Town Historian

The Town Historian’s Office maintains a vast collection of significant historical information and documents related to the Town of Niagara which was formed in 1812.

The Town Historian’s Office is open by appointment 

DO YOU REMEMBER THESE

coins from the Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1962?

Click Here to view Coins

Click Here to view Flyer

The wooden nickel and the gold 50 cent piece were legal tender at certain establishments during the weeklong celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the founding of the Town of Niagara in 1962. I am trying to determine how much these coins cost the recipient and where they were accepted as real money at that time. There was a flyer that businesses had in their window if they accepted the money.

If you have any information that could help us solve this mystery, please call Pete Ames (Town of Niagara historian) at 716-297-4429.

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What’s in the Archives

The Town of Niagara Historian’s Office is currently preparing detailed listings of items in the archives. The inventory will be added as a link to this page once it becomes available.

Contents of the Town of Niagara Historian’s Office include:
• Subject files – with files related to businesses, civic clubs, organizations, etc.

• Obituary files – 1,000s of obits of former residents since the 1980s have been printed out and filed in binders alphabetically by surname and then given name. Digital copies have been archived since April 2016 and can be emailed.

• Birth, Marriage, and Death records – Town Clerks office retains those

• Cemetery records – The original records for Witmer Cemetery are gone. Headstone reading, maps, and information gathered over the years are available. Currently working on a database to catalog information as it becomes available. Some other cemeteries in the area have been digitized, and the historian can help with those.

• General historical reference books – State, County and Local, People and Military.

• Scrapbooks – 2016-current that contain Town of Niagara news and events

• Town of Niagara Officals – 1812 to present Justices; Highway; Council; Clerks; Supervisors

• Town of Niagara board meeting minutes– ledgers from 1812 to 1939

• U.S. Census – data from 1810 to 1910 printed out and stored in binders. Both federal and state censuses are available. Some are indexed, some are not.

• Family group files – files on 100s of Town of Niagara residents.

• Photographs – very few photos in the collection.

• School pictures – Student/Classroom pictures-some identified, some not.

• Tax Assessment records – from 1819 up through 1960

• Maps – Periodic development maps, and atlases. Town and Niagara County.

• Computer resources – There is an ongoing effort to index and digitize many of the Historian’s Office records. The system can be used to assist in information searches.

A Note About Genealogical Research: The research library, including cemetery listings, obituaries and family files, is available for visitors to conduct their own genealogical research. We are happy to assist you conduct your research and locate files, however due to limited resources and personnel we are unable to conduct extensive genealogical research for you beyond looking up a name or two. We appreciate your understanding.