1 200 5 https://nthistory.com/files/original/13df86f3200f100810f0a1cb695c635e.jpg 40255c85a08eab897722aa75e40cf2eb https://nthistory.com/files/original/23c1bd30180e61229cf142e306f17e21.jpg 32d44849deadd4f5fff880e9b3b7b6c9 https://nthistory.com/files/original/88d4289c8a806ef10fd038c56d9a991c.jpg 3c5e6890ed43e1831ebaef10193f1885 https://nthistory.com/files/original/6da82479665aae7d98e56ee09f37c7c8.jpg 6c0cc10b7b4e176ba70cfae5ac69603f 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 Trains and Trolleys Description An account of the resource Trains Soon after the Erie Canal is completed, railroads begin to compete for business. From <a href="https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/930152959">researchworks.oclc.org</a>: <blockquote>In 1834 the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad Company was incorporated to take over the Buffalo and Black Rock Company. It extended the lines to Niagara Falls and into Tonawanda. In 1853 the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad Company was leased by New York Central Railroad and was merged in 1855.</blockquote> From <a href="https://www.niagarafallsinfo.com/niagara-falls-history/niagara-falls-municipal-history/railroads-of-niagara-falls/the-buffalo-niagara-falls-railroad/">niagarafallsinfo.com</a>: <blockquote>The Buffalo & Niagara Falls Railroad was incorporated on May 3rd, 1834. The Legislature of the State of New York passed a law to empower the railroad to construct a single or double track railroad between the City of Buffalo and the <a href="https://www.niagarafallsinfo.com/niagara-falls-history/niagara-falls-municipal-history/the-city-of-the-falls-plan/the-idea-for-the-city-of-the-falls/">Village at Niagara Falls</a>. The railroad had a mandate to operate for a 50 year term and was empowered to absorb all rights, privileges and franchises belonging to the Buffalo and Black Rock Railroad Company, which had been built and was being operated by horse power. The Buffalo & Niagara Falls Railroad began operating in 1845. The 28 mile trip from Buffalo to Niagara Falls was a three hour journey being pulled by a wood stoked steam locomotive.... In 1852, the Buffalo & Niagara Falls Railroad relocated their tracks to the west side of the Erie Canal. On December 22nd 1853, the Buffalo & Niagara Falls Railroad was leased to the New York Central Railroad. On April 23rd 1869, the New York Central Railroad began operations within the Niagara escarpment.</blockquote> From <a href="https://buffalohistory.org/Explore/Exhibits/virtual_exhibits/buffalo_anniversary/175th/page_e1.htm">buffalohistory.org</a>: <blockquote>The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Rail Road was the first in Erie County to use steam locomotives. Service from Black Rock to Tonawanda began in August, 1836; from Buffalo to Tonawanda in September; and by November, 1836, the train ran on a regular schedule between Buffalo & Niagara Falls.</blockquote> Railroads on the maps The <a href="https://nthistory.com/items/show/3974">1837 Tonawanda/Whitehaven map</a> shows the B&NF railroad already established on Webster. It also shows a "Road to Lockport" and a "Proposed railroad to Lockport" heading out "Detroit Street" (later, Goundry Street). In <a href="https://nthistory.com/items/show/1258">this 1838 map</a>, it appears the former "road" hosts a new "Tonawanda & Lockport Railroad." Some more info from <a href="https://www.newyorkcentraltrainstation.org/history-new-york-central-train-station">newyorkcentraltrainstattion.org.</a> By <a href="https://nthistory.com/items/show/3560">1852</a>, a third line, "The Canandaigua and Niagara Falls," is added. From <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmira_and_Lake_Ontario_Railroad">Wikipedia</a>: <blockquote>On July 1, 1853, the Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad opened between Canandaigua and North Tonawanda. It was also 6 ft (1,829 mm) broad gauge, and was leased by the Canandaigua & Elmira RR, giving it access to the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.</blockquote> In <a href="https://nthistory.com/items/show/1664">this 1854 map</a>, The Canandaigua route has changed to run south of the Erie Canal and then be carried over the canal into North Tonawanda at the foot of Oliver street. The cantilever bridge will later be built here. By the time of <a href="https://nthistory.com/items/show/240">this 1875 map</a>, a third railroad crosses the canal into North Tonawanda: The Erie, at the foot of Vandervoort street. As late as 1908, there are still tracks on the east side of Webster street. Looks like the railroad agrees to remove them in December 1921, not sure when it happens. Trolleys Before everybody in North Tonawanda could afford their very own muffler-less Honda Civic to run up and down Oliver Street, trolleys 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 Electric