A Quiet Legacy

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The Buffalo History Museum is a private not-for-profit organization tax exempt under Sec. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It receives operating support from the County of Erie, the City of Buffalo, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA, a state agency), and from members and friends. The Buffalo History Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Melissa Brown

Constance Caldwell

Jennifer LaBella

Robie Carmina, Rebecca Justinger, Tara Lyons, Kimberly Luangpakdy, Cynthia Van Ness

Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Thursday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Sunday - 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Closed Mondays.

Wednesday - Saturday1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Members: FREEChildren Under 7: FREE

Veterans: FREEChildren (7-12): $2.50

Adults: $7 Students & Seniors : $5

Steven McCarville - PresidentPeter Ahrens - Vice President

Alisa A. Lukasiewicz - Vice PresidentMark L. Martin- Vice President

Heidi A. Raphael - Vice PresidentMark V. Taylor- Vice President

Catherine Schweitzer - SecretaryPhilip C. Kadet - Treasurer

Scott FisherKen Friedman

Carley Jean HillJohn L. Hurley, Jr.

Cassie IrishAllan Jamieson

Cheryl Lyles Vincent Mancuso

William J. O'DonnellKristin SaperstonMark SeversonGreg D. Tranter

Greetings, friends, Found at the bottom of an old stack of old newspapers, in the familiar story of a long-time friend, tucked away in the attic, in a box saved snapshots… Discovering stories and sharing quiet legacies may

arguably be the best part of working at a history museum. One recent example came in a lively conversation with Margaret Metzger Keane at our 2013 Red Jacket Awards Dinner. Her memory of sketching fashions “from the olden days” in TBHM's Hall of Gowns, an assignment she had while attending the Albright Art School, captivated me. She thought she might still have the sketch…from February, 1940! A couple weeks later, the sketch was delivered to The Museum as a donation. Where the collections staff then matched it to one of our couture gowns, right down to the ermine muff, which drew Margaret’s eye on that day seven decades ago.

I delighted in reuniting Margaret with the gown as she exclaimed, “It’s fancier than I remember!” Another enjoyable part of the work TBHM does is connecting with our members. A recent membership survey tells us you want to see more – more programs, more lectures, more walking tours. We are happy to reply that two new exhibits will open this summer – a new Buffalo State College Museum Studies Program exhibit themed on African American communities in Buffalo; and, a new Community Gallery exhibit hosted by Tapestry Charter School. Be sure to check the list of summer happenings on page 8.

Also, we will be traveling to the Newseum in Washington, D.C. in June to bring the premiere exhibit of Tim Russert’s life and work, “Inside Tim Russert’s Office” to TBHM this fall. I trust you will enjoy this season’s newsletter that honors Julia Boyer Reinstein. All my best,Melissa N. Brown P.S. Hope to catch up at Party on the Portico this summer! The happy hour and concert series opens on Friday, June 20 with the George Caldwell Sextet.

Cover: Reinstein Woods Park, Depew, NY, 1984. Picture from the collection of The Buffalo History Museum.

Thank You for generous donation: Shelly’s Florist • Yancey’s Fancy: New York’s Artisan Cheese

The Buffalo History Museum Board of Managers, 2014. Top row: Cassie Irish, Greg D. Tranter, Peter Ahrens, Philip C. Kadet, Alisa A. Lukasiewicz, William J. O'Donnell,Scott Fisher, Heidi A. Raphael, Vincent Mancuso, Cheryl Lyles, Mark L. Martin,John L. Hurley,Jr., Mark V. Taylor, Sitting: Ken Friedman, Kristin Saperston, Steven McCarville, Catherine Schweitzer (not in photo: Allan Jamieson, Carley Jean Hill, Mark Severson) Photo by Cheryl Gorski

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Rebecca JustingerRegistrar

In 1987, Julia Boyer Reinstein, historian and architectural preservationist, donated over 80 quilts and bed coverings to The Buffalo History Museum. Early on in her life, Julia became fascinated with quilts and believed in the importance of documenting their histories. She received a Bachelor’s degree in History from Elmira College for Women in 1928, writing her senior thesis on early American quilts. Beginning her collection with family quilts, she focused her collecting goals on quilts made west of the Genesee River. Remarkably, only twelve of the quilts in her collection were purchased, the rest were given to her as gifts or through inheritance.

