The First Election in the Village of Lockport

May 13th in the City of Lockport has a special meaning, even if most of us don’t realize it. On that date in 1829, the newly formed Village of Lockport held its first election for a Board of Trustees to oversee the operations of the new community. A group of those pioneers jostled for the right to be the first leaders of Lockport. Each played important roles in the evolution of an Erie Canal work camp into the modern City of Lockport.

Lockport's Field of Dreams

Lockport White Sox vs Jamestown Falcons
opening day at Outwater Stadium

It’s been a month or so since the Toronto Blue Jays were playing major league games in Buffalo, after making the Queen City their temporary home for good portions of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Regular season major league baseball in Buffalo had not been seen since the 1915 Buffalo Blues of the short-lived Federal League played there. Of course, there had been a few exhibition games featuring major league teams, most notably the New York Yankees taking on the International League All-Stars in 1963 at War Memorial Stadium, and a preseason game between Toronto and Cleveland in 1987. However, did you know the Chicago White Sox played an exhibition game in Lockport smack in the middle of their 1942 season?

History of the Niagara County Infirmary Part 3

This is the third of a three part series on the history of the Niagara County Infirmary. The first part will relate how the property became the Infirmary, moving from the Poor House on Niagara Street. The second will be the general history of the Infirmary from 1915 until its closing in 1979. The third installment will focus on the associated cemetery behind the buildings on Davison Road.

I’m not sure how many of you are aware that just to the north of the baseball fields at the north end of the Infirmary property is a cemetery. The burial ground boundaries are denoted by four corner markers and there are two stones. One denotes the area as “Niagara County Infirmary Cemetery 1915-1960,” while the other says “In Memory of the Children.” There are more than just children buried there. Newborns to centenarians all share a common, final resting spot.

History of the Niagara County Infirmary Part 2

1919 Sanborn Insurance Map showing Davison Road property

This is the second of a three part series on the history of the Niagara County Infirmary. The first part will relate how the property became the Infirmary, moving from the Poor House on Niagara Street. The second will be the general history of the Infirmary from 1915 until its closing in 1979. The third installment will focus on the associated cemetery behind the buildings on Davison Road.

In the 1916 inspection by the State Board of Charities, there is a markedly different tone that from those over the past decade or so. “The Niagara County Almshouse is pleasantly located on the outskirts of the City of Lockport, about a quarter mile distant from the tracks of the city trolley line and somewhat nearer to those of the Buffalo and Syracuse Electric Railroad.”

History of the Niagara County Infirmary Part 1

Niagara County Almshouse on Niagara Street

This is the first of a three part series on the history of the Niagara County Infirmary. The first part will relate how the property became the Infirmary, moving from the Poor House on Niagara Street. The second will be the general history of the Infirmary from 1915 until its closing in 1979. The third installment will focus on the associated cemetery behind the buildings on Davison Road.

It seems that the former county property on Davison Road is back in the news with some of the same questions about the property being asked over and over again. Most of us remember it as the Social Services building, but there is a lot more to the story than that. There is a long history of the Poor House/Almshouse in Niagara County that predates the establishment on Davison Road. Some of that is germane to the story of that property.

Literally the Best Reviews: A Monster's Heart

A Monster’s Heart - Mark Laufer

CreateSpace Independent Publishing

344 Pages

I always want to see local authors do well. I’d love to see a bestselling author come out of Lockport. However, I sometimes find it difficult to give reviews on local author’s books. Inevitably, we have mutual friends, and if I’m not all sunshine and rainbows with my reviews, someone gets upset with me. I try my hardest to be constructive with my reviews on the works I don’t like. Even the ones I do like, I still try to find the best in it and offer suggestions to make it better going forward.

On the Historical Trail: Camp Church

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about a Civil War training camp in Lockport at the old fairgrounds in the City of Lockport where one of my ancestors trained. I knew there were camps in Lockport to train the men from the area, including Orleans County, but I did not know many of the details. I had to research Camp Church to see what information was out there, and to see if there were any interesting stories.

Reminiscing: Quick Memories Of Lockport

I was thinking about how so many things have changed around Lockport in the time since I was a kid. There are some things I really miss. Others are simply fun to talk about. I’m sure there are some people who are older than me will remember even more things, especially if they lived through Urban Renewal. Let’s see how many of these things you remember, too.

