Lockport's
Points Of Pride
Here are the people, places and things Lockportians proudly talk
about and remember.
Favorite and famous Lockportians of today and yesterday. Lockport history and events.
Buildings, homes, and institutions. Outstanding businesses, services, and organizations!
Places we show off to tourists and indulge ourselves in enjoying...and remembering.
Continuously Compiled And Updated By
Lockport's Home Page On The Worldwide Web
www.Lockport-NY.com
The Fifty Most Notable Nominations For Lockport's Points of Pride
In this first listing are Lockport Points of Pride which
especially stand out today, and in our history. Much research has gone into composing the
first fifty Points of Pride. Now it's your turn. Tell us what we've missed and give us the
details. And regardless of the "first fifty," help us fill in the next 200!
Please consider that the key word here is "pride."
Herbert C. Harrison. (1876-1927) Invented the honeycombed
radiator for automobiles and founded Harrison Radiator which evolved into today's
Delphi-Harrison Thermal Systems, Division of General Motors with its World Headquarters
still in Lockport. In 1988 he was inducted into the Lockport "Walk of Fame" on
Main Street.
William E. Miller. (1914-1983) Represented the area in
the United States House of Representatives from 1951 to 1964. Chairman of the Republican
National Committee in 1961. Republican candidate for Vice-President of the United States,
with Senator Barry Goldwater as presidential candidate in 1964. Assistant prosecutor of
Nazi war criminals at Nuremburg, Germany, 1945-46. In 1993 he was inducted into the
Lockport "Walk of Fame."
William Rand Kenan, Jr.
(1872-1965). Noted philanthropist and industry captain, he was the richest man in Lockport
history. A chemist who participated in the discovery of calcium carbide, he went on to
obtain leadership roles in the carbide industry, then exercised control over a portfolio
of railroad, electric companies, hotels, banks, and manufacturing companies. World renown
as a pioneer scientific dairy farmer. He was the first inductee to Lockport's "Walk
of Fame."
A.
Raphael Beck. (1858-1947). One of Western New York most productive artists he
was internationally recognized, winning three world expositions. He maintained studios in
downtown Buffalo and in a second floor in a garage at his historic 479 Willow Street home.
Known for his work in oil and watercolor, Beck also did etchings, life masks, miniatures,
and designs for stained glass. His most famous local painting is a mural commissioned by
the Lockport Exchange Bank on the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Barge
Canal. It shows the opening of the Locks and Lockport and was completed in September of
1928 it was a treasure in the main lobby of the bank at Pine and Main Streets in downtown
Lockport until being moved to the auditorium at Lockport High School.
Gov. Washington Hunt. (1811-1867). Governor of the State
of New York in 1850-54, signing important legislation regarding the Erie Barge Canal. He
came to Lockport at age 17 (born in Windham NY) and spent most of his adult life in
Lockport. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1834. Elected to Congress on the
Whig Party in 1842, he served three years. Also served as New York State Comptroller
(1849) and the youngest judge in Niagara County history (at age 24). An early residence
still stands on Market Street near Vine. His later mansion, became what is now the
reception main building for the Wyndham Lawn Home For Children. The rest of the children's
facility sprawls over what was his estate on the city's northern limits. Washington Hunt
made most of his fortune in real estate, buying what remained unsold of the Holland Land
Company's areas properties (about 32,000 acres) and selling them off in small segments
quite profitably.
Dr. Samuel Outwater. (1868-1953).
The successful Lockport physician donated to the city the land for the present Outwater
Memorial Park plus money and revenue producing local real estate property to fund its
maintenance and expansion. He was a descendant of Captain John Outwater who lead troops in
the American Revolution. The Outwater family home at 215 Niagara Street was given to the
Niagara County Historical Society for use as a museum plus a fund to expand and maintain
it. He retired to sunny California and died there at the age of 95.
Joyce
Carol Oates. Born in Lockport June 16, 1938 attended Lockport schools
(including a one-room schoolhouse). She is one of the world's most prolific writers, now
residing in New Jersey. She began writing novels at the age of 14 after receiving a
typewriter as a gift. Several of her novels have a setting that can be recognized as the
Lockport and Western New York area. She was inducted into the Lockport "Walk of
Fame" in 1992.
