town.

Buffalo Express, July 3, 1898

Ironton Schools

The second school to open in Ironton, at the corner of 1st avenue and Oliver street. Illustration from the Tonawanda News, 1893.

In 1884, authorities establish the first school in Ironton, at Wheatfield and Dahlgren Place. In that year’s annual report of the New York State Superintendent of Public Instruction, it is described as:

“…a small frame dwelling house, located half a mile from the stone building [Editor: the Goundry street school], rented by the school board, and occupied by about sixty pupils in charge of one teacher. This was, and still is known as the Ironton school.

In 1889 or 1890, the much larger Ironton Public School #2 opens nearby at the corner of 1st Ave and Oliver Street. It is an imposing, Richardsonian Romanesque-style red brick building. In later years it hosts night classes, BOCES, and finally serves as a local doctor’s car garage. Today, it is the site of the Elizabeth Harvey Apartments.

In 1923 the population is exploding as avenues past the original seven continue to be added and settled. Public officials urge a new Ironton school. This will eventually become Gilmore School, Public School No.7, which opens at the east end of 10th Avenue in 1926.

The original footprint of “Gilmore School,” before a larger gymnasium is built onto the north and a breezeway and additional classrooms to the south.

Ironton churches, a silent movie theater and a social club

In 1901, a Polish congregation, Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, is established here. The congregation raises funds to purchase a former Presbyterian church on Oliver Street near Center Avenue, where the grotto is today. Nine years later, Hungarian worshippers establish a church (which still stands) at First and Oliver. On the northwest corner of First and Oliver, in 1914, a silent film and vaudeville theater called “Dreamland” opens. The building quickly becomes a hub for fundraisers, concerts, and other meetings of the surrounding citizenry (today, it is known as the Strand Theatre). Ironton residents will enjoy a full-fledged social club when, on December 5, 1921, the Harmonia Singing Society merges with the Knights of St. Casimer to form Stow. Obywateli Domu Polskiego, Inc., or Dom Polski.

Other organizations with the “Ironton” name

Ironton News sections from the Tonawanda News, 1922-1935.

The village was distinct enough for the Tonawanda News to create a regular column, “Ironton News,” to share news of the vicinity. Many organizations are named in the old news pages bearing the community moniker: The “Ironton Athletic Club,” which meets in the Public School No. 7 gymnasium (later “Gilmore School”); The “Ironton Juniors” football team (1914); O.L.C.’s baseball club is nicknamed the “Ironton Nine;” and firefighters Active Hose Co. No. 2, while headquartered on Robinson street, go by the unofficial name “The Ironton Boys.” An “Ironton Hardware Company” is mentioned in a 1931 news item.

The end of Ironton

Ironton and First Avenue
Ironton and 1st Avenue, 2024. Photo by Dennis Reed Jr.

The Ironton, Gratwick and Martinsville settlements are incorporated into the City of North Tonawanda in 1897. “Ironton” as a place name does not vanish overnight, but slowly fades away over the next half-century. Although its most conspicuous landmarks, Tonawanda Iron and Steel and the Ironton Public School, are long gone, the main features of the original village remain intact for decades: Polish culture thrives on the Avenues, and the hard-working, arguably harder-drinking, industrial character persists with Buffalo Bolt (later Roblin Steel), Buffalo Pumps, Gillie Machine Company, and others. The upper avenues (especially away from Oliver Street) remain mostly marshes and commonly-used farmland until the 1940s, when their settlement accelerates with the nationwide post-war “Baby Boom.”

Szymon Kijowski Family farming, probably around 15th Ave, photo (c1935)

Ironton may have never had its own post office or official government, but it had a culture and a story all its own, and that story may yet be read in North Tonawanda’s numbered Avenues.

More on NThistory.com

Comments

17 responses to “The lost village of Ironton and the birth of the Avenues”

  1. Frank Miano Avatar
    Frank Miano

    Great write Up!
    Thank You!

    1. Chris Avatar
      Chris

      Thanks for the history lesson. The Avenues were home for many of my family members.
      And when my mother wanted to open a store on Oliver, close to where she was raised on 2nd Ave., we moved from our Chestnut St. home and I had a chance to enjoy living there more than 60 years ago.

