Niagara Hudson Building - 500 Third Street, Niagara Falls USA

Who do you know that worked at Saxons in 1978?

Recognize any faces from this 1978 photo from Saxons (in the spot where Big Lots is now, Hills before that)? Maybe a friend or family member is in the photo or better yet, maybe YOU are?  

Below are some close ups:

 

 

Beir's on Falls Street

Merry Christmas!
Beir's Department Store on Falls Street c.1970 - Niagara Falls, USA

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So what's so special about the Old Stone Chimney? by Paul Gromosiak

The “Old Stone Chimney” is the second oldest masonry structure west of the Hudson River in New York State.  The only thing older is the French Castle at Fort Niagara.

Four buildings were attached to it:  French barracks from 1750 to 1759, house built by the British occupied in 1760 and 1761 by a man named Duncan, from 1762 to 1796 by John Stedman and his brothers William and Phillip, from 1797 to 1804 by Jesse Ware, from 1806 to 1812 by Enos Broughton, by US troops in 1812 and 1813; a tavern from 1819 to 1822; a house built by Peter B. Porter from 1840 to 1880.

In 1942, Edward T. Williamss, Niagara historian said, “the Old Stone Chimney is absolutely the most unique and magnificent historic relic possible on the American continent, probably in the United States, and certainly in the state of New York.  It is highly probably that no structure anywhere in America has a status such as that.”

Here is a list of famous people who spent time in one of the buildings attached to the Old Stone Chimney:

1. Philippe and Daniel Joncaire, the men who built it.
2. Pierre Pouchot, the French commandant of Fort Niagara in 1759
3. Sir William Johnson, in charge of Indian affairs for the British king.
4. John Stedman, took care of the Niagara Portage for the British army; gave Goat Island its name; survived the Devil’s Hole Massacre
5. Captain John Montressor, built Fort Erie for the British, built the tramway in Lewiston (the first “railroad” in America).
6. Israel Putnam, famous in the American Revolution.
7. British General Bradstreet
8. George Clinton, New York’s first governor.
9. Charles Lee, second in command under George Washington.
10. General John Graves Simcoe, the first governor general of Upper Canada (later Ontario).
11. General Sir Isaac Brock, killed at the Battle of Queenston Heights.
12. De Witt Clinton, governor of New York who built the Erie Canal.
13. Red Jacket, the famous Seneca orator and leader.
14. Lafayette, the Frenchman who supported the United States in the American Revolution.
15. General Winfield Scott, American hero of the War of 1812.
16. Tomas Moore, poet who wrote about the Falls.

In 1891, a song about the Old Stone Chimney was written by Thomas Vincent Welch, the Niagara Falls businessman and leader who founded Niagara Falls State Park.  That song should still be sung by all the people who love the great history of Niagara Falls!

[by Paul Gromosiak]

"Old" Falls Street (preWintergarden)

"Old" Falls Street preWintergarden, preTeletech, preGlobal Spectrum, preCasino...

Catherina Shoes 1825 Pine Avenue circa 1900

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Corner of 76th Street and Buffalo Avenue

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E. Dent Lackey - City of Niagara Falls Mayor 1963 to 1975

The following excerpt is taken from Daniel M. Dumych's "Niagara Falls, Vol. II"
(text only - Photos courtesy of The Niagara Falls Public Library Local History Department):

E. Dent Lackey, mayor of Niagara Falls from 1963 to 1975. Mayor Lackey, an outgoing, ebullient man, was elected on a campaign that called for urban renewal, the re-establishment of the city as a tourism capital, and industrial expansion. Under Lackey's administration, the city actually came to lose much of its industry. Many of the city's factories were built late in the last century and early this century and companies chose to relocate their works instead of rebuilding them. Tourism, too, would falter even more during the Lackey years. Throughout the 1960s, Falls Street deteriorated and tourists lured by the flash and glitter of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ontario. City residents, too, abandoned Falls Street, choosing to shop at plazas near the edge of town instead of supporting Falls Street businesses. Lackey and other city leaders felt that there was only one answer for Niagara Falls's ills - urban renewal. By the early 1970s, much of the south end resembled war-time Europe. The properties had been cleared - an yet, there were no takers. The city waited in vain for a return to prosperity.