Jimmy Sacca. Popular recording star of the 50's
"Jimmy Sacca and The Hilltoppers" recorded (on Dot) twenty-one, top-40
songs of which nine entered the "top ten" on the Billboard charts. The biggest
hit of the group was "P.S. I Love You" in 1953. A 1947 graduate of Lockport High
School, he returned to Lockport in 1997 to be inducted into the city's "Walk of
Fame."
Lt. Col. William Gregory. The NASA astronaut was born in
Lockport in 1957 and graduated from Lockport Senior High School. He has been an astronaut
since 1991 and has logged over 400 hours in space. Gregory piloted the space shuttle,
Endeavor, on its record-breaking flight for mission duration. He has returned to Lockport
several times for extended series of public appearances.
Raymond F. Yates. Born in 1895 he
wrote more than seventy non-fiction books, most of an applied science nature. He was also
a magazine editor and inventor of several devices. Yates was one of the founders of the
Niagara County Historical Society and was inducted into the Lockport Wall of Fame in 1994.
The Niagara County Fair. The traditional county fair is held each year
in August at the Niagara County Fair Grounds (and 4-H Center), Route 78, on the north side
of Lockport. The event usually runs five days, starting in mid-week with the traditional
"farm-city breakfast." Rides, games, shows. Agricultural and commercial
exhibits. Vendors of all kinds and a variety of feeding stations for all appetites. Most
everything you'd expect at a county fair except "girlie shows" and a beer tent.
100 American Craftsmen. The top craftspeople from all over the United
States come to this annual event to display and sell. Craft demonstrations and live music
entertainment are part of the program in the Kenan Arena. Exhibit participation is by
invitation only and only the best are invited. Three days on a weekend in late June.
The Apple Festival. Drawing thousands from all over the Niagara
Frontier, the Apple Festival is held for two days annually at the Niagara County
Fairgrounds in October, at apple harvest time. And what better location…Lockport is
the very heart of the Niagara Fruit Belt and Apple Country. Featuring the "World's
Largest Cider Barrel." In 1998, attendance for the two day event totaled about
41,000.
Live theatre with
the Four Seasons Players. Performances throughout most of the year at the
Taylor Theater, on the Kenan Center campus, 433 Locust Street. Click on this section's
header for more information on the Four Seasons Players.
Lockport Feis. A traditional Irish event staged annually at the Kenan
Center, usually in August. The event draws fans of Irish dance and culture from hundreds
of miles around.
1825: Opening of the Erie Barge Canal and the Locks At Lockport. The
biggest event in the history of Lockport was later (in 1928) the subject of the famous
mural by Lockport artist, A. Raphael Beck. It was October 1825 and New York State Governor
(Dewitt) Clinton and a boat of dignitaries passed through Lockport and the Locks as the
canal's first travelers. They had boarded their boat ("The Seneca Chief") at
Buffalo and had canisters of Lake Erie water to deliver to the Atlantic Ocean. Four years
later, Lockport was incorporated as a village with a population of about 3,000. It ranked
in importance at the time with Buffalo and Rochester.
1845: First commercial telegraph line in the USA completed
at Lockport. On May 1, 1844 the inventor of the telegraph, Samuel F. B. Morse
sent the first message over the first telegraph line strung from Baltimore to Washington
(announcing the nomination of Henry Clay for President). This was an experimental demonstration
line.
The first commercial line in the USA was built
from Lockport to Buffalo the next year and was activated on November 6, 1845. George H.
Boughton was the early telegrapher who, from his Express office in downtown Lockport (just
west of today's Municipal Building on Canal Street) sent a message to Buffalo giving the
results of the Lockport election. The wire went south out of Lockport along Transit Road
to Williamsville and then into Buffalo. By 1849 the line was extended east out of Lockport
to Rochester and another line from Lockport hugged the south shore of Lake Ontario and
extended east eventually reaching Montreal, Canada. Lockport was an early communications
hub!