  2. William Werth Avatar
    William Werth

    Very interesting

  3. Susan Busch Avatar
    Susan Busch

    My parents grew up in the Ironton area, my paternal grandmother attended the Hungarian Church while my mother’s family contributed to the building of OLC. This gives so much more context to my parents’ and grandparents’ background. Thank you!

  4. Debra Dibble Avatar
    Debra Dibble

    I am just about 50 yrs old now.I remember as a kid living on Simpson st .My Brother and I walked past what seemed to be an old pool hall on Wheatfield st , just by Ironton st..There are so many changes in North Tonawanda to mention..Love the article

    1. Judith Tyler Avatar
      Judith Tyler

      Such a great read! Grew up in Gratwick but found this sooooo interesting!

  5. Richard “Dick” Kijowski Avatar
    Richard “Dick” Kijowski

    What a great article. Brought back so many memories from living on 10th Avenue. Hearing the end of work day sound blaring at 4pm from Buffalo Bolt and the cars coming down 10th Avenue from the end of day workers. Going to Gilmore school, playing on the playground and having a relative starting from 11th Avenue right through 17th. We also had a great view of the sky glowing in the evening from the Iron Works. Oliver street was filled with saloon’s, stores, Pee Wee’s pizza, Louie’s, Bronk’s and many more. Awesome time growing up in NT.

  6. Dean Fischer Avatar
    Dean Fischer

    Great read, nice to see that someone respects the history of NT. Enjoyed very much!

  7. Michael Kolveck Avatar
    Michael Kolveck

    I have been a resident of North Tonawanda for almost 40 years. This was a very interesting article. I love local history. And I found it very informative. Thank you for posting us.

  8. Matt Kyler Avatar
    Matt Kyler

    Great article. I love how the individual neighborhoods (often not encompassed by NT governmentally when they were formed) developed individual identities and still invoke memories today.

  9. Kat Avatar
    Kat

    Just the bit of history I was looking for about the Avenues.

  10. dolly Topolski Kudla Avatar
    dolly Topolski Kudla

    I was born and bred in NT my Dad owned one of the bars on Oliver Street from 194? Into the 80s after marrying I lived and brought up my family on 10 th ave. Yes had to be home when the whistle blew like all the NT kids. My kids attended Gilmore School and NTHS OLC was our church. Ironton was just a short street to us but it was interesting to hear its history. I always say you can take the girl out of NT but you can’t take NT out of the girl I will always be an NT girl. I am especially proud of growing up “on the avenues” as we say. Thank you for the memories

    1. Cindy A Avatar
      Cindy A

      Dolly, I was one of “Julie’s girls” late 70s until his passing. He sponsored our bowling team, softball team and we had all our wedding and baby showers etc in the back room. He was invited to all our weddings. I used to go with him regularly to Broadway Market in the Caddy where we always had breakfast first. I rarely had to use my own quarters to play pinball or foosball, because your dad always gave me the ones marked with red. TP’s will forever live in my heart as will Julie. I always remember how much he loved being born on 11/11/11!

  11. Joyce Surace Metzger Hagen Avatar
    Joyce Surace Metzger Hagen

    Great read! I grew up on Oliver St. and my husband lived on Dahlgreen. We used to sit on his back porch and watch the bats fly out of the belfry (@Ironton School.)in the evenings.

  12. Michael Knople. (Mike) Avatar
    Michael Knople. (Mike)

    I live in Plainfield, Indiana now, but I spent my youth and early adulthood living in North Tonawanda. Military service and subsequent job transfers have caused me to settle in central Indiana, where my wife and I raised our family. In my North Tonawanda years we lived at the corner of Christiana Street and Spruce Street. We were there before Spruce School was opened. My dad told me that the reason Christiana Street doesn’t follow a straight line from the original part that runs alongside the ball fields at the south end of Pinewoods Park but takes a slight left turn before continuing onto the “newer” part of Christiana, (moving eastward and crossing Division Street) is that in the area north of Christiana Street, there was a horse racing track for several years. Does anyone know about that?

  13. M. Hand Avatar

    I remember Pee Wee’s pizza..
    It was the best way back when..such a treat when we were little.. that memory has always stuck with me..

  14. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    This is a very informative & interesting read on part of the history of N.T. I have lived in N.T. most of my life, grew up on Bennett St. I love reading about the history of my home town. Thank you for this article.

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