Pictured above is a red and white Chimney Sweep quilt from Julia Boyer Reinstein’s quilt collection, also known as an Album or Autograph quilt. It was pieced together by Eliza Graves (later Pickett) between 1852 and 1853, and was assembled and completed in 1854, in Perry, NY. Eliza Graves, pictured above, was Julia Boyer Reinstein’s great grandmother. The Chimney Sweep pattern was very popular for Album quilts in the mid-19th century because a name or inscription could be written on the central cross of each block. According to oral histories from the family, the blocks of this quilt were originally autographed, in pencil, by the young men of Castile, NY. Before Eliza could embroider the names, she became engaged to Daniel Pickett. Once she assembled the quilt, she chose to wash out all of the names, eliminating the memory of her previous suitors. The quilt is backed with her own handspun and hand-loomed cotton.

QuiltEliza Jane GravesPerry, NYPieced Chimney Sweep Quilt80”x73”1852-1854

Eliza Jane Graves Pickett, c. 1890s

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Something Old, Something New was held on Sunday, March 2, themed Always a Bridesmaid… The event centered on a contest to accession a new bridesmaid dress and story into our collection.

Among the ten contest entries we received, the three contest finalists were Virginia Barone, Nancy Lucow, and Wilma Nankta. WBFO 88.7-FM’s Eileen Buckley presented the bridesmaid dresses and read their accompanying stories. Following the reading, guests voted on the dress and story they felt most worthy of going down in history.

The event attracted over 100 guests from Western New York and beyond. The Lucow family had an impromptu family reunion surrounding the event, welcoming their family as far as California to see their mother’s bridesmaid dress, which was hand woven by their grandmother, on display.

Ms. Virginia Barone was the selected contest winner. Her story warmed the hearts of our audience:

In 1955, my sister asked me to be her maid of honor – I was thrilled! She died in 2010 and I feel that this dress needs to be seen in honor of her.

The wedding was in July and I was entering my senior year in college in September at SUNY Fredonia. The day of the wedding arrived and my sister looked so gorgeous. Everything was fine, and

I danced all day with an usher named Chuck. I returned to Fredonia in September and Chuck asked my dad if he could drive me. My father was thrilled – he was a little sick of dragging all this “stuff” back and forth to the dorms. That fall, Chuck drove to Fredonia to see me many times. He was so nice! On the 18th of September he asked me to wear his fraternity pin and I said, yes.

Chuck loved my Maid of Honor dress. I wore it again to my college senior prom and I still felt pretty in “the dress.” My sister was thrilled

that I was able to wear it again. I got so many compliments because “the dress” is so unique and beautiful.

I graduated from college in June and we married in August, just 13 months after he had seen me in “the dress.” This year, Chuck and I will celebrate our 58th wedding anniversary – all because of “the dress.”

I’m so glad it now has a permanent home at The Buffalo History Museum. My father in-law was born in 1901 and always felt that the Pan-American Expo was held in his honor!

Next winter, stay tuned for a program series themed, “History of Weddings,” at The Buffalo History Museum.

Set of 8 Pan-Am plates (black and white) Only 8 complete sets available!

When they are gone, they are gone!Members receive a 10% discount in the museum shop.

Uniquely Buffalo

Gifts

Ways to share your support & experience

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1. Lucow Family wears Nancy's mother's textiles2. Guy Boleri taking requests3 Wilma Nanka, Virginia Barone, Nancy Lucow4. Eileen Buckley 5. Keith Radford, Rick Azar, Tom Jolls, Bob Koshinski, Irv Weinstein6.Steve Brown & Susan Banks7. Steve Chichon & Fran & Jane Lucca8. Laurie Lisowski Frey9. Dan Herbeck, Eileen Buckley, & Lou Michel10. Derek Gee & Steve Watson11. Brendan McCaffery & Sharon Bailey12. Bob McCarthy & Lee Coppola

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13. Ruth Gourlay, Volunteer of the Year14. George Winfield & Guy Latona15. George & Diane Gayles16. Bill O'Donnell, Joyce Bruyere, Mary

Louise Stanley, & Walt Mayer17. Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council

Press Conference18. Mason visiting The Museum19. The Solomon's from Australia visit

heriloom carvings20. DPW Commissioner, Steve Stepniak,

Catherine Gillespie of the Buffalo Arts Commission, Mayor Byron Brown, TBHM Executive Director Melissa Brown

