Grand Island Group Page Form

Updated: December 16, 2009

Grand Island
Historical Society
Grand Island, NY Since 1962

News Page 3 - 2009

PO Box 135
Grand Island, NY 14072

E-Mail

See also Historical Society Page 1

See also Historical Society Page 2

River Lea
The Grand Island Historical Society restored and maintains the farm house
known as River Lea and located in Beaver Island State Park.
It was built on Lewis F. Allen's property, Allenton Farms,
by his son, W. Cleveland Allen. Today it is owned by New York State.

Membership Form - Please Join
Directions To River Lea
Calendar of Events
Society Officers 2009-2010
Mission Statement
Meetings
Grand Island Historical Society & River Lea History
Grand Island History - Published 1898 By Truman C. White
Jim Fisher's Avocational Archaeology & Lithic Technology Web Site
Grand Island History and Photos (Update 9/20/09)
River Lea Artists - Photos - Paintings - Artists James Edward Montanari - Eugene Matthew Dyczkowski ("Dick")

Grand Island's #1 News Source - Isledegrande.com

Historical Society Christmas Party - Dec. 2009

Society members are shown reading the music as they play the hand bells.
Mary Cooke photo - Click for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society's well attended Christmas party was held in River Lea on Saturday evening, December 5, 2009. Party Chairman Mary Burngasser led the members in several fun and funny holiday and historical games. Divided into four groups, those attending wrote new lyrics for old Christmas songs and then took turns singing their verses. Voted best by applause (mostly by the winners!) were Sharon Watz, Sharon Nichols, Bonnie Luce and Teddy and Jim Linenfelser. The old standard Christmas carols were played with hand bells, which has become a custom of the Society.

Historical Society Open House - Nov. 2009

Mary Cooke photo - Click for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, November 15 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served. There is no charge.

Historical Society Open House - Oct. 2009

Mary Cooke photos - Click for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, October 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society To Meet November 5th - 2009

Falls View Bridge, Niagara Falls, collapsed January 27, 1938
Click photo for larger view
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will meet 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 5th at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The program will feature the early filmed history of Niagara Falls, the collapse of the honeymoon bridge and the 40-foot ice bridge. The meeting is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society To Meet October 1st - 2009
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will meet 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 1 at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The program will feature WNY Ghost Hunters Ryan Willard and John Crocitto who will share audio, video, photographic evidence they captured at the Central Terminal and Van Horn Mansion. The meeting is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society Open House - Sept. 2009

Click photo for larger view
Be sure to notice the Story-Clark electric organ when you visit River Lea.
   The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, September 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society To Meet September 3rd - 2009
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will resume meetings on Thursday, September 3 at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner. Those attending are asked to bring their own place setting and a dish to pass. The Grand Island Community Chorus will provide the entertainment.

Paddles Up - July 25, 2009

Grand Island Historical Society Docents shown out on the dock in front of River Lea are (left) Maggie Gushue, Carolyn Doebert, Marilyn Randolph, Ruth Englert and Teddy Linenfelser.
Click photos for larger view

   The 4th annual Paddles Up Niagara, with 193 people in 176 boats following a route from Little Beaver Island, around the southern tip of Grand Island, down to the East River Wetlands Restoration Project (north end of the Beaver Island Golf Course) and back to Little Beaver, was held Saturday, July 25. Activities began at 8:30 a.m. and included an introductory canoe program for children, and opportunities for participants to try out canoes and kayaks. The event was sponsored by the Niagara River Greenway Commission. The Grand Island Historical Society hosted a picnic for the participants and an open house at River Lea.

Paddles Up
Historical Society Hosts Open House, Picnic Lunch - 2009

Paul Leuchner Photo (2008)
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will host an Open House at River Lea from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, July 25 in conjunction with the Paddles Up event in Beaver Island State Park. A catered lunch, open to all, will be served on the lawn at 2:15 p.m. with a $11 donation (reservations by July 19 - 773-5361). For more information on this event, see NiagaraGreenway.org

Historical Society To Host Root Beer Float Sale At Concert - 2009
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will host a Root Beer Float sale at the town sponsored band concert in Klingel Town Commons on Tuesday, July 14. Root Beer Floats will be available during the concert that will feature "Bar Room Buzzards," beginning at 7 p.m. A rain date of July 16 has been set.

Historical Society Hosts 4th Grade Tours - June 2009

Historical Society guides Mary Burngasser (left photo) and Mary Cooke (right photo) are shown walking the Kaegebein students up to River Lea on Friday, May 29th.
Click photos for larger view.

