Historical Association of Lewiston debuts vintage horse & carriage ride

This Historical Association of Lewiston and Lewiston Museum kicked off their new, vintage horse and carriage ride on a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon.

Volunteer coordinator Lee Simonson noted every seat was filled to capacity as “The nostalgic journey, punctuated by fascinating stops at the Lewiston Museum and the gorgeous Exquisite Garden, was met with an overwhelming positive response.”

"We ventured into the unknown, and the community's enthusiasm has exceeded our expectations,” Simonson said.

He shared a heartwarming story of a longtime village resident who visited the museum for the first time during the ride and was left “utterly amazed” by the treasures it housed.

"Our local guest was astounded to see tools that Native Americans used in Lewiston 7,000 years ago when Niagara Falls was located where the Power Project is today,” Simonson said. “Everyone loved seeing the grandfather clock that the Bartons had buried in their front yard over 200 years ago to protect it from being destroyed during the British attack in the War of 1812. Amazingly, it’s still working and you can hear chimes on the hour. Children in the museum saw rotary telephones and old typewriters and were curious how they worked. Overall, everyone had a great time."

Simonson explained HAL is “committed to refining the experience, based on feedback and practical considerations. With comfort being a high priority, future carriage rides will be limited to six passengers, down from the initial nine.”

"The change is to prevent overcrowding and enhance the overall comfort of the ride," he said.

HAL will honor reservations already made by groups larger than six.

The vintage horse and carriage rides will continue on non-festival Saturdays, June 22 and 29, July 6, 13 and 27, and Aug. 3 and 17. Departures are scheduled for noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m., commencing from in front of Deal Realty at 451 Center St.

Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling the museum at 716-754-4214. The donation for the ride is $10 per person, and $5 for children 12 and under, with each ride lasting approximately 45 minutes.

The carriage rides are provided by Scott Armison of Rushford, a seasoned horse farm operator specializing in Belgian horses. His magnificent horses, Charlie and Hercules, became instant celebrities, drawing crowds of people who enjoyed photographing and petting the friendly giants.

"The horses seemed to bask in the attention," Simonson said.

He also thanked Northwest Bank for allowing the carriage and horse trailer to use the bank’s parking lot.

“We appreciate Jackie and all the associates at Northwest for helping us with this special program,” Simonson said.

Addison Jaques, age 6, of Sanborn, meets Belgians Charlie and Hercules on Saturday during the first run of the Historical Association of Lewiston’s vintage horse and carriage rides. (Photo by Lee Simonson)