Published: September 17, 2007 06:23 pm            

REMEMBERING YESTERYEAR: Full-length NT history book coming

The North Tonawanda History Museum has been promised the first shipment of its first full-length book on the history of North Tonawanda by the publisher by the end of September. The book, “North Tonawanda: The Lumber City,” is expected to be the first in a series of full-length books, as requested by area residents and former residents in their contacts with the three year old museum organization.

“North Tonawanda: The Lumber City” is a “love story finally told,” the story of so many thousands upon thousands of individuals, organizations, and businesses that were woven together into the entity North Tonawandans so fondly refer to as just “NT” but which is proud to be the City of North Tonawanda.

The book has been described by some area historians who have had advance opportunities to read it as a “monumental first effort,” and a significant contribution to the city of North Tonawanda, its residents and former residents, and area educational institutions. It is a general overall account of the city’s development and shares many stories of the people who were part of the life of the city.

Donna Zellner Neal, museum director, is editor of the volume but a number of contributing authors have furnished parts of the text, including A. Daniel Bille, Gretchen Rasch Denk, Allen E. Gademsky, Lloyd Long, Arlene Stocki McNair, Diane M. Meholick, Ken Mountain, Helen Root Schieffer, Harold O. Schwartz, and Ken Sprenger.

It is not just a book of photos. About 20 percent of the volume is photographs. The unique and special history of our city could not be told with photos alone. The book includes eleven parts, with chapters within the parts.

Originally intended to be a 325-page book, the length was expanded to 428 pages, plus 10 introductory pages. Because of the expanded length of the hard-cover book, the publisher requires a cover price of $39.95 each and will charge that for books purchased directly from the publisher for which they will pay royalties to the Museum. The museum, however, will be stocking and selling the books directly and will sell them for $34.95 each. For a donation of $38.95, a copy of the book will be mailed upon publication. Because the first printing is expected to sell out quickly, those wishing to have copies for holiday giving this year are encouraged to order in advance to guarantee that a copy or appropriate number of copies will be reserved for them from the initial printing.

The book is being published by Trafford Publishing, which has offices in the United States; Victoria, British Columbia; and in Europe and the United Kingdom. The book will be distributed throughout North America, the United Kingdom and Europe by the publisher and will be available at major book store retailers at the $39.95 price. It will be distributed directly by the North Tonawanda History Museum at the $34.95 price to all countries of the world through its North Tonawanda History Museum Online Gift Shop at www.nthistorymuseum.org. Quantity pricing for schools is available through the Museum.

“Remembering Yesteryear” is produced under the auspices of the North Tonawanda History Museum. We invite individuals with stories or news of local history to tell to e-mail nthistorymuseum@aol.com or call 213-0554.

        

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