I have included an excerpt from the booklet to include the period 1890-1910 as this is the time when the family of Charles Koepka was settling in Angola, NY.
To view the entire article
The History of Angola
from 1873 to 1973
written by Mrs. Joan Houston
Angola Village Centennial Celebration Booklet
July 22-July 28, 1973
The earliest settlers to arrive were in the vicinity located
in the Evans Center area. Saw and grist mills along Big Sister Creek were established; and with the blacksmith shops and stores nearby, it soon became
the center of most social activities.
However, in 1852 the Buffalo and State Line Railroad laid tracks
and built a station about a mile south of Evans Center. The railroad
proved to be a great boon to the area causing a shift of the center of
activities towards "Evans Station," known today as Angola. Much of the country was covered with timber and the railroad did a thriving business transporting lumber to the growing young city of Buffalo. A wood yard and watering station was built on the farm of Chauncey Carrier.
Over the years many have searched and probed into the past to determine the origin of the name Angola. There have been several versions
but the following seems to be the most authentic. In 1820 a mail route was established between Buffalo and Olean, and a post office was opened
at Springville. Two years later a post office designated" Angola" was
opened at Taylor Hollow near Gowanda. The name may be related to the fact
that a majority of the residents in Taylor Hollow were Quakers who being
missionary-minded helped to support Angola, Africa, as one of their projects.
In 1855 John Andrus, an infuentiall and owner in Evans Station, made application to have the "Angola" Post Office transferred here from Taylor Hollow. Because of the population increase and nearness of
the railroad, it was approved; John Andrus was appointed Postmaster. Prior to this, the land which is now the Village of Angola was owned by three fammilies: Harvy Barrell, P.M. Carrier, and Philip Clark. In 1854 George Wilcox settled here and opened a shoe store. A small saloon was opened, which soon became the Angola House or Hotel (now a parking lot across from the Village Hall on Commercial St. This building had been moved from Evans Center and rebuilt in 1860 by John Andrus. Alva Montgomery then purchased it, followed by S. P. Imus in 1867. Mr. Iinus was formerly a stage driver on the old Buffalo to Erie route for the Ohio Stage Company and boasted of having taken the last passengers through the town on Feb. 22, 1852.
In 1854 Bundy and Hurd opened a general store adjacent to the Angola
House. It was soon sold to Lyman Oatman changing hands many times until
Jacob Friend remodeled it as the Farmers Hotel or Central Hotel, The
first physician was Dr. Powers, settling in the Village in 1858.
1900's
With the turn of the century attention focused on the needs of the
Village in regard to transportation, communication, industry, special
services, and a myriad other concerns of a growing community.
Angola prospered in this decade with the establishment of a number
of new businesses. The LoGrasso Macaroni Factory located in 1903 on South
Main Street (presently the Angola Milling Co. building). A gasoline
engine operated its flour mixers and fans for the drying of macaroni. Later,
as the business developed, new additions were added including a small
store for the sale of imported Italian products.
Natural gas led to the drilling of many wells in the area. Gas was
struck in 1903 resulting in a prosperous business for the Angola Gas Co.
with the extension of their mains and sales of all types of goods. They located their office in the Landon Building.
A waterworks system was under discussion in 1902 with a plan to
construct a $40,000 facility. It was favorably received but not acted
upon for another ten years. A proposed system of electric rail travel met with faster action. Field surveyors secured necessary data in March 1903 regarding grades,curves, and a power house. In April the Buffalo Lake Erie Traction Co.(B&LE) was granted a franchise. Construction commenced, and
within five years regular service was inaugurated.
Angola took on a new look when the trolley became a popular mode
of travel. The tracks, some of which still remain under today's blacktop pavement, followed Main Street from School Street to Commercial Street following along the west side of the railroad tracks. A trolley station was
built on the corner of Main and School Streets, in 1912. Passenger service between Buffalo and Erie was possible every forty minutes.
The present site of Robert Wilson's Town Press was a Power House
for the trolley. Round windows on the second floor of the structure, which
can be seen from Maple Avenue, once housed insulators to which power cables were attached. Abutments of the bridge that carried the trolley
across Big Sister Creek remain to this day and can be seen south of the
Mill Street bridge, looking toward the Penn Central Arch Bridge.
A most important industry located in Angola in 1904 when the newly
formed Emblem Bicycle Company transferred its quarters to the corner of South Main and York Streets in the Tifft Block. Mr. William Schack
became the Company's President and Mr. William Heil, Vice-President.
In 1908 under the direction of John Glas a new three-story cement block
building was constructed at its present location adjoining the New York Central Railroad. Two additional stories were later added to the original structure. Their bicycles and motorcycles were noted for their excellent quality and many distinctive features. They were sold throughout the country and even to foreign countries. At one time production reached 125 to 150 bicycles a day. The company was the single largest employer of the community.
An excellent baseball diamond was constructed to the rear of the
factory for community use and that of its own sponsored Emblem Baseball Club. For road testing of its bicycles and motorcyles, a large circular
track encompassed the ball field. The company later struggled through
the depression years, had a brief increase in business about 1936, but
finally succumbed to economic pressures in the early 1940's. With the tremendous return to bicycling today, one wonders what the Emblem could have
done had it continued.
A disastrous fire on Commercial Street March 12, 1904, proved to
be the most destructive in the history of the Village. Cash Bros. Store,
barn, bakery building, Post Office, the A. Wilcox building, and two livery
barns were completely burned out.
