More of our Community Past and Present

This is a photo of Crystal Beach looking toward the Pier.  You will notice that there was a side walk  running parallel to the lake and in front of the beachside cottages.

This is Crystal Beach circa 1910s.  You can see in the background a large sign that reads "Notice To Bathers" and at the bottom there is a reference to Mentholatum which had facilities on both sides of the river. 

This is another color postcard showing Crystal Beach sometime in the World War I era.  You will notice most of the women depicted have long neck to ankle dresses showing the modesty of the time.  Another interesting situation is that all four of the national flags shown seem to be American. 

5 Crystal Beach Lifeguards from the mid 1960s.

These lovely ladies from 1910 are Kathryn Lawrence(top),Sophia Zink(bottom left)and Florence Dixon(bottom right).Kathryn lived on Alexandra here in Crystal Beach during the summers.  Many may remember her as the woman who owned and ran the very popular Kathryn Lawrence Tea Room in downtown Buffalo.

Sophia Zink and her son Oliver J. on the beach in 1915.  Notice the outfits of the people standing on the boardwalk in the background.  Sophia was a long time resident of Maplewood Ave. where her relatives still live today.

Pat Zink and Jim Watt on the beach in 1943. They met at the beach, had their first date in the Crystal Beach ballroom and were married in 1945 when Jim returned from Japan after WWII.

Movie Night on Oakwood Avenue

This photo was taken on July 10, 1914 on Crystal Beach in front of the original pier.  The outfits seem to indicate they may have worked in some capacity in the park.

This advertisement appeared in one of the local papers promoting the opening of Crystal Beach in 1933.

 2008 5K Race Party at the Palmwood

These advertisements for Crystal Beach appeared in the Buffalo Evening News in June of 1954. You can see a day in Crystal Beach could include swimming, going on rides in the amusement park, dancing in the lake cooled ballroom and finally taking a cruise on the Canadiana.  Not a bad day any way you look at it!