(left) Historical Society docent Ruth Englert - Docent Barbara Birt in the kitchen - 4th graders in the library

Docent Jennifer Long shows the student all of the interesting things in the Grand Island Room.

Click photos for larger view.
   Grand Island's 4th graders, about 275 in all from Huth, Kaegebein and St. Stephen's traveled around the Island by bus to see the remains of the Corona, the Whitehaven Settlement smokehouse, the ice house on East River near Fix, and several things in Ferry Village: Tucker's Store, Ferry Landing, Smith House, House on Orchard Road that was the Telephone Exchange. Each student received a map and description of historical sites. The 4th graders also had a tour of Town Hall that included the Court, Town Clerk's office, Supervisor's office and Judge photos and historical documents. The school buses also traveled to River Lea where a laundry presentation and a tour of all 6 rooms in the Lewis F. Allen farmhouse, the Historical Society's headquarters in Beaver Island State Park.

Historical Society July Open House Features "Niagara River's Playground" Display - 2009

Bedell House Hotel lighted sign that hung over Bedell's Candlelight Lounge in Tonawanda was part of the "Niagara River's Playground" Display.
(right) Committee members (left) are Mary Cooke, Joe Macaluso, Sharon Nichols, Carolyn Doebert, Teddy Linenfelser, Curt Nestark and Bill Koch. Missing from the photo is Shirley Luther.
Bill Koch photos - Click for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society's headquarters, River Lea in Beaver Island State Park, will be open to the public on Saturday, July 25th when the "Niagara River's Playground" will be on display. Scroll down for more information.

"Niagara River's Playground" Display - June 2009
by Teddy Linenfelser

(left) Historic Island Map - Bedell House - Buffalo Launch Club

(left) Eagle Park Disaster - Ferry Boats
Shown above is just a small portion of the photos in the "Niagara River's Playground" Display
Click photos for larger view

   Lovely weather on Sunday, June 7 brought out a continuous crowd, all seeming to enjoy the pictorial display, "Niagara River's Playground," that included the amusement parks, the private clubs, and the hotels, along with the ferry boats that plied the Niagara River around the time of the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty. The 100th anniversary of the treaty is being celebrated this month and the joint committees of the town's Historical Preservation Board and the Grand Island Historical Society were among very few groups to step up and contribute to the celebration.
   The Bedell family, whose descendants built and ran the Bedell House Hotel (1877) in Ferry Village, provided many interesting artifacts for the display including a large painting by Gladys Martin (1950s) of the Bedell House Annex bar and also a painting of the outside of that building. The artist's daughter and her husband, June and Robert Collins, came over to the Island for the event, held in the Historical Society's headquarters, River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. Also attending was Jack Bedell and many members of the Bedell family who graciously provided the artifacts, early 1900 photographs, and artwork for the display that included a Bedell House Hotel guestbook dated 1901.
   The Historical Society will hold an open house on Saturday, July 25 in conjunction with the fourth annual Paddles Up Niagara, sponsored by the Niagara River Greenway Commission. The Society will again provide a picnic lunch (reservations only) for this event. Details to follow.

Society Members Installed at Annual Dinner - June 2009

Mary Burngasser, Alice Gerard and Curt Nestark were installed at the June meeting.
Click photo for larger view.
The Grand Island Historical Society installed new officers during the annual installation dinner on Thursday, June 4 in River Lea. Curt Nestark was re-elected president. Mary Burngasser is the new vice president and Alice Gerard will serve a two-year turn as recording secretary.

Society Members Prepare For Yard Sale - May 2009

Click photo for larger view.
Historical Society members (left) Maggie Gushue, Barbara Birt, Carolyn Doebert, Sharon Nichols and Mary Burngasser, worked together on Friday, May 29 setting up for their yard sale scheduled for Saturday, May 30. Also helping with the setup and pricing was Teddy Linenfelser who took the picture. The yard sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1570 Cox Road in Ferry Village.

