North Tonawanda History Museum

North Tonawanda History Museum A warm welcome from the volunteers at the NT History Museum!

Visit us at 712 Oliver Street in North Tonawanda, New York from 12-4pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

For every well-known North Tonawanda story, countless more have quietly faded from conversations, tucked away on old new...
06/17/2026

For every well-known North Tonawanda story, countless more have quietly faded from conversations, tucked away on old newspaper pages, hidden in museum archives, and lost in private memories throughout the community.

A new book by North Tonawanda History Museum Director Howard Roeske, set to be published next month, brings some of these lesser-known stories together in a new compilation.

What began as notes prepared for a high school reunion presentation quickly grew into a fascinating collection of local stories, archival discoveries, old newspaper accounts, and overlooked moments from the city’s past. Along the way, museum staff and members also contributed stories and insights that helped Howard shape the finished book.

Covering topics that range from the Erie Canal and the city’s early foundations to manufacturing, sports, notable citizens, notorious citizens, community events, and even “Things That Didn’t Happen,” Howard’s book explores pieces of North
Tonawanda history that many of us may have never heard before.

“This was a fun undertaking,” Howard said. “I learned some new things about my hometown and had some ‘aha’ moments where details of some stories were uncovered. My favorite section is ‘Things That Didn’t Happen,’ which mentions plans for North Tonawanda that, if allowed to occur, would have had huge impacts on the development of the city. One of these things is the bridge from NT to Grand Island, which was vetoed by Governor Theodore Roosevelt.”

SAVE THE DATE

To celebrate the release, we are planning a public launch event at the North Tonawanda History Museum at 2 PM on July 18. We hope to see you there!

HOW TO PURCHASE

Books will be available exclusively through the museum beginning July 18. Cash or checks only. Note that mail orders must add $6 for shipping.

06/08/2026

●●● 2nd Tuesday / June 9th ●●● HISTORY CHAT DAY. ●●● at the North Tonawanda History Museum ●●● 712 OLIVER STREET at the corner of 7th Avrnue ●●● from noon to 1 PM ●●● Stop by and joIn the conversation ●●● iT'S FREE ●●● 🎉👏💬😊👍

We’ve recently made some meaningful updates to the area of our museum that explores the many cultural communities that h...
06/03/2026

We’ve recently made some meaningful updates to the area of our museum that explores the many cultural communities that have shaped North Tonawanda’s history.

Like much of Western New York, NT grew through layers of migration that were largely tied to the Erie Canal, the lumber industry, railroads, and manufacturing. Long before the city existed, this area was home to the Seneca people. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, families from Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, and other parts of Europe arrived here seeking work and opportunity. Many worked in the lumberyards, factories, mills, canal trades, and the industries that gave NT its nickname, “The Lumber City.”

German immigrants helped shape local business, churches, music traditions, and skilled trades. Polish families built strong parish and neighborhood communities that remain an important part of the city’s identity today. Irish workers contributed to canal construction, labor, and civic life, while Italian families became known for craftsmanship, construction trades, and small businesses. NT’s famous carousel and organ manufacturing history also brought Central European artisans and instrument makers to the city.

Over time, newer communities, including African American, Hispanic, Latino, and South Asian families, have also become part of the broader story of our region and continue to shape its cultural landscape today.

We hope our recent updates help tell a fuller story of the people, traditions, and experiences that have built NT across generations.

A big thanks to our volunteers Pat and Mary for their work on these changes. These photos are a sample of what’s on display in this area, but there’s a lot more to see and small details to discover, so if you haven’t visited in a while, we’d love to welcome you back to explore!

06/02/2026

●●● DON'T MISS IT ●●● The HISTORY CHAT ●●● Tuesday, June 9 ●●● at the NT History Museum ●●● from noon to 1 PM ●●● IT'S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME ●●● COME JOIN US! ●●●

About 60 people filled the North Tonawanda History Museum last Saturday to hear award-winning journalist and author Dan ...
05/19/2026

About 60 people filled the North Tonawanda History Museum last Saturday to hear award-winning journalist and author Dan Herbeck reflect on nearly 50 years in investigative journalism.

A Sweet Home High School graduate, Herbeck spent his entire career at The Buffalo News, where he actually got his start delivering newspapers at just 11-years-old. During the talk, he shared stories from his first assignment working the night shift at the downtown Buffalo police station, covering crimes, fires, and murders, along with memories of the people and colleagues who shaped his career along the way.

Herbeck, co-author of American Terrorist, also spoke about reporting on Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City tragedy, a subject people still ask him about today.

