FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2, 2006
NEW YORK’S HISTORIC GATEWAY TO THE GREAT LAKES
Tonawanda Twin Cities Offer a Variety of Fall Family Fun
The Tonawandas sit at the fork of nature’s pathways to the Great Lakes. Here, visitors can decide whether to follow the Erie Canal via the Niagara River north into Lake Ontario, south into Lake Erie or spend the day exploring shops, trails or historic sites found in this unique 200-year-old town.
Barge into Tonawanda
Tonawanda’s portion of the Erie Canal was once crammed with manufacturing
workers, mules and horses leading canal boats full of goods from one port to the
next. With goods came money, news, fashions and world travelers, exploring the
inner reaches of New York State. Today, this traveling spirit is infused in
Tonawanda with businesses and shops lining streets along the Canal, such as
bustling Webster Street. A listing of unique stores can be found at
www.mytonawandas.com/.
Since 2002 there has also been a dedicated harbor rejuvenation project at Gateway Park on both sides of the Erie Canal. Gateway Point, the next phase of the project, will add to the existing boat slips and amenities at Tonawanda’s harbor. It currently is a great place to dock your boat and start touring the Twin Cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda. Check out the harbor’s live webcam at www.the-tonawandas.com/canal-cam.php.
Enjoy the Riviera
Built in 1926 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the
Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda was billed as the “showplace of the
Tonawandas” and is a must-see when visiting the area. If you walk past the large
stained glass windows on a show night, you may hear the Mighty Wurlitzer organ
booming from the orchestra pit. In recent years the Wurlitzer has been restored,
doubling its original size with donations of organ pipes from local theater
organizations. This year’s season includes Damn Yankees (Sept. 22 – Nov. 7),
Inherit the Wind (Nov. 3 – 11), Broadway in Concert (Jan. 26-27), 1776 (Mar.
2007), and The Sound of Music (May 2007). For more information about the
historic Riviera Theatre or to buy tickets, visit
www.rivieratheatre.org.
Have a Go-Round
Tonawanda also lays claim to other famous Wurlitzer creations, including a
Wurlitzer military band organ from 1910 and more than 1600 hand-punched original
master music rolls dating back to the turn of the 20th century. Both can be
found in North Tonawanda’s Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum which features two
working carousels, a large carousel dating back to 1916 and a smaller children’s
carousel. The large carousel is 40 feet in diameter with 36 hand-carved horses
and close to 600 lights. Founded in 1915, the museum is one of the only existing
carousel museums located inside an original factory complex. For more
information, visit:
www.carouselmuseum.org/museum.html.
Hold Your Own at the Haunted Harbor
For those looking for a good scare, head into Gateway Harbor on October 28.
On this day, ghosts from Tonawanda’s canal past will return to roam the streets
along the Haunted Harbor walk bridge. The faint of heart might prefer the
decorated streets of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda.
The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture. For more information on vacation opportunities along the Canal System, visit www.canals.state.ny.us or call 1-800-4CANAL4.