Historical Society/Town Historic Preservation
Board Combine Efforts For "Niagara River's Playground" Display - June 2009

(front) Sharon Nichols, Carolyn Doebert, Shirley Luther; (back) Joe Macaluso, Curt Nestark, Teddy Linenfelser and Bill Koch. Mary Cooke took the photo.
Click photo for larger view

This Bedell House Bar painting is the art work of Gladys Martin who lived near River Lea in the 1950s. The large painting will be on display on Sunday, June 7th.
Click photo for larger view

   Grand Island Historical Society members and the town's Grand Island Historic Preservation Board will present a display, "Niagara River's Playground," in conjunction with the 1909-2009 Boundary Waters Treaty Centennial Celebration. The event, being held from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, June 7 at Historical Society headquarters, River Lea in Beaver Island State Park, will include an exhibition of early 1900 photographs, artwork and artifacts.
   Locations to be featured include the Bedell House Hotel, Buffalo Launch Club, Edgewater Park, Sheenwater and Eagle Park.
   The official Boundary Waters Treaty Centennial Celebration website is located at http://oursharedwaters.com/.
   The joint committee members are Bill Koch, Curt Nestark, Joe Macaluso, Shirley Luther, Carolyn Doebert, Sharon Nichols, and Town Historian Teddy Linenfelser. Town Council Member Mary Cooke serves on the committee as the town board liaison.
   The International Joint Commission (IJC), established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909

Historical Society Yard Sale - May 2009
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will hold a yard sale on Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1570 Cox Road in Ferry Village. The sale will include linens, GI post cards, note cards, maps, and loads of yard sale items, and all proceeds benefit the Historical Society.
   Society members are reminded that the catered installation dinner and installation of officers will be held 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at River Lea (note earlier time). Dinner reservations ($15) are necessary by call Ruth Englert, 773-5818 by May 24.

Historical Society Election, Program - May 2009

Margo Bittner
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will hold election of officers at the 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7 meeting at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. Margo Bittner of Marjim Manor Winery will be the guest speaker. The public is welcome and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society Open House - May 2009

Click photo for larger view
Be sure to notice the 1850 Steinway grand piano when you visit River Lea.
   The Grand Island Historical Society will be open to the public on Sunday, May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Society's headquarters, River Lea, is located in Beaver Island State Park. Docents will give guided tours and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society
Victorian Tea Photos - April 2009
Program, "Aprons," by Maggie Gushue

(left) Carolyn Doebert •• Maggie Gushue and Teddy Linenfelser •• Society members center are Mary Cooke and Sally Hoffman •• hostess Teddy Linenfelser
Click photos for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society's annual Spring tea, under the direction of Chairmen Jane Duffy, Maggie Gushue, Carolyn Doebert and Sharon Nichols, was held Sunday afternoon, April 19 at River Lea and was a grand success. The photos tell the story.

Historical Society Announces April Meeting - 2009

Program Chairman Ruth Englert poses with Bill Koch who brought a slide show of Buffalo Churches ("Buffalo's Heavenly Spaces") to the March 5th meeting.
(right) Secretary Mary Burngasser reads the minutes of the last meeting - Click photos for larger view
   Grand Island Historical Society will hold a meeting and program on Thursday, April 2nd beginning at 7:30 p.m. at River Lea. The general meeting will be followed by "Show and Tell." Those attending are invited to bring their own treasure, not necessarily an antique, but something of interest, and tell the members about it. The public is cordially invited and refreshments will be served.

Historical Society's Victorian Tea - April 2009

Click photo for larger view
   Tickets are now on sale for the Grand Island Historical Society's annual Spring tea at River Lea from 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19. The program, "Ties That Bind" - Vintage Aprons, will be presented by Maggie Gushue. Pictured are Chairman Jane Duffy (left) and Ticket Chairman Carol Moore. Call 773-3817 for reservations. Tickets are $15 for members and $18 for non-members.

Historical Society Meeting - March 2009

Bill Koch Photos - Click right photo for larger view
   The Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5 in the Grand Island Memorial Library Community Room. Guest speaker Bill Koch will present "Buffalo's Heavenly Spaces," a program on churches of Buffalo. Bill is past president of the Landmark Society, chairman of Erie County Preservation Board, board member of Buffalo Religious Art Center, and director of WNY Heritage Magazine. The public is cordially invited. Refreshments will be served.

Historical Society Announces Victorian Tea - April 2009
   Members of the Grand Island Historical Society will hold their annual Victorian Tea from 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2009 in River Lea, Beaver Island State Park. Reservation may be made by calling Carol Moore (773-3817). Tickets are $15 for members and $18 for non-members.

If you are a member of this organization, we need your help. GIECOM.Net has partnered with the Connections program to help Grand Island as a community "Get it Together." Please visit our website G-I-Together.ORG and fill out our SURVEY. Every group on Grand Island will have its own FREE web page showing: meeting times and location, contact persons, your Mission Statement and a listing of events. We will also be linking your news events that appear in the local media and on IsledeGrande.Com, Grand Island's E-News Source, to your page, maintaining an archived journal of pictures and news. This is the perfect opportunity for your group to connect with potential new members and the community.