Lewiston (village), New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lewiston Yehęwakwáʼthaʼ  (Tuscarora)
Village
Village of Lewiston
Flag
Location in Niagara County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Niagara
Named for	Governor Morgan Lewis
Area
• Total	1.24 sq mi (3.20 km2)
• Land	1.10 sq mi (2.84 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2)
Elevation	427 ft (130 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,531
• Density	2,307.20/sq mi (891.12/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14092
Area code(s)	716
FIPS code	36-42147
GNIS feature ID	0979146

Lewiston is a small village in Niagara County, New York, United States. About 2,500 people live here, based on the 2020 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, who was a governor of New York a long time ago. It's part of the larger Buffalo–Niagara Falls area.

The Tuscarora people, who are Native Americans, call Lewiston Yehęwakwáʼthaʼ. Lewiston is located within the larger Town of Lewiston. The Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park is right next to its southern border. In 2012, Lewiston was chosen by Rand McNally as one of the "Top Ten Best Small Towns in America."

Lewiston sits right on the Niagara River, directly across from Canada. The Niagara River cuts through a big rock formation called the Niagara Escarpment between Lewiston and Queenston, Ontario. This is where Niagara Falls began forming. Over about 12,500 years, the falls have slowly moved nearly seven miles south from Lewiston to where they are today in Niagara Falls. This movement created the seven-mile-long Niagara Gorge. Lewiston is halfway between the famous Niagara Falls and historic Fort Niagara in Youngstown. Niagara Falls is only about a ten-minute drive south. Visitors from Canada can cross the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge over the Niagara River.

Lewiston is famous for its fun summer events. These include the Lewiston Art Festival in August and the Northwest Jazz Festival later that month. The well-known Niagara County Peach Festival happens in September. Other festivals, like the Harvest and Hops Festival, take place throughout the year. Most of these events are held on or near Center Street, which is the main street of the village.

Lewiston recently won an online contest from USA Today and Rand McNally. It was named the "Best for Food" small town in America, beating many other places. Lewiston has more than 30 local restaurants and food spots, mostly on Center Street. It was also named one of the "Top Ten Best Small Towns in America" in the same contest.

Lewiston's Rich History

Early Native American Settlements

Various groups of Native American tribes lived in the Lewiston area for thousands of years. The oldest tools and items found here date back to 5000 B.C. By the 1300s, Iroquoian-speaking people lived in the area. Before the mid-1600s, these groups came together to form the Five Nations. These were the original Iroquois tribes of the Haudenosaunee in what is now New York.

In the early 1700s, the Tuscarora tribe joined them. The Tuscarora had moved from the Great Lakes area to North Carolina centuries before. In 1722, the Iroquois welcomed the Tuscarora as the Sixth Nation of their confederacy. The Tuscarora had a village here before the American Revolutionary War. They called it Yehęwakwáʼthaʼ.

During the American Revolutionary War, some Tuscarora and Oneida Iroquois groups sided with the American colonists. Others allied with the British. Those who sided with the British moved north to Ontario with Joseph Brant after the war. They are now part of the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. Those who sided with the Americans stayed in New York. The Tuscarora Nation of New York is a recognized tribe today. They have lived on a reservation in Lewiston since the early 1800s. However, in the 1950s, the government took some of their land. This was to build a reservoir for the Robert Moses Power Plant.

European Arrival and Village Founding

The Village of Lewiston was first known as The Landing. It was the first European settlement in western New York in 1720. Trading began here along the river. French explorers from Canada had visited the area as early as 1615. The village was officially recognized in 1822. It claims to be the "most historic square mile in America." It was named after Morgan Lewis, the third Governor of New York.

Lewiston became very important as Europeans developed North America. It also played a key role in the history of the United States and Canada. It was the place from which the U.S. invaded Canada in the Battle of Queenston Heights. This battle happened on October 13, 1812. It was the first big battle of the War of 1812. A special sign marks where the American soldiers crossed the Niagara River.