The photo at left is of an early telegraph key and sounder, circa 1860, of the type
used in Lockport during those early days of telegraphy. This model is on display at
the Erie County Historical Society Museum in Buffalo.
1863: Inventor Birdsill Holly develops the
"fire hydrant" in Lockport. Additionally, the first fire company in the
world (The Hydrant Hose Company #1) to utilize the fire hydrant for supplying water to
fight fires was in Lockport (in 1865).
At left is a photo of an early Holly Hydrant, on display at the Niagara County
Historial Museum at Lockport. These hydrants were common sights on Lockport streets
into the 1950's. There may still be some in service, someplace in the United States
but not in Lockport. Does anyone know of a Holly Hydrant still in service?
1865: Lockport incorporated as a city with a population of about 11,500.
1887: First commercial production of aluminum.
The site was the Cowles Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company at 555 Jackson Street.
Charles Martin Hall entered into a series of agreements with the Cowles family to produce
commercial quantities of aluminum at Lockport using what was, at the time, one of only two
suitable electric smelting plants in the world. Technical and then legal disputes flared
between the inventor of "The Hall Process" and the Cowles family over the type
of electrodes to be used in the furnace and the way the aluminum ore would be heated. The
Cowles technology favored an internally heated furnace and carbon electrodes whereas Hall
initially used external heat and copper electrodes, both of which were unsuccessful
commercially. At Lockport he acquired the Cowles technology which he was to later adopt in
operations at his Pittsburgh Reduction Company. Pittsburgh Reduction later became ALCOA.
Since history is usually written by the winners, the ALCOA version of events neglects the
milestone at Lockport made possible by Cowles technology.
The Lockport Public Library.
The original building was one of many constructed in the United States with a grant from
Andrew Carnegie. Despite modern expansion of the building, most of the rich historic look
of the library has been preserved. An excellent collection of popular books, an extensive
children's department (an entire floor), good research references, and a superior reading
room make the Lockport Library special. Microfilm records, computer and Internet access,
and entry to the resources of regional libraries are offered. One can even borrow modest
works of art and audio/visual media. Open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m
and Friday and Saturdays 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Police. For the size community, Lockport has an excellent police
department headquartered in the city municipal building at the Big Bridge. The department
has access to most of the most modern scientific police resources and has a prompt tie-in
with the Niagara County Sheriff's Department (headquartered on the city's western limits)
for back-up including helicopter patrols.
Lockport City Fire Department. The city of Lockport has a first-rate,
full-time, professional fire department. When business considers a location, often the
value of a full-time professional fire-fighting operation is overlooked. However, the
value is immense. Lower insurance rates, superior protection, professional training and
audit assistance for safety purposes, and…immediate response for any situation
(including hazardous materials). In addition to fire protection, the Lockport Fire
Department a provides full-time and professional ambulance service. Lockport's
firefighters are well paid and highly trained. The department has a surplus of equipment
allowing some units to be retained on standby. Response time is no more than a couple
minutes to most anywhere in the city.
Garbage & Recycling collection. When a city can point with pride
to this very basic and unglamorous service, it's got to be extra worthy. City workers pick
up refuse at the curb once a week. For residential and low-volume business customers the
dependable service is paid for through normal tax dollars---not with extra fees. Paper,
cardboard, and vegetation waste is also picked up for recycling. The city recycles about
80% of normally recyclable items and without the nuisance of requiring those plastic boxes
and extensive user sorting.
Lockport Schools. The city still offers the concept of neighborhood
schools for the elementary grades. The school system is the single largest financial
investment yearly in Lockport. Highly paid teachers and extensive facilities offer the
most modern tools for superior education. Students and parents who follow the procedures
see substantially above-average results when compared with State and National averages.
The superior education available here is somewhat masked by statistics which include a
growing number of problem children in the public schools, products of "problem
families." Even superior to the public school system are two private schools, DeSales
and Victory Christian, where emphasis on self-discipline more than makes up for
less abundant facility resources.
