SESQUICENTENNIAL Adventure 7/3/15

A week or ten days ago, Peggy mentioned that she had Friday 7/3 off from work and asked if I wanted to do something.  Lockport is celebrating it's 150th birthday, so I checked the calendar of events to see what might be going on that day.

It turned out that between ten and noon they were offering lock tending demonstrations at the FLIGHT OF FIVE, and then from two to four p.m. the FIRST Downtown Lockport Walking Tour would be held by EXPLORE BUFFALO followed by a kick-off party at the Flight of Five Winery. I checked into the walking tour and found that the fee for the tour and party was $35.00.  We decided to go for it!!!

Peg picked me up at ten thirty and we headed down to the big bridge and down to the flight of five.  We arrived about ten minutes before they started the demonstration. About halfway through the demonstration, my brother and his family arrived.  They were standing on the big bridge and saw Peg and I down below and texted LOOK UP.

 They soon joined us and watched part of the demonstration with us.

Between the two events, Peg and I went to ONE EYED JACKS for lunch.  We shared two sandwiches the PIGKEN and the MEMPHIS.  We enjoyed our lunch.  Then we went to PIES to look at easy chairs and recliners for my sister.  Then we ran to my house to use the bathroom and get fresh bottles of water.

Then we headed back downtown to the FLIGHT OF FIVE WINERY which is in Old City Hall.  We arrived a bit early and met up with our tour guide.  Since we had extra time, we walked over to LAKE EFFECT ICE CREAM.  I had a small frozen hot chocolate cone.

Once back at Old City Hall, we signed up with one of the tour guides and we left on the tour a few minutes later.  First stop was MAGNIFICENT.  We were able to go into the old, empty Lockport Gas and Electric, which has been out of business for at least fifty years, and it has been twenty years or so since it has been open to the public.

The next most interesting thing we saw was when we were taken upstairs in the old post office into the old federal court! We also got to go up into the balcony of the PALACE  THEATRE.  The rest of the tour was just informational, as we stopped various places.  I had been hoping to get into the former FARMERS AND MECHANICS BANK where I had my first bank account, but Lisa our tour guide said that the owner was very uncooperative.

At the end of the tour, there was a KICK OFF reception at Old City Hall, including drinks and orderves (spelling).   We got to talk to Lisa about future tours in Lockport and ongoing ones in Buffalo.