After the Americans lost the battle, the British attacked Lewiston in December 1813. They burned the village to the ground and killed several people. Most American soldiers ran away. But the local Tuscarora natives stayed and fought. They held off the British long enough for the remaining villagers to escape. The Historical Association built a large bronze monument to thank the Tuscaroras. It is called the Tuscarora Heroes Monument. It was revealed on December 19, 2013, which was 200 years after the attack.

Early Transportation and the Underground Railroad

The earliest recorded railway in the United States was built here in 1764. It was a wooden tramway built by John Montresor, a British military engineer. It was called "The Cradles" or "The Old Lewiston Incline." It used ropes to pull loaded carts up wooden rails. This helped move goods over the Niagara Escarpment in Lewiston.

For many African Americans escaping slavery in the 1840s and 1850s, Lewiston was a very important place. It was the last stop on the Underground Railroad before they crossed the Niagara River to freedom in Canada. Lewiston is the setting for the book, Freedom Crossing, by Margaret Goff Clark. Many schools use this book to teach students about the Underground Railroad. The Historical Association of Lewiston has a "Freedom Crossing Study Guide." They also dedicated the Freedom Crossing Monument on October 14, 2009. This large bronze monument stands on the bank of the Niagara River.

Modern Lewiston and Tourism

The Frontier House was built in 1824. For a while, it was known as the best hotel in the United States west of the Hudson River. Lewiston used to be a trading center on the Niagara River. Over time, it became a popular place for fun and vacations.

Lewiston has recently spent millions of dollars to improve its main business area. It now has brick sidewalks and old-fashioned streetlights. Its waterfront park is also being made better with more green spaces and extra parking. A new hotel has opened near the waterfront. The village has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These historic places help make the village special and were part of its main street improvements.

Tourists and visitors love to come to Lewiston, especially in the summer. They enjoy its many festivals, great restaurants, Artpark, and learning about its history. Thousands of people enjoy the Whirlpool Jet Boat ride. This ride goes through the Niagara River's Class 5 rapids. It is considered one of the top five adventure rides in North America.

Lewiston's Geography

	Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CAN	Youngstown, NY	Wilson, NY
	Queenston, Ontario, CAN		Lockport, NY
		Lewiston, NY
	Niagara Falls, Ontario, CAN	Niagara Falls, NY	Grand Island, NY

Center Street in Lewiston

Lewiston is a community located on the Niagara River. It is north of Niagara Falls. Across the river, in Ontario, Canada, is the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The famous Niagara Falls began forming between what is now Niagara-on-the-Lake and Lewiston. This happened about 12,000 years ago. Since then, the falls have moved about 7 miles (11 km) south along the river. This is because of the land slowly wearing away.

New York's historic Ridge Road starts in Lewiston. New York State Route 18F and New York State Route 18 both end here. They connect with New York State Route 104. The Niagara Scenic Parkway runs north and south along the eastern edge of the village.

Lewiston is also just 6.2 miles (10 km) from the historic Old Fort Niagara. This important site is located in Fort Niagara State Park, in the Village of Youngstown, NY. You can learn more at oldfortniagara.org.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 2,781 people living in Lewiston. There were 1,268 households, and 735 families. About 21% of households had children under 18. About 46% were married couples. Around 38% of all households were people living alone. About 18% of people living alone were 65 or older.

Important Buildings and Sites

The house at 810 Center Street, known as the Clarkson House, was one of the first buildings put up after the village was burned down during the War of 1812.

Several places in Lewiston are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites:

• Lewiston Mound
• Lower Landing Archeological District
• Frontier House

Environmental Information

Near the Village of Lewiston, within the towns of Lewiston and Porter, are two large sites that handle certain materials:

• The Chemical Waste Management Hazardous Waste Landfill. This is a site that manages specific chemical waste.
• The Lake Ontario Ordnance Works. This used to be an Army site. It contains land that has some materials from its past operations.
• The Niagara Falls Storage Site. This site contains some materials from the Manhattan Project. This project happened during World War II in Tonawanda, New York. These sites are carefully watched by government agencies.

See also

In Spanish: Lewiston (villa) para niños