Delphi-Harrison. Lockport is the site of the original
Harrison Radiator Company acquired by General Motors and for many years operated as a
division of GM. In the mid-1990's GM began the spin off of Harrison and other parts
division by first placing the Harrison thermal operations (compressors, radiators, air
conditioning, heat exchangers, etc.) into another subsidiary Delphi. Lockport remains the
world headquarters for Delphi-Harrison which is Western New York's largest manufacturing
enterprise. More than any other factor, the Delphi-Harrison operations have the dominant
influence on Lockport today. What was once the "Main Plant" is in the downtown
area but Delphi-Harrison now occupies only the west part of this "Harrison
Square" complex. Most manufacturing is on the city's western border where a huge
manufacturing campus is located. Hundreds of patents on thermal technology are a result of
work done at the Harrison complex in Lockport (and by Lockport researchers working for the
company).
Lockport Savings Bank. The former Farmer's and Mechanics
Savings Bank still has its main banking office in downtown Lockport at East Avenue and
Washburn Streets. Recently the bank reorganized to become a stock corporation and moved
its headquarters out of Lockport to Pendleton. The bank has expanded to many offices all
over Western New York. It is the largest locally based savings bank in Western New York.
The Palace
Theater. Many communities have lost their grand
movie theaters built prior to World War 2. The sad excuse for replacements today are
the multi-screen "econo-theaters" with a singular emphasis on utility. These
techno-boxes are often found as a part of, or near, shopping malls. Lockport is indeed
fortunate to have restored one the state's great (real) movie theaters. Opened in 1925,
the Art Deco interior was designed in 1936 by John Eberson. It was once part of the Schine
chain. It is now operated by The Friends Of The Historic Palace Theatre. . John Philip
Sousa and his band performed on stage here in 1925. There is still live performances
on stage and often motion pictures at reasonable prices. "The Palace" is located
where a true community asset ought to be, in the heart of downtown on East Avenue.
Mills Jewelers. At
51 Main Street near the Pine Street Bridge, Mills is Lockport's oldest existing jewelry
store (and very much locally owned). "The Lockport Pendant" is available here
along with a brochure describing the canal locks, some city history, and how this has been
included in the pendant (or lapel pin, tie tack, or framed jewelry). Visit, browse and
appreciate why Mills was named "Business Of The Year" in 1996.
Grimble's Hardware Store. At 18 West Main Street, just
west of the Big Bridge. An old-fashioned hardware store with many items from the past (yet
still full-stocking with all of today's needs). Everyone who has grown up in Lockport
remembers Grimble's during their youth and we're delighted that it is still, today, very
much the way we love to remember it. Besides items for sale, the store is filled with
items for display only; memorabilia from the past, sort of a museum of retailing for the
Lockport area.
The Erie Barge Canal Locks.
The first locks were built here during canal construction in starting in
1823, a project that brought Lockport its name. Between 1908 and 1918 the locks were
replaced, expanded, and modernized. They remain today a significant engineering complex to
observe in operation. Locks #34 & 35 are the operating locks, but the the earlier
five-flights used on earlier locks are visible on the north side.
The Big Bridge. At the time it was first built, this huge
bridge which crosses the canal along Main Street, was the "widest bridge in the
world." Today, it remain one of the widest---so much so that many motorists don't
recognize they are crossing a bridge when traveling over it in the heart of downtown.
The Niagara County Historical Society Museum.
An ever-expanding campus of history and museum buildings based at 215
Niagara Street in Lockport. The campus began with a gift of the main headquarters building
by Dr. Samuel Outwater (his family home). The museum gives a glimpse of many aspects of
life in Lockport and Niagara County over the past 175 years. Includes a library of
historical publications and genealogical research.
The Kenan Center.
The former estate of the late William Rand Kenan Jr. is now a center for the arts and
civic activity in Lockport at 433 Locust Street.
The "Upside Down" Railroad
Bridge. Over the Erie Barge Canal, just east of the Locks. This structure
built to carry rail traffic over the canal has all its supporting structure going down
(toward the canal water) inside of the normal overhead configuration. The reason? When
built, the railroad, a competitor with the canal for traffic, reasoned that allowing the
structure to approach the waterway from overhead would prevent large tall items of cargo
being shipped by water on the canal.