Even after retiring, he continues to work part-time for The Buffalo News.

The museum was packed, with a few attendees even standing as the evening unfolded. It was a fascinating look back at a career spent documenting Western New York history as it happened.

Thank you to Dan and everyone who came out to fill the museum!

••••●■ MUSEUM ALERT ■●•••• ●● Saturday, MAY 16 at 2 PM ●● ●● DAN HERBECK. ●● reporter and aut...
05/12/2026

••••●■ MUSEUM ALERT ■●•••• ●● Saturday, MAY 16 at 2 PM ●● ●● DAN HERBECK. ●● reporter and author ... will be at the Museum .... reflecting on his 50 yeas in JOURNALISM ●●

05/09/2026

●● HISTORY CHAT # 3 ●● TUESDAY MAY 12. ●● from Noon to 1 PM. ●● at the Museum located at 712 Oliver Street on the corner of 7th Avenue. ●● Do stop in! Take a seat! Join in the conversation! ●●

Our new History Chats at the museum are already bringing the community together in meaningful ways.At our second gatheri...
05/06/2026

Our new History Chats at the museum are already bringing the community together in meaningful ways.

At our second gathering, in April, more than 20 people joined us for an hour of stories, memories, laughs, and conversation.

And what was at first a simple community event turned into a family connection years in the making.

In the pictures here are Kathy Robertson, Linda Szymanski, and Tom Robinson - three cousins who met for the first time at the History Chat. What a special moment to witness!

We’re already looking forward to the next History Chat.

We hope you’ll join us:

🗓 May 12
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM
☕ Coffee and water provided
🤗 Free and open to the public
📍 North Tonawanda History Museum

Bring a story, a photo, or a memory to share, or simply come, relax, and enjoy listening as our community reminisces.

After sitting on a pallet for nearly 7 or 8 years, the old Pine Woods School bell has a proper place once again.Thanks t...
04/21/2026

After sitting on a pallet for nearly 7 or 8 years, the old Pine Woods School bell has a proper place once again.

Thanks to the work of volunteers Pat Sadler, Howard Roeske, and Dennis Grinnell—along with the use of a lift from Brian Harris—the bell was carefully raised and set onto a new base that Pat built. It’s now on display in the museum on its new stand.

This bell once hung in the belfry of the Pine Woods School from 1892 until the building was demolished in 1973. For generations of students, its sound marked the start of the school day, called children in from outside, and signaled time passing in a very different era of North Tonawanda.

After the school was torn down, the bell was saved by Board of Education member Paul Balling, who preserved it by storing it in the basement of the Bishop Gibbons Apartments.

Pine Woods School itself was the third school constructed in North Tonawanda, a reminder of how early it was in the city’s development.

While cleaning the frame, the maker’s name was uncovered: the Meneely Bell Foundry of Troy, New York. Founded in the 19th century, the foundry produced tens of thousands of bells that were installed in schools, churches, and public buildings across the country. Many of them are still in use today, a lasting example of the craftsmanship of that time.

The Pine Woods School once stood across from Pine Woods Park on Schenck Street before the land was later repurposed as a parking lot. The bell is a piece of local history that connects directly to daily life in the community, not just something that was seen, but something people might remember by its sound.

Stop in to the museum to see the bell on its new stand. We’re proud to share that it now can swing, and ring, once again.

William “Bill” Gosch lived for more than a century, and over that time, he became fully woven into the North Tonawanda c...
04/07/2026

William “Bill” Gosch lived for more than a century, and over that time, he became fully woven into the North Tonawanda community.

He passed away on March 29, 2026, at the age of 102, leaving behind a legacy shaped not only by his service in the Pacific as a WWII Marine, but by the connections he built as a storyteller, a neighbor, a friend, and a familiar presence in North Tonawanda.

At his wake, Marines stood in quiet formation. Hundreds came through to pay their respects. Well over 10,000 people viewed his obituary.

“I’ve known Bill Gosch for 54 years,” said North Tonawanda History Museum Director Howard Roeske. “He was a friend, neighbor, and a great source of historical information. Bill was very happy with the way the History Museum was keeping the
city’s culture alive.”

Bill will be added to the museum’s Centenarian Board display, joining a group of local individuals whose lives spanned generations and help us understand who we are as a community.

We are grateful for Bill’s friendship, his knowledge, and his support of the museum.

Address

712 Oliver Street
North Tonawanda, NY
14120

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 4pm
Thursday 12pm - 4pm
Saturday 12pm - 4am

Telephone

+17162130554

Website

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