Railway, Stumpf cabinet photo (1917-09-29).jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1917-09-29 automobile bridge carriage photo https://nthistory.com/files/original/fdfdb3d00e79f1f70538ff4036214475.jpg b41d404eb2c9cc04f5357d556853189d https://nthistory.com/files/original/7a1efebafc8cb6de290f807368b9cfa3.jpg a8edab5962c5e6d6b2827857c21e62c4 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. A lock was also built to permit passage between the Niagara River (and Great Lakes) and the canal. Early documents also mention a guard lock just east of the lock. After the Civil War, the depth of the entire canal was increased to accomodate larger boats. Starting around 1909 work was done on our section of the canal as part of Contract 19 to improve the prism, or bottom shape (see <a href="https://nthistory.com/collections/show/152">photos of Contract 19</a>) In 1918 the 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 Erie Canal, Sweeney Street on left, former Main Street bridge in center, hi-res photo (LOC, c 1905).jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1905 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Library of Congress Description An account of the resource Facing east along the Erie Canal, with Sweeney Street (at present-day Gateway Park) on the left bank. It would seem we are looking at three different bridges in this photo: The near bridge appears to be the "iron bridge" at the foot of NT's Main street depicted on an 1893 map. The same map shows a "covered bridge" at Oliver (where the "jack-knife" train bridge is today) and another "iron bridge" further east, at Vandervoort (there is no bridge there today). Also pictured: Fire Engine House (at least on 1893 map) overhanging the canal, just before the first iron bridge; possible Stevens & McIntyre Wagon Shop beyond; "Merry Go Rounds" signage is visible beyond that. bridge canal carriage horse towpath https://nthistory.com/files/original/2fbd5275115bd879f754b77357316fc2.jpg 35ced029660a1160ceccd70146ecb85b https://nthistory.com/files/original/cd3a5b8b1620d528a6f9c455f44ae9cb.jpeg a3762761473867a8b53073767375df1c 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 Fred Pfanner Jr., Flour Feed Grain and Seeds, 46-50 Young Street, photo (c 1890).jpg Description An account of the resource 1863-1929. Obituary from <a href="http://haseleyfamily.com/getperson.php?personID=I17586&tree=FWHCED">Haseley Family Pages:</a> <blockquote>Tonawanda Business Man Drops Dead In His Store While displaying some of the new currency, which he had just drawn from the bank, to clerks in his flour, feed and seed store at 48-50 Young street shortly before 11 o'clock this morning Fred Pfanner, Jr., dropped dead. Several physicians were called but Mr. Pfanner died within a few minutes after being stricken. Born in Tonawanda 66 years ago, Mr. Pfanner had resided here all his life. He had been in business in the store where he died since 1884, first in partnership with his brother, Alderman George Pfanner, later alone and for the past ten years with his son, Richard Pfanner, under the firm name of Pfanner and Son. Mr. Pfanner was stricken with paralysis six weeks ago but recovered sufficiently three weeks later to walk to his place of business where he visited two or three times a week. He walked to the bank of the First Trust company this morning and returned to the store. Physicians expressed the belief that the effort proved too much for him. Surviving are a wife, Lena; a son, Richard; a daughter, Mrs. Mortimer Davis of Rochester; four brothers, George, Jacob, Philip and Henry Pfanner, and three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Guenther, Mrs. George May and Mrs. George Bloomstein, all of Tonawanda.</blockquote> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Courtesy of Beth Proefrock Patterson Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890 carriage horse person tonawanda https://nthistory.com/files/original/bb2c11d22d0eae6954ce2cf7e83d6c8f.jpg e1a2f2e63938b8cd305abb1412b85b2a 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 Firefighting in the Tonawandas Description An account of the resource <img class="cover" src="https://www.nthistory.com/custom/cover/80.jpg" alt="Gratwick Hose No.6, Felton Street, c.1929" />Gratwick Hose No.6, Felton Street, c.1929 <blockquote>The greatest enemy the lumbermen had was fire. Annually it destroyed millions of dollars of lumber and cost many lives. A step forward came on May 7, 1876, when twenty of the most prominent residents of the Village of North Tonawanda gathered together in the school house at the corner of Main and Tremont Streets and formed themselves into a Company for the protection of property against the ravages of fire.  