The Prophet Isaiah Second Coming House: Art Restoration Underway |
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The team from B.R. Howard & Associates has been back in Niagara Falls over the past few weeks, reinstalling the artwork that was removed from the Prophet Isaiah Second Coming House.
As detailed in a previous newsletter, the Prophet Isaiah House is now an art preservation project taken on by the Kohler Foundation. B.R. Howard & Associates are the specialists that were hired to meticulously remove the art and restore and/or replicate it. Thousands of pieces of art were removed from the site and brought to their Carlisle, PA facility, where they were catalogued and processed.
A thorough documentation process took place when the art was originally removed. Many photographs were taken, including aerial drone ones, and the site was measured to be sure that when the artwork came back, it would be exactly how it was when it was removed. The goal is to restore this unique and magnificent art environment in a way that is more sustainable, and won't be destroyed by the harsh Western New York winters.
Much of the wood was in an advanced state of decay when removed from the site. It's important to remember that Isaiah Robertson used materials that he would come across to create his artwork, and he was not thinking about what materials would be the right materials for this particular environment.
B.R. Howard & Associates have recreated much of the original artwork using a composite material instead of regular scrap wood, which will endure much better in an outdoor environment. As you can see from the photos, their attention to detail is nothing short of mind-blowing. Not only are the shapes exact replicas, but they've gone to great lengths to match the colors originally used.
Braeden Howard, the project lead for B.R. Howard & Associates, noted that when reconstructing the artwork, great care needs to be taken when placing and arranging the materials at the site. Each piece requires careful review of multiple photographs to make sure the placements are right.
"Sometimes to do this right, it's going to feel like you're doing it wrong. Not everything was perfectly square and aligned. We're using things like aerial drone photos to make sure we're lining things up the way they actually were, not the way we think they should be," said Braeden.
The work will continue at the site, including the rebuilding of the famous cross that Isaiah had built in such an ornate manner. We will continue to update our social media and website with new photos and videos of the process, and of course, will provide updates in future newsletters.
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The B.R. Howard team during the reinstallation process.
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Arranging the boards requires careful review to be sure they are in the correct position.
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Everything is back where it should be!
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Project lead Braeden Howard reviews photographs from the original site survey.
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Some of the paint work has to be done on site to recreate the original work as closely as possible.
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The stones at the site were removed and repainted.
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On the left, you can see the original piece that was removed from the site and brought to the B.R. Howard facility. It shows advanced wood decay and rot, with paint damage and peeling. On the right, a reinstalled replication made from composite material.
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Tunnel City A story of the laborers building the “Electrical Metropolis of the World.” |
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The age of electricity in Niagara Falls, New York ignited a new era of technology and futuristic ideas for home, business, and industry. As Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla competed to be the first to use the legendary waterfall to generate hydroelectricity, Niagara Falls was being hailed as the future “Electrical Metropolis of the World.” With the flip of a switch, the growing village was on the verge of immediate industrialization and urbanization.
But there was a problem. The Niagara River was in the way. The solution was to build a mile-long tunnel under the village, stretching from the Adams Power Plant to land below the Falls.
The tunnel would divert water from the river and generate electricity at the power plant.The tunnel was built from 1890 to 1893 by mostly immigrant laborers. African Americans, however, played a key role in building major sections of the tunnel. Italian masons laid 600,000 bricks a day in tunnel walls.
Laborers lived in a shanty town that newspapers referred to as Tunnel Town. They worked long hours for low wages. Italian immigrants were forced into this situation because job notices in Niagara Falls routinely added that Italians need not apply. Other ethnic groups also faced prejudice and discrimination.
One laborer who worked on the American and Canadian sides of Niagara Falls recalled how black workers like himself “were greeted in Canada with a dignified hello, while people in Niagara Falls, New York ran in their houses and slammed doors.”
Indeed, the public perception of Tunnel Town grew increasingly negative due to concerns about sanitation, public health, crime, and violence. As a result, Tunnel Town was eventually relocated though its name and reputation followed.
Newspapers stereotyped the immigrants to promote reform agendas influenced by the 1901 assassination of President McKinley 25 miles away in Buffalo. Locals expressed fears about illegal immigration and ‘foreign’ ideas. To make matters worse, 29 inhabitants of Tunnel Town died from typhoid in 1902.
The rising number of saloons was another concern, so much so that one reformer proposed an education department that would teach women how to cook so their husbands wouldn’t be tempted from their homes by the food that “shrewd saloon keepers” made.
Despite these hardships, immigrant groups became Americans and persevered through the formation of their own churches, schools, and communities. Likewise, a thriving black community was also evident in Niagara Falls in the decades that followed the completion of the Tunnel.
From 1880 to 1930, Tunnel Town grew as more immigrants came to Niagara Falls. Overall, around 28 different ethnic groups lived in Tunnel Town, with the majority from Italy, Poland, and Russia.
Today, Tunnel Town is known as the East Side of Niagara Falls and it remains an ethnically diverse neighborhood.
Author: Hope L. Russell, Ph.D.
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The Fort Gray Overlook Take in some amazing views of the lower Niagara River. |
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Along side the Niagara Scenic Parkway, on the paved path leading up Lewiston Hill at the escarpment, you'll find an overlook that offers breathtaking views of the lower Niagara River. The easiest way to access the The Fort Gray Overlook is to enter the path on Seneca St. in the Village of Lewiston ( map) and take the 15-20 minute walk up the hill. There is a moderate incline as you ascend. Fort Gray was a small fortification located on the Niagara Escarpment in Lewiston, New York. It was built in 1750 by the French as a way to protect the portage route between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The fort was named after Captain John Gray, who was the commander of the French forces in the area. The fort was captured by the British in 1759 during the Seven Years' War. The British used the fort to defend the Niagara frontier during the American Revolutionary War. The fort was eventually abandoned in 1796. Learn more about Fort Gray in this article.
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Watch this video as it shows the journey up the path and the views from the Fort Gray Overlook.
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Polly King Portrait of the Month Each month, we'll feature one of the countless portraits painted by Polly King. Each portrait, each person has a story! |
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The portrait above features a young Don King, Polly King's son. Take a look at the video on the left, where Don speaks about his mother's art.
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