Forks, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forks, New York
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Forks
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Erie |
| Town | Cheektowaga |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 716 |
Forks is a small community in New York. It is called a hamlet. Forks is part of the town of Cheektowaga. This town is located in Erie County. The hamlet is surrounded by several important roads. These roads include George Urban Boulevard, Dick Road, Union Road, and Broadway Street.
History of Forks
Forks has an interesting past. It was once home to a very large structure. This structure was important for transporting coal.
The Giant Coal Trestle
Long ago, Forks was the site of a huge coal trestle. A coal trestle is like a long bridge. It is used to hold tracks for trains that carry coal. This one was over half a mile long! It was one of the biggest in the United States. Workers built it in the 1880s. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in the 1920s.
The Forks Hotel
The Forks Hotel was a famous building on Broadway Street. It was built in 1853. This was when a new train line was being built. The line was called the Attica & Buffalo Railroad. The hotel building was used for many things. It was a hotel, a train station, and even a post office. It also had a bar.
In 1958, a local magician named Eddie Fechter bought the hotel. He turned it into a special place for magic shows. People came from all over to see his tricks. Eddie Fechter passed away in the late 1970s. The hotel was sold, but the magic shows continued. Unfortunately, a fire damaged the building in 1998. It was torn down in 2003.
