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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
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History of Ker
Erie County, New
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1
Mernov Lewis
29 Semerton Avenue Kenmore , New York .
January 19, 1931
IRM ( Kenmore) Parkhurst
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofkenmore00park
History of Kenmore
Erie County, New York
1926
AGE
CORPORA ATE
NC
ORE
SEAL
1899
NEW YORK
Frederick S. Parkhurst, Ph. D. Local Historian
YORK PURI.
ASTOR LENTI
Home of L. P. A. Eberhardt, Kenmore pioneer, at Delaware and West Hazeltine Avenues, now home of Y. W. C. A. Duplicate of this, built by F. B. Eberhardt, now occupied by Wheel Chair Home, at Delaware and Kenmore Avenues.
INTRODUCTION
The importance of recording events that take place in the world cannot be overestimated. Whether these events are of interest to the world at large, or to a particular country or community matters not. As time goes by such chronicles be- come increasingly valuable.
Although the United States is comparatively a new coun- try, the veil of obscurity still covers many events that took place even less than a hundred years ago, because there was no local historian at hand to record them, or their passing character was considered insignificant. The biographical, his- torical, and geographical sections of our public libraries are being increasingly patronized as our nation grows older. Priv- ate libraries and correspondence often yield rich nuggets of fact; and no sooner does an octogenarian pass away, than newspapers, magazines, and historians bid high for the treas- ure of even a diary, if one has been kept, of passing events, or recollections of noted people. Thus local chronicles ofttimes become of world wide interest.
The placing of memorial tablets, markers, and monuments is no less important. "Remove not the ancient landmark", advised the wise man of old; but "Place a Marker" is equally wise advice in our own times, as the old gives place to the new. We stand with head uncovered at Lincoln's birthplace; yet who, at the time of his appearing would have forecast its later momentous interest to the world. A visitor from the far west stood enchanted as he read the inscription on the marker placed on the wall of a high business block at the corner of Pearl Street and W. Swan Street, which indicates the spot where stood the first school house in Buffalo, built in 1807-1808, and destroyed December 30th, 1813, at the burning of the vil- lage by the British. His grandfather attended the school.
Monuments erected to the memory of those who fell in the world war will a hundred years from now, fascinate the on- looker, as do those erected by our forefathers of Revolutionary times entrance us.
The village of Kenmore is of recent growth; yet it is aston- ishing how few persons now living can recall its earliest settle-
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ment. We are dependent upon scrap books, the files of Buffalo newspapers, and the uncertain memory of a small number yet living who built their homes in "the new suburb on the north", as Kenmore was called by Buffalonians in 1889.
There was little or no pioneering connected with the found- ing of Kenmore in the strict sense of the word; although incon- venience and hardship were not wanting in many instances, while homes were being built and public utilities introduced. A large city was near at hand, and farm houses within sight relieving a sense of isolation. And yet, many things were en- dured and experienced that would seem like great deprivation to the younger generation, so rapid has been our growth and progress in modern advantages.
Kenmore is now assuming the proportions of a small city. Our population is increasing rapidly. Recent years have brought phenomenal changes. Very few new residents know anything about the early days in Kenmore, and those who have lived through the development of the village will be equally interested in the story of Buffalo's most beautiful and progres- sive suburb.
Fred'k S. Parkhurst, Ph. D.
Local Historian appointed by The University of the State of New York, September 1st, 1919
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VILLAGE OF KENMORE
VILLAGE OFFICERS-1926.
PRESIDENT-Roy R. Brockett.
TRUSTEE-Charles J. J. Seaman.
TRUSTEE-Herman C. Jordan.
TRUSTEE-Justin Trabert.
TRUSTEE-Willis H. Hall. CLERK-Walter Ducker.
RECEIVER OF TAXES-Charles L. Lowell.
ATTORNEYS-Blackmon & Moore.
ENGINEER-Vernon Eager.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS-Henry Schunk.
VILLAGE GOVERNMENT
Kenmore is a village incorporated under the general village law of the state. Its law-making body is a board of trustees, consisting of a president elected for one year and four trustees elected for two years. Two trustees are chosen each year with the president. The annual election is the third Tuesday in March. The board is empowered to pass ordinances and en- force them, but its general powers are prescribed by the State law. It appoints police officers, superintendent of public works, clerk, attorney, engineer, building and plumbing inspector and other employes. It acts as a board of assessors and as a board of election inspectors.
Under a special act of the Legislature in 1917, the office of receiver of taxes and assessments was created, to take the place of the village treasurer. This officer collects all taxes and gas and water bills, and pays out moneys on warrant of the village board.
