Back in Time: Main Street and Cleveland Avenue (from the Orrin E. Dunlap Collection at the Niagara Falls Public Library)

[Text from the back of the photo on the left, typed and pasted to photo by Orrin E. Dunlap]

In 1855, when George H. Hackstaff moved from Niagara Falls to Niagara City, he established the Franklin Bookstore and Printing office on the northwest corner of Lewiston and Erie Avenues, now Main and Cleveland Avenue. There he printed the Niagara City Herald. In moving, Hackstaff moved his family, business and building from the Falls to Niagara City, and of the step he editorially said the following on Nov. 15, 1855:

“A Remove – Our friends at Niagara Falls who have and inkling to take up the same ‘line of march’ that we did, by the removal of their buildings and families to the great busy mart, we would recommend the conveyance of Mr. John Chubbick.  We lived comfortably on board of our dwelling while the vehicle jogged us along just as easy as a thing of life, though not exactly at railroad speed, and a little outside of two-forty.  If John had a little more go head in him, we opine he would have better success in business – still, John can’t prevent the roads being muddy, or the clouds sending down an unusual quantity of water.  We hear John is busily engaged in removing the International Hotel to what point in the locality it is still to be situated, is all a mystery.”

The building shown in the picture is the Hackstaff building and site, known later in my boyhood as “Tommy” Hannan’s Corner.  The Herald Office was moved to the Colt’s Block, 2nd Floor, early 1859.

One of the first owners of this corner was a Scotchman named James Russell, who died April 10, 1866.

In 1946, the brick building on this corner was remodeled. It was a costly job of months.

- Orrin E. Dunlap, from the Orrin E. Dunlap Collection at the Niagara Falls Public Library