Some time ago, a question came up about the location of the old trolley station here in Middleport. We learned of the location of a Park Inn on the corner of Main and the park owned by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dreher. It is located on the insurance maps of 1911 on the corner of Main and Park Ave and with some luck, Jesse Bieber shared this postcard with me which we believe is the Park Inn. If anyone has any other pictures or information about this establishment, we would love to hear from you.
Read moreAuthor: Christa Lutz
Union Free School Fire of 1910
Early Middleport was often the scene of devastating fires but none as sad as the early morning fire of February 23, 1910. Firemen were called to the south side of Park Avenue near Vernon Street to the building that housed the Union Free School, which had been established in 1891 to ensure “educating our children at home and not at some of the neighboring towns.” Additions to the original 1870 building were built in 1893 and again in 1898 to house the growing school population and ranking the school #8, one of the best in New York State. The first volunteers to arrive at the fire found the cistern frozen and no water handy to spray on the building. A call was made to Medina More Info »
Read moreDr. Kent Williams, Middleport family doctor
The August 17, 1975 edition of the Niagara Gazette shared with its readers the details of “Dr. Kent D. Williams Day” as the Middleport community prepared to say farewell to a beloved resident. After 39 years of “healing bodies and soothing minds”, Dr. Williams and his wife Emily were getting ready to retire to Florida due to health reasons. He was a general practitioner who loved his work and practiced both day and night, at his office or in the patient’s home for $8 per call. Almost every long time Middleport resident has warm and loving memories of this dedicated family doctor. His daughter, Susan Williams Brown, kindly has donated her father’s items back to the Village of Middleport and they can be seen on More Info »
Read moreCornerstone of New School Building Laid
Direct from the Middleport Herald, September 5, 1911 “Labor Day, Monday, September 4th, 1911, will pass into the history of the Union Free School District No. 1 of the Towns of Royalton and Hartland, Niagara County, NY and the Village of Middleport as a notable day in many ways. The day was the occasion for the laying of the corner stone of the beautiful new $55,000 Union High School building and therefore marks the beginning of a new epoch in educational matters in this district and village. Following the parade the new cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremony.”
Read moreFire damages heart of Village
A Saturday evening in July 1999 brought eight fire companies and 100 firefighters to Main and State Streets to fight what would become a seven hour long battle. The fire, which started 2 State Street, quickly spread through 4 State Street and then to an adjacent building at 17 Main Street. Heavy smoke billowed from the second story windows causing major damage to all the buildings. Several firefighters sustained minor injuries but were later released from Medina Memorial Hospital.The Jones Hardware store sustained heavy damage but fortunately Jones had vacated the apartment above the store just the week before. A grassroots organization worked hard to get that building renovated and today it houses the comfortable and popular Alternative Grounds Caffe. Watch a video of shots More Info »
Read moreGood eating at the American Hotel
Thanks to Margaret Droman for this memory. The American Hotel on Vernon Street next to the railroad tracks, run by Frank and Fanny Antonucci, was a popular place for locals to enjoy some good home cooking. There was a daily 75 cents special with a salad and vegetable on one side of the plate and meat on the other. A popular special was 2 hamburgers with onions, mashed potatoes and gravy. Bologna roast was another favorite as was the lasagna and of course fish on Fridays. Spaghetti was served with sausage or meatballs. Pie was available for 15 cents extra and since Fanny had never made pies before, a lady was hired to help with the pie making. Dough for the crust was made every More Info »
Read moreHelp solve a mystery
Recently a resident from Middleport brought a picture to this office asking for some help with identification.The picture was found behind another when it was taken apart for framing and has no identifying information such as a date or name of the artist. It looks almost like the head was added to a prepared drawing of a child. The owner wonders if maybe an itinerant artist prepared the main portion of the picture and then added the head when requested by the parents of the child. Maybe someone has something similar in their possession and might be able to help with information about the artist. We’d love to hear from anyone who can give us some information.
Read moreMiddleport grows with the Erie Canal
The start of the building of the Erie Canal in 1817 until its official opening in 1825 helped to spur the growth of our little community. Even the name Middleport comes from our location midway between Lockport and Newport. Newport is now known to us as Albion. At a cost of over 7 million dollars and more than 8 years of construction, the then proposed 363 mile long canal opened a water route through the Great Lakes to the western states. It was a plan that President Thomas Jefferson said was a “splendid project and may be executed a century hence…” It would take only 16 years for builders to solve the problems involved in building the canal and making it a reality. Middleport NY – More Info »
Read moreCommencement at Union School
A 1901 clipping from the local Middleport paper: The annual commencement exercises of the Mdpt. Union High School will be held at the opera house this eve. at 8:15, June 26, 1901. The class motto is “Climb though the rocks be rugged”. Grads. in the academic course are: Misses Clara Louise Bates, Gertrude Louise Benson, Cornelia Lucy Freeman, Martha Eleanore Pollard, Elizabeth Loretta Bray, Bernice Mary Freeman, Lucy Freeman Graves, Messers Leslie Willard Allen, Charles Floyd Ewing, William Henry Watts. In the advanced academic are: Messers Elijah Henry Seaman, Frank William Sterritt, Glenn Henry Wakeman. Music for the occasion was furnished by Hammond’s orchestra. Mr. W. J. Sterritt presented the diplomas in his usual graceful manner making a few remarks appropriate to the occasion
Read moreBelva stamp anniversary
On June 18, 1986, the United States Postal Service officially released the Belva Ann Lockwood stamp as part of their Great American Series. Born on October 24, 1830, this Royalton resident went on to become an admired public figure and a very influential woman of the century. The Lockwood Bill gave female attorneys the right to pursue their cases in courts. She also became the first female nominated by a political party to the office of President of the United States, first in 1884 and again in 1888.
Read more