POLICE PROTECTION
Patrolmen on duty at all hours, covering all streets of village on motorcycles. Special officer stationed at school house cross- sing at Delaware and Knowlton avenues for protection of chil- dren. Police force comprises: Clarence E. Yochum, chief; Harry Brounshidle, Thomas DeGuehrey, desk lieutenants; Alfred Bleyle, Edward Schultz, Miner F. Wildey, Frank V. Schultz, Carlyle Johnston, Archibald Kirkwood, patrolmen; constables and special officers appointed by village board.
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FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
Paid fire department, with three motor trucks and men on duty at all hours. Volunteer department, members of which respond to alarms. Siren blows and bell in fire hall rings in re- sponse to alarms sent in from street boxes. Officers of volunteer department for 1926: Chief, Fred Spear; first assistant chief, Ray Kirsch; second assistant chief, Bruce Miller; Walter Ducker, secretary-treasurer; wardens, Henry Schunk, Charles Weiss, Thomas Costello, Charles Michaels, Roscoe L. Rosser. Fire hall Delaware Avenue between Warren and Euclid.
POSTAL SERVICE
Two carrier deliveries a day from the Hertel Station, Buffalo. Two collections daily from street boxes. Sub-station for for sale of stamps, registering and recieving parcel post matter, 2809 Delaware avenue, Mary D. Connolly, agent.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Village board is the board of health, with a appointed registrar. Roscoe L. Rosser, registrar, Dr. E. R. Linklater, health officer, residence 2770 Delaware avenue.
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
The public schools are a charge upon the school district, No. 1, which comprises all the village of Kenmore and part of the town of Tonawanda. The school board of five members is elected by the people of the district at the annual meeting. The taxes are levied annually upon the property in the district, based upon the assessed valuations as fixed by the town board of assessors. The board chooses its secretary and treasurer and it has full powers in the conduct of the schools, under supervision of the State Department of Edu- cation. The budget is submitted to the people at the annual meeting. Bond issues must be approved by the people.
The school board of District No. 1 comprises: Frank C. Greutker, president; Willis E. Elliott, Mrs. E. R. Linklater, William W. Whitelock and Frederick Whelpley. Kenneth O. Irvin is secretary-treasurer. Frank C. Densberger is super- intendent of schools, Roy G. Freeman principal of the high school and C. M. Gould principal of Washington grammar school, Mrs. Tillie W. Hausauer, Lincoln Elementary School.
By order of the State commissioner of education, issued in
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2
patron)
November, 1925, school districts Nos. 1, 3 and 4 were consoli- dated, effective August 1, 1926.
SCHOOL STATISTICS JUNE 1ST, 1926
Washington Elem. Echool Teachers 30 Lincoln Elem. School Teachers 10 Ellwood Elem. School Teachers 1 Junior-Senior High School Teachers 35
Pupils 927
Pupils 251
Pupils
27
Pupils 582 Total 1787
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"The New Suburb on the North"
History of Kenmore 1889 - 1899
CHAPTER ONE Settlement and Early History
SETTLEMENT
The Village of Kenmore, in the Town of Tonawanda, Erie County, N. Y., "the fastest growing residential community in the country", and "The center of the Niagara Frontier Indus- trial District", was first settled in the spring of 1889.
Louis P. A. Eberhardt, who is fondly called "Daddy Eber- hardt", was the original pioneer and realtor. He built the first house during the winter of 1888-9 on the site now occu- pied by his real estate office No. 2749 Delaware Avenue; it was burned down in March 1894.
FIRST HOUSE
The next house built by Mr. Eberhardt was the brown stone house on Delaware Avenue now occupied, with the frame on W. Hazeltine Avenue by the Y. W. C. A. The other brown stone house at the corner of Delaware and Kenmore Avenues was built at the same time by Fred B. Eberhardt and is now occupied by the Wheel Chair Home. These durable and hand- some twin structures have long stood as sentinels at the ap- proach to our village from Buffalo, admired by all and pro- phetic of Kenmore's stability and future prosperity. The second house built in Kenmore was the residence of Myron A. Phelps, still standing on the original site at 2798 Delaware Avenue corner of Tremaine, now owned and occupied by Harrison H. Bury. Other houses were soon built, and the foresight and enterprise of the first settlers was readily admitted. In 1890 nearly three hundred people lived in the village. It requires some stretch of the imagination to visualize the awful roads, absence of sidewalks, lack of lighting, dearth of potable water, and other inconveniences in the newly settled village. The beautiful and busy thoroughfare which is now, next to Main Street, Buffalo, the main artery of traffic north and south was, at that time, an ordinary dirt road. All around Kenmore were fields of clay soil, none too fertile for farming, with a few scat- tered farm houses in the Township of Tonawanda in which the growing village is situated.
