Grand Island Historical SocietyPO Box 135, Grand Island, NY 14072

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Fall 2018 Newsletter

2018-19 GRAND ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERSPresident – Curt Nestark 864-8697

Vice President – Programs – Adele Upton 773-5847Recording Secretary - Robin Shipman 912-6590

Corresponding Secretary – Mary Cooke 255-5838Treasurer – Arlene Ehde 773-3881

A Message from President Curt Nestark

As I write this Presidential Message to you, I am reminded of all the work that our SocietyMembers do to keep our programs running smoothly. Jane Duffy, who passed away in May, wasinstrumental in starting the Society's Adult Education programs in the 1980s. Because of the work of Janeand other members back then, we were able to access their notes, dust them off and re-start an offering forthe Community Education Program at the High School. Year #2 was completed in the spring and againhad a full class.

Also a big thank you to our Library Committee Members. This group meets on Tuesday morningsto sift through countless files, organize photos and delete multiple files, all in preparation to have ourlibrary files digitized. Once this is completed, our library files and photos will be available on the Internet.

State Parks Masons have repaired the stone front entrance steps to River Lea. Early in the spring,these steps were crumbling and very unsafe for both members and guests, but now are sturdy andbeautiful! Before and after photos below.

The Porch Committee continues to make progress with State Parks Management. Getting theporch replaced, and adding an ADA (Americas with Disabilities Act) compliant first floor restroom is byfar one of the largest projects undertaken by the Grand Island Historical Society since they saved River Leafrom the wrecking ball in the 1960s. A huge “thank you” to the Porch Committee Members for theirperseverance in keeping this project moving forward and not being deterred by the many changes in StateParks Management that have caused endless delays since the project began several years ago.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for their accomplishments in keeping our River Lea museum inBeaver Island State Park always ready for guests!

CHRISTMAS 2018 Plans are underway for a “White Christmas” at River Lea and many hands are needed to make this

event possible. If you are willing and able to take a leadership role for one of the many coordinatingcommittees, please come to a volunteer planning meeting at Carolyn Doebert's home, 665 South ColonyRoad, on Thursday, September 13 at 9:30 am. Please let Carolyn know if you can attend (or what you arewilling to do even if you can't attend the meeting) by email mhdjr@aol.com or call 773-2643.

FROM THE MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSONA new year begins for the Grand Island Historical Society! By renewing your membership in the

Society you will be able to be “first to know” about all upcoming events planned for the year. Dues are amajor part of the Society’s budget and allow the Society to continue to be a viable organization which playsan important role in educating the youth of Grand Island and presenting informative programs to thegeneral public.

The last page of the newsletter is a membership form for 2018-2019 season which begins onSeptember 1, 2018 and ends August 31, 2019. Dues are due by December 31, 2017. If you are renewingyour membership, you do not need to fill out the form. We have all your information. Please fill out theform only if there are changes and mail to Jeri Benzing – see address at bottom of the form, or bring itand your dues to a monthly meeting. Thank you for your support of the Grand Island Historical Society!

ITEMS FOR SALE at RIVER LEA

River Lea notecards, packages of 10 priced at $5. Copies of the book Images of America GrandIsland are $21.99. Both can be purchased anytime you are at River Lea, and at the Historical Society tableat the Taste of GI on September 22. Great gifts for anyone!

Grand Island Historical SocietyPrograms, Events and Open HousesSeptember 2018 - December 2018

Please join us for our monthly meetings and interesting lineup of programs and speakers. All programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments served.

Thursday, September 6, 2018- 6:00 p.m. -POTLUCK PICNIC-- Please bring your own place setting and a dish to pass. Beverages and desserts will be provided. Save a stamp and bring your membership check to the dinner, too! Our program will be Islander Judy Buzby portraying, in voice and costume, her Great Aunt Harriet's remembrances of events that occurred during the Civil War. Sunday, September 16, 2018- OPEN HOUSE AT RIVER LEA-2:00-4:00 PMCostumed docents will greet you for a tour of the historical farmhouse.

Saturday, September 22, 2018- TASTE OF GRAND ISLAND- Volunteers are needed to help man the historical society's display in the Town Common along Whitehaven Road.If willing and available please contact Curt at 864-8697. Thursday, October 4, 2018 - 7:00 p.m.-general meeting and program. Ned Schimminger, archivist at the Historical Society of the Tonawandas, will present a program, "Hidden Treasures from Grand Island in the Archives of the Historical Society of the Tonawandas".

Sunday, October 21, 2018 -OPEN HOUSE AT RIVER LEA- 2:00-4:00 PM. Costumed docents will greet you for a tour of the historical farmhouse.

Thursday, November 1, 2018 - 7:00 p.m.- general meeting and program. 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.. Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 -Members' holiday party, 6:30 P.M. Please bring an hors d'oeuvre to pass and a fun, inexpensive, small wrapped gift if you wish to participate in our Christmas game. The River Lea Bell Ringers will perform once again!

Sunday, December 9, 2018- CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE-1:00-4:00 PM. 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.

Holiday Luncheons- Tuesday, Dec. 4; Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8 at NOON. $25.00. Reservations required. Call Sue, after Oct. 1, at 773 -5313 for reservations. This year's theme, "A White Christmas", will be enhanced by a fashion show of vintage clothing entitled "Wonderful Whites". Country Store will be open for purchases.