This view is looking east from the Lockport Locks
complex. In addition to rail traffic, the Upside Down Railroad Bridge provided, for
generations, a good short-cut for walkers from one side of town to another. Current
railroad ownership is putting a stop to predestrian use of the bridge.
The remains of the historic canal "towpath" is seen along the
left side of the picture. The path today is a fine walking and bike trail that
extends along the canal through the city.
The Col. William M. Bond House. At 143
Ontario Street, it is one of the first brick homes built in Lockport. Construction began
at the same time the Lockport locks began, in 1823. In 1995 the home of the early Lockport
land surveyor and developer was placed on the National Historic Register. It has been
restored by the Niagara County Historical Society to its near original state and is open
for public tours Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons.
Carlisle Gardens. This upscale housing development in the
town on the city's east border was advanced between the World Wars. At the time, use of
underground street wiring and a grassy median on most of the curving streets were
innovative residential designs. Indeed, "The Gardens" were designed and built
long before residential "housing developments" grew the unfavorable image they
have today. The various street names, and the development itself (Carlisle) are taken from
popular English names of the time. This community, with its colonial street lighting,
remains one of Lockport's most desirable areas to live in.
The Old Lockport South End. A neighborhood generally
bordered by Locust on the east, Lincoln Avenue on the south, Pine on the west, and Willow
on the north---It's Lockport's "Beautiful Big Block" of homes with neatly
landscaped properties, rich histories, and neighborhood decorum. The stretch on Locust was
featured on an old Lockport Post Card when trolley service from downtown extended to this
area. Many of Lockport's most prominent families have lived in this area.
Market Street through Lowertown. Includes examples of
homes built from stone taken in the excavation of the Erie Barge Canal. Along the canal
banks are bike and walking trails. It is easy to see where the former "towpath"
was on the north side of the canal. The north side of the canal is at a distinctly higher
elevation than the neighborhood still further north of it. When the canal is full of
water, the bank is checked daily for any sign of leak as considerable flooding of the
northern section of Lowertown could result. Such flooding has never occurred.
The
Alfred Tennant House. At 111 Ontario Street, this 20-room,
120-year-old house has been lovingly and beautifully restored by Marvin and Billie Pascoe.
It was built in 1874-76 by Alfred Tennant, a Lockport shirt manufacturer. When restoration
began in 1988, it had been allowed to decline into "disaster" status. In 1996 it
was selected as Lockport's House of the Year. It contains a museum-quality collection of
Victoriana and award-winning paintings and lithographs. A few years ago, it was a bed and
breakfast. Later, tours and tea were offered on Saturday afternoons. Sadly, it was
recently sold and a lawyer's office was established there in January 1999.
Outwater
Park. This 48-acre park on the city's north side provides a variety of
recreations. Included are: baseball diamonds, bocci courts, bowling on the green,
horseshoe pitching courts, volleyball courts, a community swimming pool, and a football
field. There are wide expanses and some shelters for picnic activities and a rose garden.
It includes a dramatic overlook of the Niagara Escarpment and, on a clear day, a view of
the Toronto (Canada) skyline across Lake Ontario. The park is named after the Lockportian
who gave the land as a gift to the city and provided a fund for its expansion and
maintenance, Dr. Samuel Outwater.
Canal Walk, Memorial Tree Garden, and Widewaters Marina. This
continuous strip of well-maintained green along the south bank of the canal on East Market
Street actually extends from about Exchange Street to the city's eastern border. There is
a continuous walking and bike path, picnic areas, a fitness section, some play equipment
for the tots, a Memorial tree garden and the city's Widewaters Marina where boats can be
docked and launched. The Widewaters area, where the Marina is now located, has long been a
favorite fishing spot. All along the parkway is the calming influence of the slow and
sedate canal thruway.
Veteran's Park. Along East Avenue across
from Lockport Memorial Hospital. Features a magnificent Veteran's Memorial built in 1930
by popular subscription "in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice and to all
others who served in the wars of the United States." Atop the spire which soars
skyward is a statue of a veteran from the (First) World War, siting down and looking out
west over the city. The memorial is impressively illuminated at night. It was designed by
Lockport artist, A. Raphael Beck.
