I love history.
It was probably one of my favourite topics in school, and in fact in high school it was one of the courses I particularly excelled at. Maybe it is the maxim you can't know your future without knowing your past, but I love to immerse myself in history and learn about what went before at every opportunity.
This could be the reason I many years ago became a huge fan of Sherman Zavitz, the elder statesman of Niagara history. He is, in fact, the Official Historian of the City of Niagara Falls as well as the Niagara Parks Commission.
As far back as 1991 I was making the trek to Niagara Falls every weekend to pick up a copy of the Niagara Falls Review for no other reason than to read his weekly column on Niagara history. Back then if I remember correctly, he alternated between a full column one week and an old postcard view next to the modern-day scene the next.
I, and so many others who followed his columns back in the day, learned so much about the rich history of the area in which we live. It is colourful, it is at times dramatic and it is never, ever boring. Credit the longstanding relationship of two great countries meeting at the border, certainly, but it is more than that.
What makes Niagara history so great and entertaining is the people. Colourful characters who lived years ago and made a name for themselves in the most interesting ways. Sure, they were recorded in Sherman's columns alongside the hard-working common folk who just made the city tick, but every one of them has had a story to tell and added to the history of the area.
A few years ago, Sherman decided to slow down the pace a little and began writing his column only twice a month, the first and third Saturdays. So now I have to look at the calendar and decide whether it is one of those weekends or not and if I should pick up a copy of the Review. Usually I get it right, but occasionally like last weekend, I get it wrong. Oh well...still enjoyed the paper, though.
You can imagine my excitement about five years ago when I was invited to attend a press conference at the Niagara Parks head offices overlooking the Falls and in attendance would be Sherman Zavitz. I had talked to him on the phone many times when I was booking interviews for the CKTB morning show, but we had never actually met before then.
It was almost as if I was meeting a rock star. In a sense, I was, really. To those of us who love history and especially history of Niagara, he is something of a rock star. But he is also gracious, down to earth, great to converse with and overall, one of the best individuals you could want on your team for a Niagara history trivia night.
Needless to say, Sherman has published several books on Niagara history over the years, and I think I have all of them.
Last month he published a new book, and today I finally acquired my copy of it. Entitled "It Seemed as if 100 Men Were Pounding My Head", the colourful title derives from adventurer Peter Nissen's depiction of what it felt like being trapped in the Niagara River rapids as the lone occupant of his wooden craft, Fool Killer at the turn of the last century.
The new book, published by Grey Borders Books, is set out in the style of an old, stained and tattered newspaper account of each story. The print is much like a typeset you would see in the local newspaper many years ago, with an occasional black and white photograph to accompany the article.
Stories range from Superman at Niagara Falls to the myriad of people who went over the Falls in any number of contraptions to military and civic leaders to forgotten Canadian jazz legend Mynie Sutton, who passed away in 1982. Literally there is something for everyone in this new book.
Alas, if you want your own copy of Sherman's new tome, you will have to wait. I had to wait until more copies came in to the Niagara Falls History Museum on Lundy's Lane earlier this week in order to claim mine, and they are all spoken for again. Same goes for the second location where the book is available, the Niagara Falls Public Library on Victoria Avenue.
Thing is, so many people have wanted to get their hands on the new book, the entire first printing is apparently now sold out in less than a month! A second printing is on the way, I'm told, but it will be a little while before it is available for purchase. When I hear it is available, I will let you know.
In the meantime, you could do worse to spend some quality time at the Niagara Falls History Museum and marvel at the remarkable transformation now that the expansion is completed. The expansion a few years ago greatly enhanced the exhibit space as well as modernized the facility for the 21st century, adding a cosy little theatre along the way.
That theatre, in fact, plays host to a wonderful film series each winter on Thursday evenings, when the museum is open until 9 pm and is free to visit. The next series of films get underway this coming Thursday evening, in fact, with a screening of Roman Polanski's 1974 film Chinatown. The rest of the series includes Water by Deepa Mehta on January 28th; Waterlife by Kevin McMahon on February 11th; The Water Diviner by Russell Crowe on February 25th; Water for Elephants by Francis Lawrence on March 10th and Howard Hawks' Red River on March 24th.
As you might have gathered, the theme this year is water, with each film being prefaced with some comments by noted film fan and academic Joan Nicks. The films screen at 7 pm and are free to the public. The other Thursdays between now and March have activities planned such as a performance by Niagara String Band on January 21st and a screening of the short film Lucky Penny on February 4th.
Bet you didn't know all this was happening right in your own backyard and it is free to attend, eh? Now you know! Get out there and see what your Niagara Falls History Museum has in store for you this winter, and when you can get a copy of Sherman Zavitz' new book by all means do that, too.
For more information on events at the Niagara Falls History Museum, call them at 905-358-5082 or go to www.niagarafallsmuseums.ca.
Have a great weekend!
January 9th, 2016.
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