The newly formed Company petitioned the Village Board and in special session on May 15, 1876, the board approved and appointed them firemen of the Village and their company was called the North Tonawanda Bucket Company, later to be called the Columbia Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. North Tonawanda depended heavily on Volunteer Firemen and quickly grew to seven companies located at important places around the city.</blockquote> - Sarah E. Walter's thesis (nthistorymuseum.org). Allan Herschell "helped to organize the first fire company of North Tonawanda" (Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York, p.361). <table border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td>Started</td> <td>Name</td> <td>Notes</td> </tr> <tr> <td>May 7, 1876</td> <td>North Tonawanda Bucket Company / Columbia Hook and Ladder Company No.1</td> <td>Thompson in 1893 directory</td> </tr> <tr> <td>March 1, 1886</td> <td>Active Hose Company No.2</td> <td>"Ironton Boys", Robinson south of Marion in 1893</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1886-1909</td> <td>Hydrant Hose Company No.3</td> <td>Sweeney and Main at bridge</td> </tr> <tr> <td>April 1887</td> <td>Live Active Hose Co. No.4</td> <td> Thompson St (1893), now Goundry and Vandervoort</td> </tr> <tr> <td>January 26, 1891</td> <td>Rescue Fire Company No.5</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1886?</td> <td><a href="https://yellow.place/en/gratwick-hose-fire-company-6-north-tonawanda-usa">Gratwick Hose Company No.6</a></td> <td>Felton until 1962.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1894</td> <td>Sweeney Hose No.7</td> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Of Hydrant Hose Co. No. 3, it was said somewhere: <blockquote>The fighting crew of the old Hydrant Hose Company liked to fight fires so much, they would first fight the men of any other fire company who raced to a North Tonawanda fire to see who got the pleasure of conquering the flames. Often the flames ended up as the victor as the firefighters spent their energies in a brawl rather than on the element of nature.</blockquote> According to Harry Dorn in an article in this set, <blockquote>The Tonawanda Fire Dept. was organized in the early 1860s when the Village of Tonawanda had a population of 2,000...One of the frst companies was the Shepard Hose Company which after several years was known as the DeGraff Hose, Hydrant Hose Company and thewn on Aug 25, 1898 became National Hose No.1 [Ed. Hydrant Hose appears in newspaper record until at least early 1900s].</blockquote> Columbia Hook & Ladder in The Tonawanda News, May 9, 1896: <blockquote>Monday, June 15, has been selected as the date of the Firemen's Annual Parade. It is expected that it will prove of more than ordinary interest as unusual efforts will be put forth this year to make it an enjoyable spectacular affair. In this connection it is interesting to note that Thursday of this week was the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the first fire company In North Tonawanda. Previous to this date North Tonawanda had paid Tonawanda $300 a year for the fire protection that the Tonawanda companies afforded. The parent company of North Tonawanda was the Columbia Hook and Ladder Company; it is still in existence, but is now one of eight splendid companies of which North Tonawanda can boast. As before stated it was organized May 7, 1876, and its first president was Frank Fellows. It was organized under a famous old hickory tree which stood on the ground now occupied by the parsonage of the First Methodist Church. Nicholas Beckrich was the first foreman of this company and other members of this crack organization were John E. Oelkers, Frank Batt, H. U. Berger, M. J. Wattengel, W. P. Hayes, Jno. Spillman, Aug. Duckwitz, Fred Schultz, Isaac Gardei, Geo. Miller, John Haas, Julius Miller and others. A number of these early firemen are numbered among the most prominent residents of North Tonawanda but it is with considerable pleasure that they recall the days of their early triumphs.</blockquote> 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 Early firemen, horse and buggy, photos c1890 (From 100 Years, 1965).jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890 carriage horse https://nthistory.com/files/original/02d68cb33cb5e333e112759b83555a55.jpeg 429a97258ade6068ce1f672d4aa055aa https://nthistory.com/files/original/19c4dd2f424026ae15f9db39f6d68e41.jpg 500e0a4a76a53e368f3ed9c03fd58ca0 https://nthistory.com/files/original/00dfc86d251ddbc7e6b39e9b30bbf4da.jpg f06b0eb095339a12c2692423a39b6d67 https://nthistory.com/files/original/85b0902cd61d603a6da4bfefd363d04e.jpg ceac8686dc0069837c87ee03902e8796 https://nthistory.com/files/original/2d95c15c964a441772ed87eac3e6eb2f.jpg 76bfe512adbf1b45f151157864581089 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. 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 Webster Street, woman walking, postcard (1900).jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1900 automobile carriage hd horse