1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Tonawanda

TONAWANDA, a city of Erie county, New York, U.S.A., about 11 m. by rail N. of Buffalo on the Niagara River at the mouth of Tonawanda Creek (opposite North Tonawanda), and on the Erie Canal. Pop. (1900), 7421, of whom 1834 were foreign-born; (1910 census), 8290. Tonawanda is served by the New York Central & Hudson River and the Erie railways, and is connected with Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Lockport by electric lines. The industries depend chiefly on electric power generated by the Niagara Falls, 11 m. distant. There are rolling mills, planing-mills, ship-yards, and blast-furnaces, and among the manufactures are wooden ware, flour and paper. The surrounding region was the scene of hostilities during the Seven Years’ War, and the War of 1812. The first permanent white settlement was made about 1809, and Tonawanda was incorporated as a village in 1854 and was chartered as a city in 1903. The name of the city is an Indian word said to mean “swift water.”