Salamanca Walking Tour

Walking Tour #1 - Approximately 2 miles

Welcome to Salamanca, New York, the only city in our country that is nearly all located on an Indian reservation. This area was originally called by several names: Bucktooth, Hemlock Mills, Red House, and Great Valley. Significant to its development and beauty, the Allegheny River flows from east to west through the center of our town on its way south to Pittsburgh, P A, where it joins the Monongahela to form the Ohio. In 1862 it was renamed in honor of Don Jose y Mayol, a count from Salamanca, Spain, who invested heavily in the Atlantic and Great Western RR. This rail line played a major role in the growth and development of southwestern NY, northwestern PA, Ohio and beyond

.

You are beginning your tour at the Salamanca Area Historical Museum at 125 Main Street. Our building was built in 1882 as the Salamanca National Bank. We hope you saw the original octagonal tile flooring and experienced the intrigue and sense of security of its vaults.

As you stand at the comer of Main and Atlantic Streets you can look to the northwest and see the former Erie RR station. The whole area from Atlantic Street north to State Street was originally all railroad property. There were two roundhouses (where the engines underwent repairs) as well as a vast network of rail lines and sidings. The railroads and lumbering industries were the life blood of Salamanca's economy in the late 1800's into the mid 1900's.

Walk north on Main down through the underpass and on the right hand side is the Rail Museum. It was the depot of the Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Rochester RR. Like the historical museum, it was rebuilt by local citizens interested in preserving our interesting past. Be sure to come back and pay it a visit.

Head back south on Main Street and you will pass the Dudley Hotel which has been in existence since 1868. It has suffered through two significant fires and has undergone major improvements over the years. Franklin Delano Roosevelt stayed here on one of his political campaign tours.

As you continue south on Main Street, you pass the large mall complex which now houses an immense antique outlet, as well as, offices, a small eatery, and two retail establishments. It was built in the early 1970's with the regrettable loss of some of our oldest historical businesses, such as the Torge Hotel and Fitzgerald's Department Store. As in most cities we have the contrast between the old and the new architectural styles on the same street.

Turn left onto Wildwood Avenue (at the red light). On the right is the 3-story Telephone Building. Before the change to automated equipment in the late 1960's, this is where the operators placed all local and long distance phone calls. Their switchboards were on the top floor, offices were on the ground floor and telephone lines and equipment were on the second.

As you proceed eastward on Wildwood, you will see two large houses that were the homes of prominent Salamanca businessmen. The first is the Torge house at the corner of the entrance to the shopping plaza. Note the curved glass windows on the southwest corner. At Seneca and Wildwood is the E.B. Vreeland home. Mr. Vreeland was elected to Congress in 1899, served 14 years in the House, gaining high esteem for his work on financial committees and Indian affairs. You will pass local service clubs along the street, which once were elegant homes of prominent citizens.

A little further up the street the picturesque Episcopal church has maintained its original charm inside and out. St. Mary's is one of the oldest churches in the city; it was built in 1879. Behind the houses on the left is a housing development built under the auspices of the Seneca Nation of Indians.

The next large building is the Public Library. It originally was a Loblaw's super market and became available when the chain relocated. Books were transported in grocery carts loaded on trucks from the original Carnegie Library on South Main Street to the Wildwood site. Patrons were asked to check out several books and then return them to the new location after the shelves and staff were ready for them. Displayed inside are several etchings of Salamanca, Spain. These were presented to a local group of students who visited there in 1977.

Continue walking to the east on Wildwood, past the entrance to the Municipal Building which houses all the city departments and offices including the Police and Fire Stations.

At Oak Street cross Wildwood and continue eastward and then south over the Veterans' Bridge (Clinton Street). Stop and enjoy the river views. You can see the island on the east and west sides of the bridge that was Island Park at the turn of the century. A ferry transported folks out to the island for picnics, ball games, and dances. This bridge is the newest of the three that lace the north and south sides of the city together. The building on the hill above the highway is the Red Garter Restaurant. It and the little white chapel were part of Fentier Village, which was a thriving amusement park depicting the Old West. It was in its heyday in the mid to late 1960's. The restaurant was built on the site of the park's Red Garter Saloon. The construction of the interstate highway brought the park's operations to a close. Looking downstream (west) you can see the Main Street Bridge, or the middle bridge, of our city. The picturesque, Grecian style building on the south comer was the former city hall. It now houses business offices.

Continue across the bridge and follow Clinton Street west to Main Street. Turn left and walk up one block on South Main to Jefferson Street. The stately house on the upper hillside corner is the former Dowd House. Judge Dowd served on New York's Supreme Court. He entertained Franklin D. Roosevelt on these premises when FDR was governor of New York, during his presidential campaign trip through Salamanca, and during his presidency. On the southeast comer is the Baptist Church constructed in 1901. South of the church you can see the former Carnegie Library which served the city until larger quarters were needed.

Walking to the west of the Dowd House you see the former Jefferson Street School, at one time the high school and then the grade school until newer buildings were constructed. This is now the offices of Cattaraugus Community Action. Across the street is Jefferson Park with a replica of an old-fashioned bandstand which has been used for outdoor concerts. Walk north through the park to Broad Street and cross at the crosswalk to Main Street. The original buildings from here to the river were all destroyed in the Great Fire of 1923. Only the brick building on the corner of Sycamore and Main was left standing. You will pass the Ray Evans Theater named for our hometown lyricist who made a name for himself with his partner, Jay Livingston, in Hollywood and on Broadway. Who hasn't heard of "Buttons and Bows," "Silver Bells," "Tammy," or the theme to "Bonanza," to name a few? Continue north and cross over the bridge.

As you are crossing look eastward up the river and you can see the remains pilings (if the water level is low) that are remnants of what was once a dam that channeled water through a race to a saw mill down river.

The entire west side of Main Street from the bridge to the railroad tracks was destroyed in the first Great Fire in 1880. New buildings quickly grew from the ashes. Note the interesting architecture of the Chas. Nies Building and the Torge Building on the corners of River Street and Main and the Masonic Temple on the corner of Wildwood. The First National Bank opened for business at 103 Main shortly after the fire and continued in business for many years. It is now the home of the Community Bank. Check out the Victorian Garden just a few steps south of the Historical Society at 125.

We hope you've enjoyed your tour.

This tour is based on an original tour drawn up through the cooperation of the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce and the Salamanca Public Library. It has been updated by the Salamanca Area Historical Society. (2007)