Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Busti Avenue Lighthouse

Range Light located at Busti & Niagara Street

Courier Express  November 17 1931
   Demolition of two old lighthouses which have outlived their usefulness has begun in Buffalo yesterday. One located at Niagara Street and Busti Avenue, is known as the Upper Range, and the other on the bird Island Pier near the foot of Massachusetts Ave., is called the Lower Range.
  The Houses were erected around 1885, and were used to expedite the passage of lumber carrying craft through what was known as the Niagara Channel in the river. They have not been employed for that purpose since the Black Rock Channel, a short cut between Tonawanda and Buffalo, was built two years ago(1929). The Strawberry Island and Grand Island lights now are used to guide navigation. The lighthouses were well known marks both to rivermen and motorists. They will be dismantled within two months.
    The 52 foot high Busti Street Range Light when dismantled, was transported by barge over to Grand Island by brothers Frank and Charles Fix. Before the completion of the Grand Island bridges in 1935, access to the island was by public ferry or private boat. The Fix brothers owned the Bedell House on Grand Island and most of the excursion and ferry boats running between the island and the mainland.
  They were reputed "rum barons" of the Niagara Frontier;  one time fish pirates; owners of a score of boats, including two submarine chasers, a speedy motor craft and a $65,000 steel ferry. 
   The Fix family later sold the Lighthouse to Mike Steffen, who used it as a trophy room adjacent to his house. The Steffen property and lighthouse were later incorporated into the grounds of The Buffalo Launch Club on Grand Island, where it stands today. Club members in the late 1990s completely refurbished its exterior. (see picture at bottom)

The Lower Range Light on the Bird Island Pier opposite the 
Old Water Intake ~ photo from the Buffalo History Gazette collection circa 1905

The Upper Range Light formally at Busti and Niagara Street,
as it looks today at the Buffalo Launch Club on Grand Island

See Related Story: 'Fix'ing the Volstead Act on Grand Island

Also See: The Niagara River Rear Range Lighthouse


Saturday, July 23, 2011

So Who Was, Hertel Avenue?

Courier Express ~ February 26 1939
   Hertel Avenue stretches from Niagara Street to Main Street across North Buffalo for four miles. It is named for John Stephen Hertel, former county supervisor from the old twelfth ward, one of three owners of the tract of land, now Riverside Park, and founder of the Black Rock Businessmen's Association, the first local organization for businessmen. 
   When John Stephen Hertel opened a hotel at Hertel Ave. (then Bird St.) and Niagara St. in the 1870's, the avenue that bears his name extended only from Niagara Street to Military Road. When the Niagara horse car line was extended to Hertel he ran out of his hotel, to ride the first horse car to pass his place.
Bird Street ~ Later Hertel Ave.
  Born in Edesheim Germany, he came to Black Rock with his parents at the age of two years. He attended the St. Francis School and learned the cooper trade. Through brewers and distillers for whom he made barrels, he became interested in the hotel business, and his first independent venture was his hotel at Hertel and Niagara Street. He made good in it, and later in partnership with John J. Esser and Frank Argus, Mr. Hertel bought what was known as Germania Park, and opened a Hotel there. That tract, bought by the City of Buffalo, became Riverside Park. After selling Germania Park, Mr. Hertel withdrew from the hotel business. With his partner John J. Esser, he entered the coal and wood business at Niagara and Farmer Streets, and also established the Tonawanda Street Planing Mill, at Tonawanda and Arthur Streets.
  Mr. Hertel's interest included directorship in the Erie County Insurance Co., one of the city's earliest insurance firms, and extensive real estate holdings. His property included most of the land now occupied by Peoria and Hartman Streets. He was instrumental in subdividing both streets, and named the latter for the family of his wife, who was before marriage Anna S. Hartman, of Rochester. 
John S. Hertel II
   A lifelong democrat, he was active in local politics and was nominated for Congress. His campaign was creditable, though unsuccessful. The large home at 362 Dearborn Street, where John S. Hertel lived for many years, is occupied by three members of his family, his son John Stephen Hertel II; his daughter, Mrs. Francis Healy, and his grandson John Hertel Healy.
   John Stephen Hertel died in 1917. Something of his initiative and self-confidence was inherited by his son and namesake John Stephen Hertel II.  After 20 years absence from Buffalo he returned to his home town in 1931, the gloomiest year of the depression, and went into business for himself.  Born on the street named for his father, he was educated at Canisius High School.  He learned the plumbers trade, and operated his own business, The John S. Hertel Plumbing Co., and had a hand in the construction of the country's largest and best known buildings, in New York, Chicago, and other principle cities of the Eastern and Midwestern states. He died in 1970.
The following added courtesy of an anonymous contributor.
     John Hertel's 'Hotel' at 2078 Niagara Street is found in old city directories as far back as 1868, It changed hands a few times, notably with Joseph and Lillian McVan around 1922. Joseph passed in 1932, Lillian continued to run the place right up to 1963 when she sold it to former mayor Pankow; he didn't hang on to it very long, selling it to Joseph Terrose in 1966 for its final couple decades as McVan's.