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First home built in Kenmore, at Delaware and Tremaine Avenues, by Myron A. Phelps, first village president.
NAME
It was proposed calling the village "Eberhardt"; but firmly and modestly Mr. Eberhardt said, "No, they might nickname it 'Dutchtown'." But the real reason was Mr. Eberhardt's aver- sion to personal publicity and display. The Erie Railroad was building a station at this time in the north-east section of Buffalo near Main Street and had chosen the name "Kenmore", but the alert Mr. Eberhardt with an ear for euphony, appro- priated the name for the fast growing community and the name "Kensington" was attached to the Erie Station. A sign bearing the name "KENMORE" was placed at the intersection of Dela- ware and Kenmore Avenues, where all who ran might read. There are several places called Kenmore in the United States, notably Kenmore in Fairfax County, Va., the home of Wash- ington's sister, and a village in Ohio. Probably both these places, our own village, and other places so named, took their name from a small island on the south-west coast of Ireland; or from a village in Scotland, each of which bears the name of Kenmore.
EARLY SETTLERS
Among those who were first attracted to Kenmore as a desirable place of residence and the location for a village were Louis P. A. Eberhardt, Fred B. Eberhardt, Myron A. Phelps, A. B. Crary, O. K. Horning, A. W. Olmstead, A. B. Floyd, G. W. Peck, John A. Miller, F. W. Drake, L. L. Briggs, Ephraim Funk, Frank Stillwell, John J. Bernd, Virgil M. Hunter, Henry Tremaine, C. M. Aiken, Arthur Hall, Andrew Frank, Jabesh Harris, J. B. Zimmerman, and others. Among those living in the town of Tonawanda at the time Kenmore was founded, and not far from the Buffalo city line, were John Winter, Henry Winter, Jacob Busch, John Bleyle, Fred Bleyle, Fred Ebling, Isadore Keller, Frank Mang, Isadore Mang, and others.
TRANSPORTATION
Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, was paved as far north as Forest Avenue. From that point to Kenmore there was an ordinary country road which was badly drifted with snow in winter, and covered with alternate dust and mud in summer. The peo- ple who ride through the well paved streets of our village, or walk along our shady avenues little realize the problems of transportation in the village in 1889.
The Kenmore omnibus line started in December making regular trips between Belt Line station on Delaware Avenue
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and Kenmore. Passengers were carried free of charge as an inducement to home-seekers, and fifty or more people made the trip daily. There was no shelter in inclement weather at the Buffalo end of the line. A petition signed by eighty men and women residents of Kenmore was sent to the Sup't of the N. Y. Central Railroad asking for a station, if nothing but an old box car.
THE WHITE HOUSE
The "White House" familiar to the early settlers in Ken- more was the Ackerman farm house situated on the north-east corner of Delaware and Kenmore Avenues on a seventy-four acre farm. Near the house was a fine well of water sixty feet deep. This was the "Village Pump"; and from it the residents secured plenty of clear, cold water. The "White House" was later removed giving place to a more modern dwelling. A part of it was moved so as to face East Hazeltine Avenue and was made over into a two family flat by William Rowland, and is still standing at 17 East Hazeltine Avenue. The "White House" served a beneficent purpose in its day. It was the only hostelry where transients could find a night's lodging, and those wait- ing for houses to be built could find accommodation. It was also used for the first social, and religious meetings in the new village.
STORES
The first store to supply the people of Kenmore with gro- ceries and "Yankee Notions" was opened in the building now standing on the south-east corner of Kenmore Avenue (No. 1412-1420) and Toledo Place, on the Buffalo side of the line. It has been used for mercantile purposes as late as 1916, and is now a two family flat. The first drug store to meet the needs of Kenmore residents was commenced in April and opened for business in June 1894. The building still remains on the south- east corner of Delaware Avenue (No. 2660) and Sessions Street Buffalo, and is used as a store and residence. Dr. R. S. Ham- bleton was the proprietor. The first store within the present village limits was kept by John Johnson, and afterwards by F. B. Fulton, in 1897 ; and still later by D. A. Phelps. It is now occupied by H. H. Bury, Furniture and Undertaking, No. 2838 Delaware Avenue. Mr. Bury has the double distinction of living in the oldest house and trading in the oldest store in Kenmore.
"TOWN MEETINGS"
The first joint meetings of the Town Board of Tonawanda.
