Local Voices: Preserving the History of Lewiston, One Treasure at a Time

With human residents in the area stretching back to 8,000 BC(!), Lewiston offers a treasure trove of history. Meet a local resident who helps maintain its artifacts.

From its Indigenous people to its pivotal role in several North American wars, the history of Niagara County is rich and varied, telling the country’s story in a concentrated form. Tom Collister, curator for the Historical Association of Lewiston and Museum, helps bring those stories to life.

Pictured: Tom Collister

After Collister retired, his son, then a board member, asked him to help out. He moved on swiftly from mowing the property’s grass to identifying artifacts in the Lewiston museum, thanks to his long-standing, keen interest in Lewiston history.

"I started doing the research and falling in love with more and more of the history of Lewiston," he says. "So I agreed to come on as a curator." He still considers himself an amateur, thanks to being self-taught on the area's history.

Landing in Lewiston

The Rochester native moved to Lewiston in 1975, buying a house only five doors down from the museum in a prescient coincidence. He says he got "hooked" on the town thanks to the people who lived there, noting the "friendliness of the whole area of Niagara Falls and Buffalo and in Lewiston." He loves the access to nature that the region offers, noting the surprisingly good weather in Lewiston, which allows him to take advantage of Niagara Falls, the Gorge, boating, swimming, hiking and more. "That's what I love about it," he says, "[There's] a variety of things you can do."

Pictured: Interior of the Lewiston Historical Museum

Collister’s “Private Tour” of Lewiston History

For those curious about what they might discover at the Lewiston museum, Collister points to several of his favorite artifacts, including muskets and cannonballs from the French and Indian War and the War of 1812 as well as artifacts dating back to 8,000 BC. But his point of pride is tied to Lewiston's pivotal role in the Underground Railroad, helping freedom seekers cross the border to Canada. In fact, one of his favorite events of the year is when hundreds of school children from the area come in to learn about the Underground Railroad.

"We have a thornwood cane, or walking stick,” he says, “which is rare that there's any items left from that timeframe.”

The Lewiston Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m., or you can make an appointment the rest of the year to have Collister or another museum staffer walk you through the impressive collection.

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