North Tonawanda, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Tonawanda
City
City of North Tonawanda
Left to right from top: Gateway Harbor, Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, Riviera Theatre
Flag
Nickname(s):  N.T.
Location in Niagara County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Niagara
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	10.89 sq mi (28.22 km2)
• Land	10.09 sq mi (26.14 km2)
• Water	0.80 sq mi (2.08 km2)
Elevation	574 ft (175 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,496
• Density	3,021.50/sq mi (1,166.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14120
Area code(s)	716
FIPS code	36-53682
GNIS feature ID	0958935

North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. In 2010, about 31,568 people lived there. It's part of the larger Buffalo–Niagara Falls area. The city gets its name from Tonawanda Creek, which forms its southern border.

The word "Tonawanda" comes from the Seneca language and means "Swift Running Water." Tonawanda Creek used to have many fast-moving parts, called rapids. These rapids were changed when the Erie Canal was built.

North Tonawanda is also known as "The Lumber City." This is because it was a very important place for transporting wood in the past. It was once the biggest port on the Great Lakes when the Erie Canal was very busy. You can still see large houses along Goundry Street that belonged to the rich lumber owners. Many local people call the city "The Jewel of Niagara County" because it's located between the Niagara River and the Erie Canal. Signs at the city's borders welcome visitors to "The Home Of The Carousel."

History of North Tonawanda

The first settlers arrived in the area around 1809. North Tonawanda became part of the town of Wheatfield, New York in 1836. It officially became a village on May 8, 1865. Later, on April 24, 1897, North Tonawanda became a city.

North Tonawanda is located on the north side of the Erie Canal and Tonawanda Creek. It is across from the city of Tonawanda and the town of Amherst. The town of Wheatfield is to its north and east. The Niagara River is its western border, and Tonawanda Creek is its southern border. North Tonawanda is the second largest city in Niagara County, after Niagara Falls, New York.

The city earned its nickname "The Lumber City" because it was a major center for lumber transportation from the mid-1800s to the 1970s. This was due to the easy access to lumber. North Tonawanda is also famous as the birthplace of the Herschell-Spillman Company/Allan Herschell Co.. This company was one of America's top makers of carousels. Today, you can visit the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum there.

In 1888, a Belgian inventor named Eugene de Kleist came to North Tonawanda. He started the North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory to make band organs. Later, in 1909, the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company took over the factory. Wurlitzer became one of the biggest musical instrument factories in the world. Many other successful businesses, like Ray H. Bennett Lumber Co. (which made kit homes), Richardson Boat, and International Paper, also had their homes in North Tonawanda.

You can visit the Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier, which is in an old Erie Railroad station from 1923. The Riviera Theater and Performing Arts Center on Webster Street is a beautiful, restored building. It hosts plays, concerts, movies, and has a special "Mighty Wurlitzer" organ that plays monthly concerts. The Ghostlight Theatre is a community theater in an old church. The former Carnegie Library is now the Carnegie Art Center, and the Buffalo Suzuki Strings Musical Arts Center is in a building designed by E. B. Green. The downtown area also has a lively arts community.

North Tonawanda has several parks for everyone to enjoy:

• Veteran's Park has monuments to U.S. Seabees and U.S. Marines.
• Gateway Harbor Park is along the Erie Canal. It hosts the yearly Canal Fest in July and free concerts.
• Gratwick-Riverside Park is a large park along the Niagara River.
• Other parks include Pine Woods Park, Mayor's Park, and the North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens, which has a boat launch.

Geography of North Tonawanda

North Tonawanda is located at 43°2′28″N 78°52′8″W / 43.04111°N 78.86889°W / 43.04111; -78.86889.

The Erie Canal forms the southern and most of the eastern borders of the city. Other parts of the eastern border include Sweeney Street and Old Falls Boulevard. Niagara Falls Boulevard (US Route 62) makes up the northeastern border. The northern border is mostly a line that runs east-west, near Ruie Road. The western edge of the city is defined by the Niagara River. Tonawanda Island, which is separated from the mainland by the Little River, is also part of the city.

Sometimes it can be tricky to know where North Tonawanda ends. This is because some parts of the towns of Wheatfield and Pendleton use the same zip code, 14120.

Buildings and Historic Places

North Tonawanda has many old mansions and a historic cemetery.

The North Tonawanda City Market started in 1908. It is the oldest farmer's market in Niagara County. It is open three days a week all year. It is busiest in the summer and early fall, when more than 70 local farmers sell their goods there.

Many buildings in the city are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. The old Wurlitzer Organ Factory is now used by different businesses.

Famous Historic Sites

Here are some of the most important historic sites in North Tonawanda:

	Site Name	Image	Location	Details
1	Riviera Theatre		67 Webster Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 20, 1980.
2	Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum		180 Thompson Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1985.
3	United States Post Office		141 Goundry Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1989.
4	Carnegie Library		249 Goundry Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 1995.
5	Dick Block		62 Webster Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 2012.
6	Herschell–Spillman Motor Company Complex		184 Sweeney Street	Added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 5, 2013.

Population and People

In 2000, about 33,262 people lived in North Tonawanda. There were about 13,671 households, and 8,981 families. Most people living in the city were White (97.86%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 1.09% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 23.7% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 38 years. The median income for a household was about $39,154.

Schools in North Tonawanda

The public schools in North Tonawanda include:

• North Tonawanda High School
• North Tonawanda Middle School
• Drake Elementary School
• North Tonawanda Intermediate School
• Spruce Elementary School
• Ohio Elementary School

Essential Services

North Tonawanda has important services for its residents:

• North Tonawanda City School District
• North Tonawanda Police Department
• North Tonawanda Public Library
• DeGraff Memorial Hospital, which is part of Kaleida Health
• North Tonawanda Fire Department: This department has both full-time firefighters and volunteers. They have five stations and several fire trucks and other vehicles.

Notable People

See also

In Spanish: North Tonawanda para niños