21. Olmsted Wise Scholastic Chess Championships 22. Jen LaBella & Alexis Greinert

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Cynthia Van Ness, MLSDirector of Library & Archives

Julia Boyer Reinstein's legacy continues to benefit TBHM Research Library today. The most significant of her publications is the Town of Cheektowaga Historical Atlas (1955), which is a wider-ranging work than its title suggests. Julia compiled a large atlas of maps from 1720-1950, showing the geographic evolution of Western New York, Erie County, and eventually zooming in on Cheektowaga. Interspersed with the reproductions of maps are reproductions of historical documents related to land ownership in Western New York. I turn to it for its detailed map of the Buffalo Creek Reservation, which was dissolved in 1842, a time when local mapping was infrequent and primitive.

A pioneer in the field of architectural tourism, Julia organized Buffalo’s first known walking tour in 1961. Julia showed off Buffalo’s most important religious architecture to her fellow town historians of New York State, renting a bus and compiling a brochure with a map and annotated photographs of the churches from this Library’s collection. Some of the churches have since been demolished or lost to fire.

Julia’s role as a donor is significant, too. Among the items that she donated are:

Mss. A71-37Louis Babcock’s scrapbook

Babcock was an attorney, War of 1812 historian, a Grand Marshal at the Pan-American Exposition, and an authority on the McKinley assassination.

Mss. A68-62Mrs. Fred Norris’ diary of her trip to New York City from

Warsaw, NY, 1898. Mrs. Norris was Julia’s aunt.

Oversized photo of students in front of Masten Park High School after the fire of 1912. Victor Reinstein, the man Julia eventually married, is in the picture. The boys in the photo were sent into the school library to rescue books during the fire. Masten Park High School was rebuilt and is known today as City Honors. Interestingly, the photograph is described as “scorched,” and is indeed darkened in places, as though it survived this fire. But the astute reader will realize that a photograph taken after a fire cannot have been

present during that fire. The darkened areas are probably the result of darkroom processing errors.

These and other Julia Boyer Reinstein items can be viewed during Library hours, which are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 1-5 pm. No appointments are necessary. Questions? Contact us at library @buffalohistory.org or call (716) 873-9644 x 306 during Library hours.

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.(Registration 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m)

Call 818-8143 for more information.Held in The Buffalo History Museum Parking Lot

One Museum Court, Buffalo 14216

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Antique & Classic Car Show

HoMEcoMiNG THiS FALL - 2014

“inside Tim Russert’s office” Premiere exhibit of

Tim Russert's life and work.

Visit www.buffalohistory.org for more details about upcoming exhibits and events

Photo courtesy of Newseum

• The Reinstein Center is on the National Register of Historical Places.

• Built in 1920 for Leonard Adams. Mr. Adams helped to design the house, which he used as both a residence and a music studio before his death in 1984.

• Purchased in 1989 by The Buffalo History Museum as a project of the “History Lives here” capital campaign to serve as office/meeting space.

• The Historical Rehabilitation project was completed August 1, 1992, by Hamilton Houston and Lownie Architects, P.C.

• The building was named after Julia Boyer Reinstein. Dedicated to both history and libraries, Julia Boyer Reinstein served as the Cheektowaga town historian for many years and was active in the creation of numerous town historical societies across WNY.

• The contributions of Julia Boyer Reinstein and others throughout the community made the purchase and historical rehabilitation of the building possible.

• A full-length portrait of Julia Boyer Reinstein painted by local artist Mary Smith hangs on the landing of the split staircase.

• The Reinstein Center features two meeting rooms (40 people/15 people). The larger room is graced by an arched window measuring approximately 12’x 12’. The window sits in an “Architectural Frame” that centers the window both in the main room and across the outside of the building.

• In 1994, the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier awarded the Pewter Plate Award to The Buffalo History Museum in the recognition of the Julia Boyer Reinstein Center as an exemplary restoration and adaptive re-use project.

Now Open!Shop for museum-quality reproductions from our

collection. Perfect for gifts and home décor!

buffalohistorystore.org

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Dates and times subject to change

1 SundayPan Am Walking Tour, 1 pm

$10. Pre-registration required. Meet at admissions desk for an hour walking tour of the Pan Am grounds. Map with historic

photos is included.

3 TuesdayToddler Story Time: Japanese Gardens, 10-11am

Members free, Museum admission. Storytelling, craft, mini tour of Japanese Gardens.

