Barton Hill event was a success
Guestview by Irene Rykaszweski and Eva Nicklas
Thursday, June 10, 2026

On behalf of everyone at the Lewiston Arts Council, we would like to publicly express our gratitude to Diane and Ed Finkbeiner for opening up their home for the “Return to Barton Hill” tours on May 22 and 23.

I’m sure we speak also for the 600 plus people who took the tours, that it was a rare opportunity to get a fascinating glimpse into the past. We are indeed fortunate that this magnificent home has passed to a family who appreciates its significance and is so eager to generously share its history and beauty with the community.

This successful fund-raiser would not have been possible without the many volunteers who worked to plan and staff the two days of tours. Thank you first to the planners, Annette Brown, Betsy Diachun, Diane Finkbeiner, Tim Henderson, Christine McCarthy, Bonnie Northrop and Kathryn Serianni. Under the direction of Jacquie Lodico we became a cultural “swat team.”

Throughout the weekend, dozens of volunteers gave their time as tour guides and hosts (Dale Campbell, Ann Cary, Don Deitrich, Diane Finkbeiner, Marshall Finkeiner, Josh Hibbard, Camille Heim, Tim Henderson, Sandra Maslen, Christine McCarthy, Jack & Gretchen Morgan and Kathryn Serianni), and selling tickets and concessions (Angela Berti, Jean Blinco, Beth Brown, Paul Brucato, Colette Case, Barbara Cich, John Cich, Marilyn D’Angelo, Richard Demus, Betty Eakins, Dee Gable, Melody Griffith, Anna Hartman, Marilyn Herowski, Norma Hyla, Ann Kennedy, Nancy Kenney, Nancy Long, Ginger McNally, Florency Moreno, Judy Nicolia, Wendy O’Malley, Kristen Palmeri, Rosalie Proietti, Helen Schoninger, Rosemary Thompson, Elaine Wagner, Emily Walker).

As someone humorously noted “it takes a Village to raise a buck.”

Thank you also to the period crafters and musicians who lent a historic ambiance to the tours: lacemakers Judy Bongiovanni and Pat Pike, rug braider Sharon Lowery, broom maker Edward Smith, and blacksmith Charlie Woolcutt, pianist Robert Hull, harpist Peter Smith, Lew-Port strings students Jackie Butera, Jeanine McGreavey and Teri Drennan and the members of Endymion.

Also thanks to the Niagara County Historical Society and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society for their generous loan of Barton Family heirlooms and other period artifacts.

Hats off to our sponsors and friends who donated to the event: Falls Tent & Awning, Cataract Printing; Lewiston Garden Club, Celenza Florist, Enchanted Florist for floral arrangements, Mary Ellen Piotrzkowski for donating drawings of the house.

Last but not least, we thank our media friends who do so much to support the efforts of our organization, (Sue Campbell, Dan Cappalazo and James Niess at the Niagara Gazette, Nancy Fischer and Charlie Lewis at the Buffalo News, Larry Austin at Niagara Frontier Publications and Don Dietrich and the crew at Lockport Community Television).

We thank you all again and again and again.



Irene Rykaszweski is executive director and Eva Nicklas is artistic director of the Lewiston Arts Council.
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