News Page 2018
PO Box 135
Grand Island, NY 14072
Previous Historical Society News Page
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.
Fall 2018 Calendar of Events
Membership Form - Please Join
Directions To River Lea Mission Statement Society Officers
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 Historical Society Christmas Open House - December 2018
The Historical Society Christmas Open House will be on Sunday, December 9th from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park. Come and enjoy the decorations and sounds of the season in our historic farmhouse. Shop in our boutique and enjoy some refreshments while listening to holiday music by a harpist. Costumed docents will be on hand to share information about the house.Historical Society Meeting - November 2018
Due to boiler issues at River Lea, meeting will be held at the Trinity Church family room. "New" church.The Grand Island Historical Society will have their general meeting and program on Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at River Lea, in Beaver Island State Park. Islander Sophie Hodorowicz Knab will present a power point presentation, "Wearing the Letter P: Polish Women as Forced Laborers in Nazi Germany 1939-1945". This talk and book of the same title were inspired by Sophie's mother's stories. Books will be for sale.
Grand Island Historical Society Open House - October 2018
The Grand Island Historical Society has an Open House at River Lea, on Sunday, October 21st from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Costumed docents will greet you for a tour of the historical farmhouse located in Beaver Island State Park.Historical Society Meeting - October 2018
The Grand Island Historical Society will have their general meeting and program on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at River Lea, in Beaver Island State Park. Ned Schimminger of the Historical Society of the Tonawandas will speak.Grand Island Historical Society Holiday Luncheons - October 2018
Friday is sold out; reservations remain for Tuesday and Saturday. Get yours today!
The Historical Society Holiday Luncheons will take place Tuesday, December 4, Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8th at River Lea in Beaver Island State Park at noon. Tickets are $25 and are available now by calling Sue at 773-5313. This year's theme, "A White Christmas", will be enhanced by a fashion show of vintage clothing entitled "Wonderful Whites". The Country Store will be open for purchases, come early to shop. Flyer.
Grand Island Historical Society Open House - September 2018
The Grand Island Historical Society has an Open House at River Lea, the third Sunday of most months from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Costumed docents will greet you for a tour of the historical farmhouse located in Beaver Island State Park.Grand Island Historical Society Display at BLC - September 2018
The Grand Island Historical Society will have a display of photos from the early 1900's at the Niagara Frontier Classic Boat Show at the Buffalo Launch Club on Saturday, September 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. You can see how the Island establishments looked when the Buffalo Launch Club, the first power boating club in the world, was chartered.
Grand Island Historical Society Installation Dinner - June 2018
Guest speaker Frank Clement.
From left: Mary Cooke, Adele Upton, Arlene Ehde, Robin Shipman and Curt Nestark.
Mary Stewart photos.
The Grand Island Historical Society officers for 2018 were installed at the installation dinner held at River Lea on Thursday, June 7th. They are Mary Cooke, corresponding secetary; Adele Upton, vice president; Arlene Ehde, treasurer; Robin Shipman, recording secretary; and Curt Nestark, president.Following the dinner and installation, special guest Frank Clement, member of the International Brick Collectors Association, presented a talk on his collection of bricks, which he started 40 years ago. Over the years he has collected over 1000 rare and unique bricks, some of which there are only one in existence. Each brick Mr. Clement showed the group had its own story which made the presentation very enjoyable.
Love Your Parks Day at River Lea - May 2018
The GI Historical Society will host an Open House on "Love Your Parks Day", Saturday, May 5th, at River Lea from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Historical Society Meeting - April 2018
GI Historical Society General Meeting and Program is on Thursday, May 3, 2018 at River Lea, Beaver Island State Park at 7:00 p.m. Our guest speaker will be author Roseanne Higgins presenting a program "The Whisper of Bones: The Erie County Poorhouse Cemetery Project". Ms. Higgins has a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Buffalo with her main interest being the institutionalized poor. Her fiction books are an adventure into life as it was in the 1800's mixing history, spiritualism, love, hardship and victory. Ms. Higgins' historical fiction books, Orphans and Inmates, A Whisper of Bones, The Seer and the Scholar, A Lifetime Again and The Girl on the Shore will be available to purchase at our meeting.Historical Society Open House - April 2018
The GI Historical Society will have an Open House at River Lea on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at River Lea, Beaver Island State Park, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. There will be a sale of ephemera from the files of River Lea library.Historical Society Meeting - April 2018
GI Historical Society General Meeting and Program is on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at River Lea, Beaver Island State Park at 7:00 p.m. The guest speaker is John Montague with a power point program entitled "Buffalo Steam Yachts from the Gilded Age".Historical Society Open House - March 2018
The GI Historical Society will have an Open House at River Lea on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at River Lea, Beaver Island State Park, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Help celebrate the 181st birthday of Grover Cleveland. The Association for a Buffalo Presidential Center will co-sponsor this event. There will also be ephemera (printed material such as programs, posters, booklets, postcards, maps, etc.) for sale from the files of River Lea Library.Historical Society Meeting - March 2018
2018 Spring NewsletterThe Grand Island Historical Society General Meeting and Program is on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at River Lea, Beaver Island State Park at 7:00 p.m. The guest speaker is Carol Rogers with a power point presentation, "The 80th Anniversary of the Honeymoon Bridge Collapse."
