Getting Around the Fredonia Area


Once in the Fredonia and Dunkirk area, immigrants had a unique variety of transportation at their disposal. There was of course by foot and horse. Although if one had the money the Italian Immigrants of this time could have taken the trolley.  If you have ever been to the Fredonia and Dunkirk area then you will see just how much this area has changed. Many of the structures are still apparent in Fredonia and Dunkirk although their faces have changed somewhat.


Main St. Fredonia 1893.

                                    The image courtesy of The Historical Barker Museum.
 
 



Behind this Trolley on Temple St. is the old City Hall which is now the Historic Opera House and next door is the present day police station in Fredonia NY.
Here below are two photos of downtown Main street Fredonia around 1909.
 
 
 

The Trolley provided convenient transportation to all the  parts of Fredonia and Dunkirk.  Especially when coming to a new country the Italian Immigrants relied on mass transportation to get them to their jobs.  In fact below the streets of pavement today lies the tracks of the trolley from years past.  The Italian Immigrants could have chosen to take a leisurely stroll through the park in Fredonia on a Sunday afternoon.

This is the Barker Commons in Fredonia located in the center of town, 1896.  The Building on the Far left is the Methodist Church and Directly across the Temple St. is the xxx building.  The Street the two women are on is Main St.  As you will see below Main street Fredonia and Central Avenue were first dirt roads and eventually laid down with bricks before they were laid down with machines of and  asphalt.
 

Below workers are in the process of laying down the brick on Mainstreet.

Courtesy of The Historical Barker Museum in Fredonia, Ny.
Next, once the brick is layed down comes the tarring to hold the bricks in place and to seal and preserve the brick from the pounding of horse hoofs and later Automobiles.

Coutesy of the Historical Barker Museum located in Fredinia, NY


Here to the left is Temple St. as it outlets to Main street Fredonia.
Courtesy of The Barker Historical Museum.


This picture is from 1909 and shows how as the population grew so did the town and as time went on the automobile and the trolley replaced the horse and buggy.
Courtesy of The Barker Historical Museum in Fredonia, NY.


Main Street Fredonia 1918
The image courtesy of The Historical Barker Museum.


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