On a personal note, my father referred to E. Dent Lackey as the "(expletive) on the white horse," as do many of the people still to this day who lived in Niagara Falls at the time when Urban Renewal took place. Many still hold Mayor Lackey responsible for what became (or what didn't become) of Niagara Falls in the aftermath of Urban Renewal.


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Niagara Falls Gazette Delivery Man 1915

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Putting the Shell on the Turtle

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Native American Center for the Living Arts - 4/25/79 - "The Turtle"

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Click here for more information about The Great Gorge Route

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Group Wedding at Goat Island, Niagara Falls USA

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Nik Wallenda Press Conferece Summer 2011

Niagara Falls Railroads

Back in the days when rail travel was the norm, Niagara Falls had many railroad lines and yards, which today are easily forgotten. The city was served by the New York Central RR, Erie RR (and others) as well as the Niagara Junction RR which serviced our industries. 

Today what are left of the rail lines and yards are but a glimmer of what once was. What with the talk of a new passenger station being built in the north end of the city one might reflect on what a tourist attraction our old station at 2nd St and Falls St would have been if it had been restored, instead of torn down. One of the main rail lines came in from Buffalo along the right-of-way paralleling Buffalo Ave/Erie Ave. After discharging passengers at the station it continued alongside Falls St and hooked a right up along the gorge towards the north end basically following what is now the Robert Moses Parkway. Another rail line ran north up what is currently an empty space between 8th and 9th St to a freight yard located approximately where the Harry Abate School is located. There were bridges over the tracks on Walnut, Ferry, and Pierce Avenues.

Prior to and during urban renewal the city put a priority to eliminate and/or relocate the rail lines that ran through the city. Everyone couldn’t wait until the tracks were eliminated from downtown so we wouldn’t have to wait an hour for a long freight to clear the crossings at 3^rd St and others. The fire department even had to have fire halls only a couple blocks from each other in case there was a train blocking the streets. How many of us remember driving up Niagara St to try and find an unblocked path across the tracks?

During the 1960’s, before the tracks were removed, a “high-speed” passenger rail car was running between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, with the intention to bring rapid transit between the cities, but it never was profitable. There were industries where the Aquarium now stands which were serviced by the trains, and there was several businesses around Michigan Ave & 11^th St served by the yards there.

Railroads were a large part of making Niagara Falls a tourist and industrial giant and they still provide necessary service to our community. Of course, should we ever get the high-speed rail line between Albany and here in these days of high gasoline prices, perhaps some of the glory may return.



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Sumbitted by Jim Brunn

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Falls Street - Niagara Falls, USA 1954

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Falls Street 1954 - Submitted to iWitnessNiagara by the Thomas Jacob Family.

DeVeaux Campus - Carriage House (Barn)

The Present is too vivid for ghosts of the past to endure...

"... then the residue of my estate both real and personal, is to be made use of by said Trustees in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. viz.: for a benevolent institution to train and support orphan and destitute children: to train them up to industry; to learn them trades and professions to give them a mental and manual, and a social and religious education..." (August 3rd, 1852. Will of Judge Samuel DeVeaux) Niagara Gazette July 21, 1974 P 1E:1

Built in 1863 and served as a barn and storage area for the school. Rumored to have an underground tunnel leading from the building to the gorge as part of the Underground Railroad. There is a reference that the barn may have been built in 1858 as part of the initial construction of the Van Rensselaer Hall. The building which is brick with a normal pitched and gabled roof sits on a foundation of piled, rough cut stone in regular courses.

The first floor windows have segmented brick arches and stone sills, with the exception of one round-arched window set between the carriage doors. The second and attic doors have paired and single round-arched windows with stone sills. There is some deterioration on the south side where an addition has been removed and severed deterioraton on the north facade where the brick wall is falling. (From 2004 report by Niagara Falls Historic Preservation Commission.)

