The history of Chippawa

From the Niagara Falls Review: History came alive Sunday as Sherman Zavitz, the city’s official historian, hosted a walking tour of Chippawa. Before a crowd of 80 people, Zavitz said the area was first mentioned 339 years ago, even before there was a town. On Dec. 7, 1678, Louis Hennepin, a missionary and explorer, became…

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Review columnist says goodbye

From the Niagara Falls Review: Sherman Zavitz has closed the book on one chapter in his life. Over the past 26 years, he has written around 900 columns on local history for the Niagara Falls Review. His final Niagara Note column will appear in Saturday’s newspaper. “It has become increasingly difficult for me to come…

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ZAVITZ: Amazing 1939 discoveries made at Niagara forts

From the Niagara Falls Review: While recently reading some Niagara news from 1939 (yes, 1939), I came across some interesting items that I would like to share with you. All concern some sort of discovery. During the spring and summer of that year work was progressing on the restoration of Old Fort Erie which, of…

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From Hennepin to hydro

From the Niagara Falls Review (including a video): The area around Niagara Falls was to be preserved as “a mecca of peace” for the “millions of overworked and tired humanity” to enjoy, according to John Langmuir, the second chairman of the Niagara Parks Commission. A century and a quarter after it was created, the parks…

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“When Ice Bridged a Gorge Between Nations”

On Saturday, Sherman Zavitz‘s column in the Niagara Falls Review was about when ice has frozen over the Niagara River right near the falls. Unfortunately the piece wasn’t online, so I took a picture of it for you to see. Occasionally the Review does this, so the only way to ensure you get it is…

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