On the Historical Trail: This Old House

One of the most popular questions I get is if I can tell someone when their house was built. Because of that, I wrote an article some months ago about the oldest houses in the City of Lockport. When you get that far back, there is no hard evidence to a specific date. Generally, you get a possible bracket of dates, such as “it was built 1832-1835.” However, just this week, I found one of those nuggets of information that nails down a date.

Lack of First-Hand Perspective

It is bad enough that no one wants to discuss things on the Internet anymore and that everyone prefers to argue even though they are not changing anyone's mind. Along with that, I have noticed a disturbing trend of people who give opinions and even lash out at others when they have no first-hand knowledge of what is being discussed. To me, this is a significantly larger problem than the constant need to argue because now people are arguing without facts, and that is absolutely dangerous.

Reminiscing: Skateland

Last week, I talked about a love for hockey in the Bacon household. While writing it, I made a quick mention of roller skating and Skateland. How could I have forgotten about Skateland for so long in my Reminiscing? It was a such a huge part of growing up in Lockport. While not as big as hanging at the Lockport Mall, it was very integral.

Reminiscing: Playing at DeSales Field

It’s been terribly cold lately (except for Friday which reached 62 degrees before giving way to six inches of snow). Because of that, I thought I’d write about something that made us think of warmer days when we could be so much more carefree. I am not much of a winter person, but I definitely am a summer person. So, let’s go back to some summers of my youth.

Reminiscing: In the Circle

I’ve written before how, as kids, we had Mott’s Field in which to play. Of course, all my Walnut Street friends will know exactly where that is. But that’s not the only place we played when we were younger. It wasn’t just the parks or the front yard of Washington Hunt. We had neighbor’s yards, friend’s basement, and pretty much anywhere that had enough space. Those of us at the eastern end of Walnut also had something that other neighborhoods did not have. We had Bob-O-Link.

Reminiscing: Lights Up Main Street

Last week, I wrote about how we couldn’t put up Christmas decorations until after my birthday. I made mention of liking to drive around to see the decorations. So, I figured I would expound upon that thread and give you another Reminiscing article. Besides, it’s Christmas time, so it’s the best time to write about it. Although, next week, I may write about summer because I’d rather it be warm.

On the Historical Trail: Lockport's Veterans Monument

I live right around the corner from the Monument at Vet’s Park across from the hospital. I knew that there were going to be some big renovations happening at the monument, but I was unprepared for what I saw as I drove by Tuesday afternoon. Virtually the entire base has been torn out, and it appears there will be a lot more work done.  It will take most of the winter to get the marble back in place, fully repaired. According to the Mayor’s office, the work should be completed in time for Armed Forces Day on May 19, 2018.

Meet The Clinton Street Mural Painter

By now, you may have noticed the new mural that has been put in place on Clinton Street hill and wondered about the guy who did it. There have been plenty of murals painted on that wall, but this one is something different. The new mural also contains a piece that is a tribute to the late, great singer of the Tragically Hip, Gord Downie. The artist who painted the mural is Jeffrey Sidebottom, and we talked to him about his new Lockport piece of art.

Fireworks Over the Canal

It was a last minute call to head downtown to the fireworks over the canal in Lockport. Well, I actually had planned to do it for awhile, but family plans went completely crazy and I wasn’t sure that we’d be able to make it. We did make it down there, and we were very impressed by the whole scene down at the locks.

The Niagara Watercooler's Lockport, NY Facebook Page

It occurred to us recently that we have never actually taken the time to let everyone know about our Lockport, NY Facebook page, and what the page is for.

You will find the page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/165838200113286/  .

On the Historical Trail: Rogers Grove

Nathan B. Rogers founded one of the oldest and most prominent families of Lockport before there even was a Lockport.  Mr. Rogers walked from Massachusetts in 1817, and he built a cabin at what today is the corner of East Avenue and Cleveland Place.  He was one of the first men to clear the road from Cold Springs to Transit, today’s East Avenue and Main Street.

On the Historical Trail: Lockport's Oldest Park

This new column will be a semi-regular look at some local history around the area. It will mainly focus on Niagara County, but may sometimes even include some Orleans County History. That Orleans history will likely only be from Medina and Lyndonville areas. Sometimes, this history column will be something from family history. I hope you all enjoy.