4 WednesdayFood Truck Rodeo, 5:00-8:30pm

Museum is free and open until 8pm with guided tours and artifact scavenger hunts.

Tapestry Charter School: Community Gallery exhibit opening, 6-8pm

“Tapestry’s Making History: One Thread at a Time,” Community Gallery exhibit opening. Multimedia student curated exhibit by Tapestry

Charter School’s Museum Studies students in grades five and six.

11 Wednesday War of 1812 lecture: “Peter Porter & the Battle for Buffalo,”6-8pm

Members free, Museum admission. Speaker Chris Brown. This is a collaborative program with the Blackrock Riverside Good

Neighbors Planning Alliance and Historic Preservation Committee.

18 WednesdayPassage, Patrick Willet watercolor exhibit opening, 5-8pm, Free

20 Friday*M&T THiRD FRiDAYS: Free admission from 10am-5pm,

Including Resource Center at 459 Forest Ave. 10am-Noon: Free family activities. 1-3pm: Free guided tours at Museum and Resource Center.

Party on the Portico, George Caldwell Sextet, 5:30-8:30pmMembers $5, General Public $10.The happiest Happy Hour in Buffalo.

Enjoy a cash bar, light snacks, live music, and free museum mini-tours.

28 SaturdayPan Am Trolley Tour, 10am-3pm

$60 members, $65 general, reservations required Guided tour of Forest Lawn Cemetery on vintage trolley, tour of

the Hotel @ The Lafayette, lunch is included at the Pan American Grill and Brewery, guided tour of The Buffalo History Museum’s

Resource Center and “The Spirit Still Lives” Pan Am exhibit. Visitors will return to Forest Lawn at 3pm.

1 Tuesday Toddler Story Time: Happy 4th of July, 10-11am

Members free, Museum admission. Storytelling, craft, and museum mini tour.



6 Sunday Pan Am Walking Tour, 1pm

$10. Pre-registration required. Meet at admissions desk for an hour walking tour of the Pan Am grounds. Map with historic

photos is included.

9 Wednesday War of 1812 lecture: “Women of the War of 1812,” 6-8pm

Members free, Museum admission. Speaker Sarah Maloney. This is a collaborative program with the Blackrock Riverside Good

Neighbors Planning Alliance and Historic Preservation Committee.

18 Friday *M&T THiRD FRiDAYS: Free admission from 10am-5pm,


Party on the Portico, Nelson Starr and The Benjamin’s, 5:30-8:30pmMembers $5, General Public $10.The happiest Happy Hour in Buffalo.


26 Saturday Pan Am Trolley Tour, 10am-3pm




3 SundayAntique and Classic Car Show, Noon-4pm

FREE. Antique and classic cars, raffles, live music. See web site for registration details for cars www.buffalohistory.org

Pan Am Walking Tour, 1pm$10. Pre-registration required. Meet at admissions desk for an

hour walking tour of the Pan Am grounds. Map with historic photos is included.

5 Tuesday Toddler Story Time: Pioneer Life, 10-11am

Members free, Museum admission. Storytelling, craft, and museum mini tour of the Pioneer Life Gallery.



13 WednesdayWar of 1812 lecture: “The World Turned Upside Down,” 6p.m.

Members free, Museum admission. Speaker Raya Lee, reference librarian at Medaille College, will discuss inventions from the War of 1812 period. This is a collaborative lecture with the Blackrock Riverside Good

Neighbors Planning Alliance & Historic Preservation Committee.

15 Friday*M&T THiRD FRiDAYS: Free admission from 10am-5pm,


Party on the Portico, Patti Parks Band, 5:30-8:30pmMembers $5, General Public $10.The happiest Happy Hour in Buffalo.


23 Saturday Pan Am Trolley Tour, 10am-3pm




*M&T THIRD FRIDAYs event On the third Friday of every month, admission

to The Buffalo History Museum, Resource center, and select events are free for everyone

from 10 a.m. – 5p.m.

Party on the Portico 2014 Sponsors

NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBUFFALO, NY

PERMIT No. 3626

Evening Hours on Wednesday until 8 p.m. • Free Parking

June 20 • July 18 • August 155:30- 8:30 PM • 21 & OVeR

MeMBeRS $5, GeNeRAL PUBLiC $10. THe HAPPieST HAPPY HOUR iN BUFFALO!

Documents

A Quiet Legacy