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The Victory Grill

These photos were taken at the Victory Grill owned by Joey Sacco 1965. (In the pictures, from left to right: Emilio Giuandinico, Carl Fosseen and Bernie O'Donnell)

"The Victory Grill was a popular bar on lower Main Street two doors down from Defazio's bar and bowling ally. I was one of the first musicians to play there with various bands. The owner was Joe Sacco Sr. who also owned the Buster Brown shoe store on Falls street near 2nd. It was small but had a good following." - submitted by Carl Fosseen

"We were known as Mel & The CB's. During the summer months we played 6 nights a week, with a marathon on Sunday from 3PM to 1AM" - Submitted by Bernie O'.







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Niagara Frontier Masonic Lodge #132

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When you drive down Walnut Avenue and reach Main St. you probably don't even notice the vacant lot on the left hand corner. You might be familiar with the medical offices at 549-4th St which Drs. Brezing built and occupied until they retired. Well that vacant lot used to be occupied by a rather magnificent building that housed the Niagara Frontier Masonic Lodge #132 and was the site of many fraternal and social events. The building interior was resplendent with dark walnut paneling and woodwork. There was an old-fashioned, operate it yourself elevator in side the main door that took you to the upper floors. The first floor held offices and a wonderful game room, complete with many beautiful pool and billiard tables as well as plush leather easy chairs and couches. This was the epitome of a men's club (it was a male only fraternity).

The second floor held a large kitchen and dining hall and was the location where "House Parties" were held. House parties were special nights when the whole family was welcomed and kids could play pool and ping pong, and parents could dance the evening away to the sounds of wonderful live orchestras. Food was also on the menu those nights and some of us kids got our biggest kicks out of playing elevator operator.

The third floor held the Fraternity meeting room and we were only allowed to view it. The Masonic Order has always been thought of a "secret society," and their meetings were for members only. However, it was obvious to us kids that something wonderful must occur in the meeting room because they had giant thrones and other accoutrements signifying some mysterious goings-on must happen on the third floor.

With declining membership, the Lodge couldn't handle the upkeep of such a large building so it was sold and subsequently torn down. Another shameful loss of an historical and magnificent structure in our city. Currently, the lodge meets at a former church on Colvin Blvd. but even that is up for sale.


Submitted by Jim Brunn

Niagara Falls High School Class of 2010

Great project by the Class of 2010 - Watch the above "LipDub" and leave your comments for the class on their YouTube page. Great job!

Niagara Power - A HOME RUN!

Niagara and Power! Two words that go together. But did you know that there is another "Niagara Power" in Niagara Falls? The Niagara Power is an expansion team in the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) and is an Affiliate of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), a national, faith-based ministry. FCA partnered with Cal Kern (Grand Island, NY) and the city of Niagara Falls to establish the Niagara Power in 2007.

The Power provides opportunities for furthering baseball skills and abilities of collegiate players while also emphasizing the importance of character, integrity, and excellence in baseball and in the community.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball. Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the leagues annual budget. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats, and be evaluated by scouts. The NYCBL is located in scenic Upstate New York.

Teams play a 44 game regular season schedule with games beginning in June and ending in the last week in July. All games are 9 innings, with most doubleheaders scheduled on the weekends. The All-Star game is played in early July, and the League Championship Series concludes in the first week of August.
Niagara Power players come from all over the country and are housed in host family homes around the area. I am currently housing two fine young men, Danny Hall, from San Jose, CA, and Matt Van Slyke, of Oxford, MS. What a joy it is to have the power of youth again in the home!! (and in case you baseball fans wondered, yes, Matt is related to the famous major leaguer, Andy Van Slyke, formerly of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who coincidentally, was one of my favorite major league players).
The Niagara Power 2010 season began on June 4th at Sal Maglie stadium, where all their home games are played.

The best thing for area baseball fans is the reasonable cost to attend a game. Adult ticket prices run $3 or $4, with a dollar off for senior citizens, and youth (6-12)tickets are only $1 or $2. Concessions are available at very reasonable cost and there are many promotion nights during the season. You can check out the team rosters as well as the schedule and other interesting facts at the team's website:
http://www.niagarapower.org.

If you are a baseball fan be sure to take in a game or 10 during the next two months and if you have a spare room available next year, please consider hosting a couple of these fine young athletes. I have just made two new, wonderful friends and look forward to a winning season.


Jim Brunn