Tonawanda, "Swift Waters", a name given to the area by Neuter and Erie Indians, the area’s original inhabitants, probably refers to the Niagara River current.
In the 1600’s, the area was visited by French missionaries and explorers, and later by traders, settlers and military personnel, as Tonawanda became an important crossroads in America’s westward expansion.
The British captured the territory from the French in 1759, yielding it to the United States in 1796. During the War of 1812, they burned the village of Tonawanda-even the village of Buffalo itself.
Construction of the Erie Canal in the 1820’s brought a new wave of workers and settlers. With the opening of the Canal linking Lake Erie and the Hudson River, and the resulting increase in trade and traffic, the area developed swiftly.
The Town of Tonawanda, formed on April 16, 1836, prospered as an agricultural and trading center. The Village of Kenmore, created on September 18, 1899 and located within the framework of the town, is one of the largest incorporated villages in the state. The City of Tonawanda parted from the Town on March 23, 1903.
Thanks to foresighted, systematic planning and responsive government, town facilities have grown to keep pace with community needs.
"Swift Waters" along with the Village of Kenmore, have a 2000 population of 78,155, and property values of almost $3,700,000,000. A dynamic expansion of facilities and personal lifestyles has added new dimensions to the quality of life in the town.
As an industrial, commercial and residential location, the Town of Tonawanda can provide the ideal solution to satisfy the varied needs of today’s more technological society.
Beautiful, tree-lined streets and comfortable homes are the hallmarks of life in the Town of Tonawanda. Residents of established neighborhoods, as well as more recently developed areas, share a common pride in home ownership. From spacious mansions to more modest homes, town residents reflect the same concern for the appearance of their community.
A wide variety of apartments and other rental housing provide the town with a variety of facilities to satisfy the life style of every individual or family. All offer easy access to schools, churches, public transportation, shopping plazas, a major hospital, plus a variety of commercial and savings banks as well as other financial institutions in the town.
The variety of industry has fostered a heterogeneous mix of individual lifestyles within the town, which in turn affords its inhabitants a wide range of interests and activities.
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