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and the officials of the village were held in the rear of the old Presbyterian Church which stood on the site of the present new structure. On the south-east corner of Delaware and Hertel Avenues stood an old log house in which a Sunday School was conducted by the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Buffalo. Both children and "grown ups" attended religious services there before there were any churches in Kenmore.
POST OFFICE
As late as 1918 Kenmore was facetiously described as, "A place of 5000 population, without a Post Office, Railway Sta- tion, Hotel, or Express Office". Many a "Four Corners" of 300 people in the rural districts have these advantages, and al- though the proximity of Buffalo supplies all these needs, yet the name of "Kenmore" N. Y. does not appear in the U. S. Does. Postal guide. That it is due our large and busy village none / + 4, can deny. The conditions required by the proper authorities Le He will soon be met however. Kenmore had a Post Office for a ... number of years. It was first established February 28th, 1891. here L. P. A. Eberhardt received the appointment as Post Master. Leifla The salary was $200 a year. Dreams of a Federal Building (red were dreamed in those by-gone days. All dreams do not come dar to pass; and many come true long years afterward. The vision is may yet be fulfilled. Mr. Eberhardt's successors in office were posta as follows-
Wellington B. Tanner, May 25th, 1896
Francis B. Fulton, Jan. 17th, 1898
Aaron Lamont, July 30th, 1907 Henry Tremaine, July 26th, 1910 Stephen R. Williams, July 25th, 1913
Henry J. Ebling, (Acting) Nov. 23rd, 1917 Discontinuance effective, March 31st, 1918
After the latter date Kenmore's mail was delivered by car- riers from Station H., Buffalo, and later from Hertel Station, Buffalo. Sub-station No. 12 is maintained for the sale of stamps, registration and parcel post at 2809 Delaware Avenue.
LAND VALUES
In striking contrast with the prevailing prices of real estate in 1924-1926 were those of 1888. In the latter year "West Bros. of Syracuse, N.Y. sold to Eberhardt and Sanborn through Phelps & Barnes, twenty-five acres on the west side of Dela- ware Avenue for $300 an acre." Eight acres located 800 feet east of Delaware Avenue on Villa Avenue sold for
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$21,700. The Myron A. Phelps residence on the corner of Delaware and Tremaine Avenue cost $4500. The Herbert A. Zimmerman house No. 2808 Delaware Avenue, cost about $8000. The estimated cost of the Fred B. Eberhardt Medina sandstone residence erected in 1893 was $15,000. Very desir- able lots just off Delaware Avenue on any of the side streets could be bought for $250.
GAS WELL
In 1890 the "Kenmore Oil, Natural Gas, and Fuel Com- pany, Limited" was organized. Capitalization $2500 to be increased if the venture was successful. A test well was drilled on the Park Land Company property on Kenmore Avenue near Myron Avenue At a depth of 736 feet a rich vein of gas was struck at 500 lbs pressure. Such was the force of the escaping gas that it could be heard a mile or more away. The gas was piped to several dwellings for fuel. To properly finish the well as a producer it was "Shot" with Nitro-Glycerine. Many were of the opinion that it was "Overshot" as the flow there- after greatly diminished. A. B. Crary, now living at No. 1337 Kenmore Avenue bought the lot on which the well was located for $500. After all the years since this venture was made, the well is still producing gas which is used by Mr. Crary in his kitchen stove. The well may still be seen, covered by a small shanty, padlocked, in the rear of 1303 Kenmore Avenue and rear of Mr. William Dicks residence 10 Myron Avenue. The officers of the Company were M. A. Phelps, Pres; S. J. Dark, Vice Pres; W. F. Strasmere, Sec'y ; L. P. A. Eberhardt, Treas. The geologists were right. While there can be no doubt that natural gas exists in Kenmore and Tonawanda, the quantity is not enough to pay for development.
THE OMNIBUS
During the fall of 1891 the first trip of the new omnibus was made to Buffalo, when about a dozen people went to a re- vival meeting at the Emanuel Baptist Church in Rhode Island Street. Building lots advanced $2 and $3 a front foot and the village took on a lively aspect. A. B. Crary broke ground for his new house on Kenmore Avenue, and O. K. Horning moved into his new house on the same street. A building boom was now on. Among the interesting events of the winter "Mr. L. P. A. Eberhardt gave a Euchre Party in honor of his brother Fred."