THANK YOU BRIDGEVIEW GARDEN CLUB!

Society was most fortunate that the Island's Bridgeview Garden Club chose the River Lea groundsfor a spring clean-up in May. Historical Society members joined the garden club on a gorgeous Thursdayin sprucing up the grounds. The before and after photos show the huge amount of work completed.Thank you to all!

CAN YOU HELP???

The Historical Society table at the Taste of Grand Island can use YOU! Contact Curt Nestark at 773-6068or cnestark10@hotmail.com to volunteer to help. It’s on Saturday, September 22 from 12 noon until about6:30 or 7 pm. The Taste runs until 8 pm, but we close when it begins to get dark. Even one hour of your time is a most appreciated contribution! Please let Curt know when you are able to help. Thank you!

CLEANING HOUSE and FINDING NEAT STUFF??? GIHS WANTS IT! The Historical Society is seeking donations of gently used (new is also fine) items that could be sold in theCountry Store during the Christmas Luncheons. General items, as well as Christmas and winter holidayitems are all useful. Bring any donations to a meeting or open house, or call Robin Shipman at 912-6590for drop off instructions. All donations are needed by October 5. THANK YOU!

LIBRARY LINES

The library clean-out, catch-up is pretty well done. Now it is on to basic organization. The loyalcommittee members have worked diligently to get to this point, and deserve a great deal of credit. Thanksto you all – Mary, Katharina, Barbara, Elaine, Trudy and Jodi. Summer vacation is over, and the house is cooler, so it is back to work. The fall schedule will be:Tuesday, 10:00 a.m., River Lea, September 11, 18 & 25, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. November to be decided.

The challenge now is to deal with the change to current technology. A grant from Legislator KevinHardwick will enable us to purchase upgraded computer, printer and scanner equipment. The plan is toindex and scan the paper files, and develop an updated catalog of the other holdings. What we desperatelyneed is someone to be a “tech” chairperson, to take over and work with the rest of us in doing this.Anyone interested. please contact Barbara Birt at 773-5300, or birtgrisny@gmail.com.

Barbara BirtLibrary Chair

EDUCATION NEWS

A second successful session of Community Education was held this spring with fourmeetings at the high school and the finale at River Lea. Thanks to June Crawford, Alice Gerard,Nicole Gerber, Curt Nestark, Sharon Nichols, Jodi Robinson and Adele Upton for making thishappen. The next edition of Community Education will be coming in Spring 2019 with plansbeginning this fall. Please contact Curt Nestark, cnestark10@hotmail.com, 773-6068, 864-8697 or MaryCooke, maryscooke@roadrunner.com, 255-5838 if you’d like to be part of this effort! Your ideas ontopics, guest speakers and anything else that will help make this a great program are welcome, and needed!

Newly hired Grand Island teachers had a bus tour of the Island on August 20, and the Golden AgeCenter has scheduled two bus tours for fall on October 17 and November 8, all led by Mary Cooke.

Curt Nestark and Mary Cooke gave a presentation in May about some of the Grand Island Clubsduring the turn of the 19th century to the Historical Society of the Tonawandas. This is an exchangeprogram, and we'll be hearing about the Grand Island Treasures in their collection at our October meetingon the 4th at River Lea. Working cooperatively with another society is a most interesting new developmentand we look forward to future collaborations.

The 4th grade tour had another very successful session in May, and included an effort to team newmembers with veteran members so the torch for this annual event can be passed as time moves forward.Some of our veteran members have been running the 4th grade tour for over 30 years! Thanks to all whohelped, and there are so many that to list everyone's name would take another page. If you are not part ofthis, please join us for the 2019 session. Educating Grand Island youth about GI history is one of ourmost important missions, and the 4th grade tour is our largest effort to meet that part of our charter.

GI Historical Society member Bryce Shipman shows the 4th graders a two-person saw. Parks set up a tentin the lawn in front of River Lea for this year's farm tool area of the tour. It saved the time of walkingover to the garage, and we safely avoided the potholes in the driveway to the garage. A definite win-win!

HISTORICAL SOCIETY ROAD TRIP – VAN HORN MANSION

In May a group of Grand Island Historical Society members and friends visited the historic Van HornMansion in Burt, New York. The mansion, built in 1823 by Judge James Van Horn, was the first brickbuilding in the area. A docent led a wonderful and informative tour of the many elegant rooms which havebeen restored to show life in the early 1900s. The mansion showcases original and authentic clothing,furniture and toys. The mysterious 1836 death of Malinda Van Horn created the legend of her ghostwalking the property, however she didn't show up for the Grand Island group! The tour was followed witha delicious lunch at Gordy Harpers Bazaar nearby.

Treasures in the basement of the Van Horn Mansion

The Van Horn Living Room

GRAND ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETYMEMBERSHIP FORM

Membership Year September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019

(Please Print)

Name(s)___________________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________________

Telephone________________________ e-mail______________________________________

____ Individual membership @ $20 per person

____ Couples @ $35 (married couples)

____ Family membership (3 or more persons residing at same address) @ $40

____ Lifetime membership (one-time dues payment) @ $250

____ Business/Professional membership @ $100

____ Student membership @ $10 per person

Return form with check/money order (made out to: Grand Island Historical Society) to:

Jeri Benzing, Membership ChairGrand Island Historical Society2136 Baseline Road, #225Grand Island, NY 14072