The Niagara County Golf Course. A huge expanse of land on the city's
east border contains a well maintained public golf course with clubhouse. On other
sections of the land is a baseball diamond and an excellent field for model R/C airplane
hobbyists.
Glenwood Cemetery. Just north of Outwater Park at 325 Glenwood Avenue,
this is the final resting place of many of Lockport's great, near-great, and…average
citizens. It was founded in 1863. New York State Governor Washington Hunt is buried here.
A walking tour through this charming and peaceful setting can be a reflection of the
history of Lockport…and the mortality of man on earth, regardless of station.
See our expanded, pictorial section on Parks. Go to:
The Lockport Parks Page
The YMCA. The Lockport unit of the international "Young Men's
Christian Organization" has evolved into a family athletic club. Even Camp Kenan, the
summer boys' camp on Lake Ontario which was founded and endowed by Lockport benefactor,
William R. Kenan Jr., has been opened up to girls. "Y" membership is open to
men, women, families, and children. The center at 19 East Avenue operates seven days a
week, opening before sunrise (except on Sundays) with activities extending usually until
10 P.M. The facility has an excellent swimming pool, gym (for basketball, volleyball,
floor hockey etc.), sauna, recreation rooms (for pool, table tennis, fooseball, bumper
pool, etc.) and a well-equipped fitness center. A substantial staff of professionals are
available to help in all areas. Membership is open to the general public upon payment of
fees.
The YWCA. The organization is open to all women (and girls). There are
modest membership dues. After the failure of the YWCA in Niagara Falls, the Lockport
"YW" changed its name to "YWCA of Niagara" and has attempted to
provide some service to other parts of Niagara County. The busy facility at Cottage and
Walnut Streets is involved in most every area of woman's activity and needs. Social,
domestic, hobby, craft, travel, and women's rights issues are covered. There is a
low-profile domestic violence shelter for women maintained. One of the most popular
services is child day care. Some of the organization's community functions are offered to
non-members, these are usually areas where the organization is acting as an agent for
government funding.
The Lockport Town & Country Club. This once very exclusive club
has a fascinating history that follows the lives of Lockport's "high society"
back to near the turn of the century. Long ago it had its "very correct" address
on Locust Street near today's Kenan Center. Today it is located on East Avenue at the
city's eastern limits. The much larger property was acquired so that a beautifully
maintained golf course could be established. Although still a private club, it is no
longer so exclusive (the high initiation fee and yearly dues are usually enough to obtain
membership). Today, it is primarily a golf club. Nevertheless, significant social
activities take place here from time to time and it remains a Lockport landmark.
The St. Vincent DePaul Society. At the extreme
opposite of any public purview and conspicuous consumption in Lockport is this low profile
organization with a sole mission to help the poor. With little public knowledge and no
publicity, it quietly performs the simple charities that aid the homeless, downtrodden,
and poor of the Lockport area. Furniture, clothing, food, and referrals are provided. The
Society works without public donation appeals or government grants. It is representative
of the hundreds of good people of Lockport who every day help others without hoopla. The
organization doesn't even have a telephone listing. Contact is made through St. John's
Roman Catholic Church on Chestnut Street. 1998 was the 150th year the Society was
active in St. John's Parish. It is the third St. Vincent DePaul Society established
in the United States.
New York State Army National Guard. The local
combat engineer's detachment is located in a modern State Armory near the west end of
Willow Street. Guard Reservists provide assistance of select local projects as well as
state, national, and international service when called up in an emergency. Having the
armory, and its organized reservists, right in the city is another Lockport asset.
Lockport's Points of Pride is a
continuing work-in-progress at the Lockport Home Page. Lockport being what it is, we
expect to publish a listing well over 200. Additions will be monthly. The First
Fifty, a sort of honor roll of the best Lockport has offered and produced, will be
revised at least twice yearly. Additions, corrections, and supplemental information is
welcome and solicited. Please submit by e-mail to: Editor@Lockport-NY.com
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