Honoring 100 Years of 3 Iconic Buildings
Discover the Rich History of the Tonawandas
Preserving the past for future generations
The Erie Canal that separates these two cities forever links them with a bond of shared heritage
Hours of Operation
113 Main Street, Tonawanda
Saturdays 12 PM to 4:00 PM
126 Broad Street, Tonawanda
Mondays and Thursdays
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (excl holidays)
24 East Niagara Street, Tonawanda
Open by appointment until Nov. 29th
Annual Membership Meeting and Harvest Dinner
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 5:30 PM
Rescue 5 Fire Hall / Martinsville Grove
1241 Strad Avenue, North Tonawanda
After a Thanksgiving feast prepared by Jim Fingerlow, there will be a brief membership meeting.
Leigh Balcom will then present a program on U.S. Presidents in Western New York. 37 presidents visited the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Leigh will talk about the rich history of WNY on the national political scene.
Reservations are required for this event. Cost is $40 per person.
See this flyer for details.
Looking for Heritage Center Docents
We have re-opened our museum at 113 Main Street.
We are looking for volunteers to act as docents at the Heritage Center.
Click on the button below and submit your interest.
Who We Are
The Historical Society’s Mission is
To collect, preserve, interpret, exhibit and publish the history of the Cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda.
We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, chartered by New York State, and run solely by a dedicated group of volunteers.
We manage three locations in the City of Tonawanda: the Twin Cities Heritage Center, the Benjamin Long Homestead, and our Research Center.
We are committed to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artifacts and records to showcase the rich history of the cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda in Western New York.
Our Locations
Heritage Center
Owned by the City of Tonawanda, the Heritage Center is located in the former New York Central Railroad station and Public Library at 113 Main Street in Tonawanda.
Research Center
This former office building at 126 Broad Street, Tonawanda is now owned by the Society and is home to all collection related activities & storage and public research.
Long Homestead
Also owned by the City of Tonawanda, this historic home was built in 1829 by Benjamin and Mary Hershey Long on East Niagara Street in Tonawanda.
Online Collection 
In 2023, the Historical Society embarked on a major project to upgrade the process of cataloging its collection of artifacts and photos. This will be an on-going endeavor throughout 2025 as we ensure that our existing items are inventoried.
Using PastPerfect, the world’s leader in museum collection and contact management software, the Society now catalogs all new assets and manages the relationship with its members and donors, all in one place. We will continue to catch up with the existing items in our inventory.
A selection of items from our collection is already available online through PastPerfect Web Edition. Items in each catalog are displayed with the most recently added or updated at the top of the listing. People are listed alphabetically by last name.
Check back often as we’re adding more every day!
Become a Member
We wouldn’t be able to fulfill our mission without the wonderful support of our membership.
All of our expenses are covered by membership dues and donations.
Please consider joining us today. Gift memberships are also available.
Help Us By Volunteering
We have many dedicated volunteers but we can always use more!
Some volunteer activities involve behind-the-scenes work and others are public-facing.
