150 YearsNov. 20, 1873: (SALAMANCA —) No less than five of the large sawmills in this vicinity, which give employment on an average to 25 men each, have closed work for the winter. Fitts’ mill at this village will not shut down at all, and the tannery will continue to operate throughout the winter.
Nov. 20, 1873: M.E. CHURCH — The Methodist Church edifice is progressing finely, and will be finished in a few weeks. The first coat of plaster has already been put on, and the finishing coat will take its place as soon as the other has dried sufficiently. The dedication ceremonies are being talked up a little and some of the ablest men in the denomination have not been engaged to assist in the exercises when they take place.
100 YearsNov. 17, 1923: (SALAMANCA —) Progress made in buildings being erected in the fire-swept district of Main street south of the Allegany river indicate that two of the retail firms, the Dietrich Hardware Company and the Sprague drug store, soon are to be in their new establishments. But a few days more are required to make the street floor of the new Dietrich building ready for occupancy.
The Salamanca Milling Company is now occupying its new mill on West Race street, where machinery is now being installed. Another week will complete this work. The M.D. Frank livery barns are practically completed.
Nov. 20, 1923: (SALAMANCA —) Mrs. Edith Cary, of 18 Horth avenue, appealed to the City Council at its regular meeting yesterday evening for a general cleanup of that street. She asked that steps be taken to have a quantity of wood and other rubbish and refuse removed from the rear of the Walrath-Stevens store; that men hauling coal to the Strand theatre be required to shovel it into the cellar and not dump it in the street; that the city raise the sidewalk in front of her home, which walk belongs to her but is used by the city; and suggested that Mr. Gibson be required to raise the height of a smokestack so that it would not throw soot and smoke about the neighborhood.
50 YearsNov. 17, 1973: A brief ceremony featuring a ribbon-cutting by Mayor Keith L. Reed marked the “official grand opening” of Bradner’s Salamanca mall this morning. Because of the chilly, snowy weather, the actual ribbon-cutting was held inside at the entrance off the mall’s main concourse to the McCrory variety store.
David Rosner, community development director for the Salamanca Urban Renewal Agency, said the grand opening “represents the culmination of seven years of planning” and that the Urban Renewal Agency and the city “with monies allocated” by federal and state governments was able to replace “the most severely blighted area” of Salamanca’s business district.
Nov. 20, 1973: The owners of twenty-three parcels of residential property in the first-phase acquisition area of Salamanca’s $3,066,000 flood recovery project have received “offers to purchase,” the Salamanca Urban Renewal Agency announced today.
The parcels of property are on Water, Williams and Allegany Sts. on the north side of the Allegany River and align Sycamore Ave. on the south side of the river. They were among those hardest hit in the flood of June 1972.
25 YearsNov. 17, 1998: SALAMANCA — City employees returned to work today after fumes from a rug cleaning solvent forced the closure of city hall late Monday morning (Nov. 16).
Employees complained of burning eyes and headaches after strong-smelling fumes from a carpet spot remover entered the building’s ventilation system. City hall custodian Donald Dry had been using the solvent to clean the rug in the police station.
According to City Clerk April Vecchiarella, Police Chief Ed Gimbrone became concerned when employees began complaining of symptoms, and he and Dry contacted the cleaner’s manufacturer.
Nov. 18, 1998: LITTLE VALLEY — While voters in Little Valley continued their support for an annexation, Cattaraugus residents decided Tuesday (Nov. 17) they did not want to expand their district.
Record numbers flocked to the polls for Tuesday’s annexation vote with nearly 100 percent turnout in both school districts. Residents were asked whether Cattaraugus Central School should annex Little Valley Central School as of July 1, 1999.
Voters in Little Valley cast 683 votes for and 377 against the merger, a 64-36 percent margin, with a record turnout of 1,060. In Cattaraugus, residents voted 755-602 against the annexation, a 56-44 percent margin, with 1,357 turning out.
10 YearsNov. 21, 2013: SALAMANCA — As its director, Sandi Brundage led the Salamanca Youth Center through its most difficult time as the number of kids who visit the center continued to increase. She has monitored kids, written grants, unplugged toilets, mowed the lawn, shoveled snow off the roof — the list could go on — along with help and support of a small staff and dedicated group of volunteers.
Last month, she was recognized in Albany for her passion and dedication to serving children in the Salamanca community by earning the Bill Bub Award, one of the state’s most prestigious awards for people in her field.
Nov. 21, 2013: SALAMANCA — The Salamanca Rotary Club and the Salamanca Rail Museum presented board member Robert Irwin with its annual “Leonard Redeye Memorial Award” recently at the Dudley Hotel.
“Bob was honored for his over 25 years of services to the Rail Museum,” Rail Museum Director Gerald Fordham said. “Bob has been key in helping the Museum grow over the past 25 years. We are very appreciative to him for all the time that he has contributed to making the Rail Museum strong and viable in the community.”
