Its author is Diane Andrasik, who was responsible for the 2007 publication “Dunkirk,” an Arcadia Publishing Company book. The new book is structured around the three main north-south streets in the city: Central Avenue, Main Street and Washington Avenue. It focuses on the changes that the city has gone through due to loss of its critical structures — commercial, private, and historic buildings being demolished for various reasons only to be replaced by smaller more modern structures or none at all.

The first printing of the book has been funded by private donations and will be limited to 120 copies. Additional copies will be available based on presale purchases. The first copies and presale will be available at the Dunkirk Historical Museum, with all proceeds going to support to museum.

The book will sell for $19.99. Presale order will be accepted as the museum awaits the arrival of the book from the printer.

Anyone interested in purchasing a book may come to the museum at 513 Washington Ave. on Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning from 9 a.m. to noon to pay for a book.

A sampling of information covered in the book shows the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum and School as it appeared on a postcard and two other photos. The postcard Constructed in 1870, hundreds of children were given refuge until its being demolished in 1955, as shown in the middle photo. St. Vincent’s Home was constructed in its place and most recently became Symphony Living and currently Chautauqua County Rural Ministry.

Another option is to call the museum to make a credit card purchase at 716-366-3797.

If the book needs to be mailed, a shipping and handling fee of $10.40 will be added to your charge.

Finally, payment for a book may be made on the museum website at dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org and clicking on “Our Store.”

If you require the book be sent to you, the shipping and handling fee will be $10.40. The first printing will be available sometime in February.

The book stems from a 2018 lecture and photo exhibit entitled “Dunkirk, Then and Now.” That exhibit displayed historic photographs of important locations around Dunkirk next to modern rephotographed versions of the same scenes to show what that location looked like now.

The book explores the three most important north south streets in the city, each of which began its existence under different names, Center Street, Buffalo Street, and Lion Street. The book allows the reader to “walk the street” from its start of each at the 100 block closest to the lake and continue through several blocks to see its development from the lake to the south, how key buildings were built and sometimes lost.