Hertel Avenue As It Is - 1887

Old House On Hertel Avenue, Near Colvin Street
   Buffalo Express April 3, 1887 The public-spirited citizen of Buffalo in these days finds many questions, touching the prosperity of this city, well worth careful consideration.  One of them is building a sewer through Hertel Ave.  This avenue is nearly four miles long, and runs from the Niagara River at lower Black Rock across the extreme northern side of the city, to Main Street.  For the greater part of its length it is a country road.  The land through which it runs is largely held by land associations and others who anticipate a rapid development of the section as a residence neighborhood. 
Hertel Avenue, Buffalo -- Near Cornelius Creek
  These property holders are of course eager for improvements, and claim that many would follow the construction of the desired sewer, concerning which THE EXPRESS has said: "It is difficult to present any good reason for building the proposed sewer. No truthful man in his senses will maintain that the sewer is needed now, or likely to be needed many years to come. It's only present use would be to create a demand for outlying farm lands cut up into city lots, and that is only a personal and local reason which should have no weight whatever with the Legislature. The business of the Senate and the Assembly is to legislate for the public interest--and not for individual.  The proposed law to bond the City in order to make this local  improvement, which is not even needed, would be special legislation of the most glaring character."
Hertel Avenue Looking Through the Erie Trestle
  The accompanying illustrations well show the character and scenery of the Hertel Avenue District.  The old stone house, shown in the first picture, stands at the head of Colvin Street, and is uninhabited. The lintel over the front door bears a remarkable inscription in what appears to be misspelled Dutch, as follows: 18 { MACH - TAILENA - PEOHL - W } 45  The members of the Historical Society or any local archeologist who can render this into intelligible English, and concoct a theory to go with it will deserve the renown given by Dickens to the Pickwick Club. The interpretation may be "Magdalena Pfohl", or it may not. The reader may formulate a better translation if he can. The third illustration gives a view on Hertel Avenue, looking through the Erie Trestle near Cornelius Creek.

Editors Note:  Of course we all know now what Hertel Avenue has become, one of the most vibrant and active thoroughfares in Buffalo. But in 1887 it's potential was not as easily recognized, at least not by the Editors of the BUFFALO EXPRESS anyway.



Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Fitch Crèche of Buffalo

The Upper Crèche and Pound
  The Fitch Crèche, nationally recognized as the first day care center for the children of working women in the United States, one which would serve as a model to be emulated by other American cities.  It was the first to implement a Froebel Kindergarten in the U.S.  
   Maria M. Love was a prominent Buffalonian and social services pioneer. In 1881, she established the Fitch Crèche, at 159 Swan Street in Buffalo, near the corner of Michigan Avenue. Ms. Love founded the Fitch Crèche, after a trip to France where she became aware of the plight of children of working mothers.  The building was a dry goods store that was owned by Benjamin Fitch, a native Buffalonian who donated this building for use by the Crèche which formally opened January 6, 1881. By 1881, Mr. Fitch was a wealthy New York City philanthropist.
   The Fitch Crèche, was formed under the auspices of the Charity Organization Society of Buffalo, the first organization of its type in the United States. Buffalo adopted the London method of organized charities in 1877. The first charity organization societies were created to re-organize the public and private charities that had proliferated during the depression of the 1870s. Many charity leaders were disturbed by what they saw as an inefficient and chaotic array of urban philanthropy. The charity organization movement broke from earlier traditions by avoiding the dispensation of direct relief.  
  Harpers New Monthly 1885 - "Think of having to take care of 20,000 babies! This is what the Fitch Crèche has done since 1879. This public cradle is the most interesting charity in Buffalo, because the most unique. Founded on the model of the London Day Nursery to care for little children whose mothers earn their support as char-women, it has so far outstripped it's progenitor as to be called the model crèche of the world."  The following descriptions of the Fitch Crèche, are excerpts taken from the "Proceedings of Charities and Correction at the thirteenth annual session held in St. Paul, Minn." July 15-22, 1886, written by Nathaniel S. Rosenau.  
        When we realize the truth of Victor Hugo's words, "All the vagabondage of the world begins in neglected childhood" we will also realize that the beginning of work for the actual prevention of pauperism lies among the children.  To Build up in them ideas of order, of cleanliness, and of thrift; to save them from the neglect of squalid homes; to keep them from the highways and the gutters; and above all, to remove from their lives the taint of beggary, the disgrace of municipal relief, which in the light of modern experience, is a moral disease, more contagious than any known to medicine,---is to build a future generation, self-reliant, cleanly, and thrifty, which will not require alms, which will not need Charity Organization Societies, which will travel the road paved for it in it's younger days,--the road to independent citizenship.   To these ends, the crèche  and the labor bureau are all important factors. We, in Buffalo, are satisfied that no other charities have helped so far toward their consummation.
    "We charge a daily fee of 5 cents for each child, which the matron is permitted to remit when she thinks circumstances warrant. The fees collected during 1885 amounted to $296.60.  This fee is asked for two reasons: first to eliminate, so far as possible, any idea that permission to leave a child at the crèche is a charity; second as a preventative measure to keep a mother from bringing her child unless she has work for the day.      The Fitch Crèche is a building of four stories. In the basement are the matron's office, kitchen,— connected by a dumb waiter with the floors above,— laundry, reception-room for children, a small dining-room for the help, closets, and store-rooms. The entire second floor is devoted to the children. On it are a large schoolroom, a play-room, dormitory, bath-room, wardrobe, dining-room, closet, and water-closets. The third floor constitutes the infants' department, and consists of a nursery, dormitory, bath-room, closet, and water-closets. The fourth floor is given up to the infirmary and sleeping-rooms for the help. 
   The dormitories are furnished with iron cribs, each provided with a hair mattress, a feather pillow, a rubber sheet, two cotton sheets, a blanket, and a counterpane. The nursery has swinging iron cradles on fixed standards, which are provided with muslin curtains in addition to the bedding of the cribs. The nursery is also provided with a pound, a portion of the floor about five by six feet, enclosed by a stout wooden railing and carpeted with a soft quilt, in which the infants are placed when awake, to roll about as much as they please, secure from harm.
Dining in The Crèch
      A price of fifteen dollars was placed on each crib and cradle; and many were taken by individual ladies and small clubs, who then furnished them. Each is named after some flower, whose representation hangs on the wall above it; and many sets of bedding are embroidered with the names or representations of the designating blossoms.  Each bath-room contains three small stationary bath-tubs, with hot and cold water faucets. A row of numbered hooks extends around the room, one belonging to each child, on each of which hang a towel, comb, and wash-rag or sponge, which are used only for the child to whom the hook belongs.
     The ventilated closets are connected with an air-shaft, through which a current of fresh air passes continually, thoroughly airing anything that may be hanging in them.  The infirmary is a cheerful room, in an isolated position, which is always ready for a child which may become ill suddenly, and whom it will not be safe to move. But thus far, fortunately, we have not been called upon to use it. The crèche is ready for the child at seven o'clock in the morning. The little one is brought into the reception room where it is taken from the mother by a kind nurse. It goes to the bath-room, where it's clothing is entirely removed and hung in a ventilated closet.  A bath follows, after which the uniform of the creche is donned; and the child finds it's way to the play-room, where there are plenty of toys for it's amusement. Breakfast is ready at 8 o'clock; and play follows until nine, when the cheerful good morning of the kindergartner calls the little one to to more serious yet very pleasant occupations.  At 11 o'clock dinner is served, and then the kindergarten again until one.  Then there is a romp in the open air, if the weather permits, and a nap, if the little head be tired.  At four o'clock, after face and hands have been washed, supper is eaten, when the little one is dressed to  wait the coming of mother, brother, or sister, to take it to it's home.
Fitch Crèche Children with Nursery Maid
     We take particular pride in the fact that, owing to scrupulous medical examinations and the great care in handling the children, though our total number of admissions now exceeds thirty thousand, we have not had a single serious epidemic of zymotic disease. The results obtained from the creche, aside from the greatest of all, ---making mothers independent of alms,---are many.   
   Cleanliness, insisted upon from the beginning, soon becomes second nature to the child, and from the child is not long spreading to the home. Good, wholesome food, and plenty of  it, has many times redeemed from ill health and apparent early death some little child, puny and weak from insufficient nourishment. Association with many children has cured morbid dispositions; and care on the part of the nurses has created good manners, orderly natures, and self-reliance, and supressed quarrelsome dispositions.  These results are apparent in a most cursory examination of the children, and they demonstrate, beyond question, the usefulness of what frequently is called " the best charity in Buffalo".  To this proud position, it has strong claims; for not only is it an important factor in suppressing pauperism, but  also preventing an appearance in future generations.
Fitch Crèche a Couple of Years Before Demolition 
to Expand a PARKING LOT! 1990's 
   The Labor Bureau:  But,  if we provide a place for the children, it is extremely necessary that the mothers, unable to find work for themselves, should be provided with employment that will enable them to earn a livelihood.  For this purpose we established our labor bureau.  Applications for washer women, house-cleaners and laundresses, are received at our offices of the society and the creche by mail, telephone or in person, and are supplied by the employees in charge with women according to their needs.  So far as the women are concerned this plan worked well.

Front of  Crèche
Editors Note:  Buffalo over the years, always clamoring for tourism and attractions, has been notorious for allowing destruction of historic structures and thus eliminating tourism dollars in the process.  Even beyond dollars, just the pride in presenting our beautiful history and architecture to those outside our local area who come here for conventions, showing them that we have respect for our heritage. The Fitch Crèche was the first day care center for the children of working women in the United States and the second in the World! It would have been incredible to be able to recreate the Fitch Crèche, a museum not only to that, but Maria M. Love and "The Charity Organization Society" of Buffalo, also the first in America! Also a place to raise money for the Maria M. Love Convalescent Fund. It was demolished to expand a parking lot by a few spaces! Thank You demolitionists of Buffalo, you scored another hit. Tourists, you can park here, and tour our beautiful historic parking lots.


   Please support the Marie M. Love Convalescent Fund.    

Donate Today at http://www.marialovefund.org/


Thank You

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