Fall History Weekend set for Sept. 6-8

Grand Island’s Fall History Weekend, sponsored by the Grand Island Historic Preservation Advisory Board, will take place Sept. 7 and 8. A variety of activities will be held throughout the Island during the weekend, including a dedication of the cupola that was part of the former Town Hall, built sometime after 1852.

According to information provided by the Historic Society Preservation Advisory Board, “We hope you will join us for as many of these activities as possible. We promise you will gain a new appreciation for the efforts of those citizens and organizations that are working hard to preserve the best of Grand Island for the future.”

A variety of events and activities have been scheduled, and “more will be added as we get closer to the date,” according to information provided by the board. A listing of activities and updates will be available on the official town website, www.grandislandny.us.

Sept. 6

•Blue Water Marina, 340 East River Road: Historic paddle will be held from 4-6 p.m. Enjoy a kayak tour of the Niagara River, while learning about Grand Island history from the perspective of the river. This event is geared toward people aged 16 and over. Kayaks, including tandem kayaks, will be available for rental from Blue Water Marina. Participants are welcome to use their own kayak. For reservations or for more information, contact Blue Water Marina at 716-773-7884. The rain date is Sept. 8.

Sept. 7

•Buffalo Launch Club, 503 E. River Road: Come from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to see the Niagara Frontier’s Antique and Classic Boat Society’s antique and classic boat show. On this date, the boating history room will be open to the public. The cost is $10 for parking, the show and access to the boating history room. For more information, call 716-773-9224.

•Ferry Village tours: This is a walking tour, held from 2-3:15 p.m., of the area near the former ferry landing site. It includes homes and other historic sites. A $10 donation is requested. Reservations are required. To make a reservation, contact Sharon Nichols at 716-773-2421.

•DeGlopper Memorial: Visit on your own. The park includes a statue designed by sculptor Susan Geissler, depicting Medal of Honor recipient Charles DeGlopper. Other statues she has designed include the Tuscarora Heroes Monument and Freedom Crossing, both in Lewiston.

Sept. 8

•The Alt Farm, 2489 Whitehaven Road: This site will be open for visits between 1 and 4 p.m. This farm, owned by Nicole Gerber, a fifth-generation member of the Alt family to live on the property, and Dave Reilly, is being restored to how it looked in the 19^th century. On the property are a barn, a house, an ice house, Schoolhouse #8 and more. This property is the winner of the Preservation Buffalo Niagara 2024 Preservation Leadership Award. The property is permanently protected by the Western New York Land Conservancy. For more information, call 716-774-8571.

•Grand Island Historical Society’s museum at River Lea, in Beaver Island State Park, 2136 W. Oakfield Road: River Lea will be open from 1-4 p.m. (at the far-eastern end of the parkway, around the circle). For more information, call 716-864-8697.

•Original Town Hall cupola: The town dedication ceremony is at its new permanent location, at 12:30 p.m., at Baseline Road in front of Grand Island Town Hall. This cupula was part of the Town Hall that was built sometime after 1852. Learn the history of Grand Island “enemy spotters.”

Sept. 7 and 8

•St. Stephen “Old Church,” 2106 Baseline Road: The first Mass at this church was held on Feb. 16, 1862. It continued to be St. Stephen’s house of worship until March of 2000. This historic church is being transformed, with the goal of it becoming the Grand Island Cultural Center. All are welcome to see the work underway to make that goal a reality. For more information, call 716-773-4752.

For more information about the Grand Island history weekend, contact June Crawford, chair of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, at [email protected].