CHURCH BUILDING
The religious and social life of the village kept pace with
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the building development. On September 22nd, 1892 the cor- ner stone of the Methodist Episcopal Church was laid with in- teresting ceremonies. Ground was broken for the Jabesh Harris residence still standing at 2771 Delaware Avenue and occupied as the Kenmore Tea Room. Mr. Harris died soon after moving into his new home. The Rev. George Marsh one of Kenmore's earliest and most influential ministers delivered a temperance lecture illustrated with stereopticon views. Rev. Mr. Marsh was the pastor of the Presbyterian congregation. Mrs. A. Frank sold her house on Sanborn Avenue (now LaSalle Ave) to the Westminister Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, which stood sponsor for the local society, for a parsonage, and a box social was held for the benefit of the organ fund. A petition was circulated to pave Delaware Avenue with asphalt.
ELECTRIC RAILWAY
Prospects of an electric railway enlivened the village as carloads of material were unloaded at the Lackawanna switch on Delaware Avenue in the spring of 1893. The streets pre- sented a lively appearance during the summer. More than a hundred workmen were engaged in laying the tracks of the Kenmore & Tonawanda Electric Railway through the village. The track was laid before Delaware Avenue was paved, at the rate of 500 feet a day. The route to Buffalo was by way of West Kenmore Avenue on the Kenmore side of the city line to Military Road, and Grant Street. The service was every twenty minutes. After the line was completed, Delaware Avenue was paved with vitrified brick through the village and town to city of Tonawanda. This outlet for traffic to and from Buffalo was a great promoter and speeded up the building of more houses.
A subscription was circulated to connect the village with Buffalo by telephone. A sewer was laid for a distance of one mile north of the Buffalo city line. The crying need at this time was for a water system. The Buffalo water mains in Dela- ware Avenue were completed to the City Line in September. The people of Kenmore said, "Why not extend a six inch main 1000 feet further north and give us service?" it was an easy thing to ask questions, but to obtain service from a separate municipality was a difficult matter.
TELEPHONE OFFICE
Telephones had been in common use for many years before Kenmore enjoyed the advantage. Enough subscribers were
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secured however in 1894 and an office was opened for public use and came at once into general use by the business men. The village was now growing so rapidly that eight families lived in four houses waiting for new homes to be finished. Evidently the "Speed Mania" existed even at this seemingly distant day. Senator Coggeshall introduced a bill in the State Legislature limiting the speed of trolley cars to "six miles an hour". The Kenmore Business Men's Association held a special meeting and adopted strong resolutions opposing the measure. It was too slow for Kenmore.
THE FIRST FIRE
The burning of Kenmore's first house, that of L. P. A. Eber- hardt in March 1894, and the lack of water to subdue the flames, brought up the subject of annexation to Buffalo. The sentiment was almost unanimously favorable, as reported by a canvassing committee to the Business Men's Association. The question of annexation to Buffalo has been a perennial dispute in Kenmore. Like the flowers, it blossoms every year. Some day the fact will no doubt surprise us, like the Night Blooming Cereus which expands in a few hours-but not to fade. In re- sponding to the alarm the Buffalo Fire Dep't had to abandon their apparatus on account of sewer pits near the city line. By means of blankets, and water carried by a "bucket brigade" from a hydrant at the city line, the barn was saved, but the house was a total loss. Neighbors passed water into the attic of the house with pails and dishes, but were forced by smoke and flames to discontinue their efforts; however, most of the contents of the house were saved. The Buffalo Express com- menting on the fire said, "The only real remedy for Kenmore is to come into the city and get an engine and hook and ladder of her own. There is a limit to fighting fire with soup tureens and platters."
SEWERAGE FIGHT
The Buffalo sewer from Hertel Avenue north to the city line was completed during the summer of 1894, and Kenmore had built a sewer to the Buffalo line, so that about twenty-five feet only separated the connection. But politicians were in the way and no contract for connections could be made. It was deter- mined to brush this hindrance aside. About a hundred deter- mined "Kenmorites" armed with pick and shovel, having cut the telephone line, attempted to make the connection during the midnight hours. But they were forestalled. "A man on
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horseback", an enemy, a la Paul Revere, alarmed the Buffalo Police Dep't, and a wagon load of policemen descended upon the crowd who were trying to cut the Gordian Knot of Ken- more's sewerage question, and officially broke the connection. This lively skirmish however, had the desired effect and soon brought relief. A contract was made for sewage disposal through the Buffalo sewer in June 1895. The completion of the Hertel Avenue electric line during the year greatly facili- tated access to Buffalo by way of Main Street. The outstanding event of the year was the completion of the asphalt pavement on Delaware Avenue from the Belt Line, Buffalo, to Kenmore, and was celebrated with a general jollification and fireworks in the evening.
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