Financial conditions warranted the granting of a charter to the Bank
of Angola in 1905. A very attractive concrete building was erected
on the corner of Commercial and High Streets, opening June 1, 1906. Soon
after the bank was established, the St. Paul Episcopal Mission, which
had organized in 1904, purchased a lot from them on the corner of Lake
and High Streets as their future building site. Temporary services were
held in the hall of Mr. Harry Weston.
In 1909 Henry Barkman sold his furniture stock to Joseph Froehley
& Sons. About this same time Christian Widmer bought the business
and building at the corner of Commercial Streets where his family has continued in the tavern-restaurant business for some sixty-five years.
The Post Office relocated in 1906 on Main Street in the building
now occupied by the Variety Store. Service to rural areas was extended
with postage of two cents.
The Village adopted a new set of ordinances in 1908. Some excerpts
follow: It shall not be lawful: ...To hitch or tie any horse or horses to
any shrub, tree or lamp-post, ...
...For two or more persons to congregate on Sunday and engage in
ball playing, cricket, sparring, boxing, fighting or other disorderly
conduct.
...For any person to race, run or drive any horse or team, or run
a bicycle, tricyle, or automobile or other motor vehicle, whether
the same be propelled by steam, gasoline, electricity or other source of
energy, on any street, lane, alley or public place located within said Village, exceeding eight miles an hour.
...To leave any wagon, cart, buggy, sleigh or other vehicle standing in the streets, unless the same shall be in actual use-
...To use any lamp, candle or other light in any barn, shed or stable, except the same be carefully secured in a glass lantern.
Read in terms of today's modern world some of the provisions appear
amusing, although in 1908 they were very much the law. Law enforcement in these days consisted mainly of a constable or night watchman who patrolled mostly on foot.
191O's
Major improvements came in this decade. An election in 1910 authorized
the Village to establish a water system at a cost not to exceed
$55,000. In 1911 the foundation for the 100-foot tall, 18 foot diameter stand pipe was completed. Residents were pleased to learn that after the water mains had been laid a new 16-foot brick paved street would follow. Finished in 1912, it extended along Commercial Street and over Main Street toward Evans Center.
This being the advent of the gasoline age, little did people realize
that autos on this improved road, and others like it all over the country, would one day spell the demise of the trolley and to a large extent, railway travel. The popular "Gas buggy" would in fact account for vast changes in our way of life, work, and play.
About this time the old wide wooden sidewalks were replaced with
cement walks. The old gas street lights were gradually replaced with electric; electric service made available to individual homes soon after 1915. The Niagara and Erie Power Company opened its office in Clow's store.
Movies came to Angola in 1910, the first "theater" being on the second
floor of the Village Hall with Frank Wiatrowski as Manager. Five
years later the Star Theater opened on North Main Street at the present
location of the "Why Not?" dress shop. Ad- mission was 10 cents.
A balcony was erected on the Village Hall in the same year, which
provided the Angola Fire Department the opportunity to perform weekly Saturday night band concerts.
A civic group of about fifty members known as the "Board of Trade"
was organized in 1912. Their purpose was that of an Angola Boosters
Association. There were number of business changes about this time. In 1912 Joseph Froehley & Sons (Philip and Charles) moved to North Main Street, purchasing store property from W. C. Russell. They continued in
the furniture and undertaking business at this same location until 1957.
Two cemeteries served the community. Holy Cross Cemetery on the
Angola-Brant Road was dedicated in 1904. Forest Avenue Cemetery,
off Locust Street, incorporated in 1914, the original interments going
back to 1874.
World War I brought its demands on the local citizens with the drafting
of young men for service and the soliciting of money in the form of Liberty
Bonds. A local Red Cross unit was formed; knitting and sewing were
taught. A local product, the Emblem motorcycle, was used by the military.
Angola had its accidents too, as do all communities. A Fourth of
July fireworks display held in 1911 on'the Lake Shore and Michigan Depot
grounds ended in tragedy when falling sparks ignited the fire-works. A rocket pierced the arm of a young boy, for which the Village was
sued for $11,500. Many others received injuries and burned clothing.
Early on the morning of June 29, 1918, two B.&L.E. trolley freight
cars from Erie to Buffalo jumped the track as they rounded from Commercial
Street into Main Street. The first car struck the corner of the
Village Hall and plowed into the balcony, which collapsed. The second car
rammed into the Neubeck Building next door tearing out the front and wrecking two rooms on the second floor. Eighty-year-old Mrs. McMahon, who
lived there, was rolled out of bed into the wreckage when the corner of
the building collapsed. She suffered only shock and the crew, bruises
and cuts. Shortly after, the roof of the Village Hall caved in. Failure
of air brakes was given as the cause of the accident.
A near tragedy was averted in 1919 with the quick action of Theodore Miller, gateman for the New York Central Railroad crossing. Mr.
Miller, who had but one arm, dashed in front of a fast-moving train and
dragged a four-year-old boy to saftey as the train rushed by. He was awarded
the "Carnegie Hero Medal" and $1,000 for his deed. Mr. Miller had attained
fame prior to this as a one-arm boxer and for a time toured the country
exhibiting his skill.
Now in 1973 the Village celebrates its 1OOth Anniversary. It is
apparent that over the years the Village has become primarily a residential area with few industries. The current population is 2685, indicating a relatively slow growth pattern. Therein lies its charm!
In spite of changes in the way of life these 100 years, it is still
possible to walk down Main Street, greet one's friends, and feel not as a stranger but as a part of one's town.