History of Buffalo, New York, USA

Journey back in time to Buffalo, New York, USA

• 1789 - Buffalo, New York founded
  
  wikipedia.org
  
  
• In 1800, Buffalo, New York, was a town of four log cabins.
  
  wikipedia.org
  
  
• 1813 - Decmber 29 - British burn Buffalo, NY during War of 1812
  
  historyorb.com
  
  
• 1841 - August 9 - Erie boat in Buffalo NY catches fire; 242 die
  
  historyorb.com
  
  
•  1844 - October 19 - The famous "Lower Great Lakes Storm" occurred. Southwesterly winds were at hurricane force for five hours, driving lake waters into downtown Buffalo NY. The storm drowned 200 persons.
  
  WeatherForYou.com
  October 19, 1844
  
  
•  1850 - TREMENDOUS FIRE ! - OVER $100,000 OF PROPERTY DESTROYED !
  From the Buffalo Daily Courier.
  
  It becomes out painful duty to record the most disastrous conflagration, which has ever visited our city. The American Hotel, the Park Church, and numerous stores and dwellings contiguous to both are now in ruins. The blow has been a heavy one, and will awaken our ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Erie Canal Basin and Elevator, Buffalo
  
  Picturesque America: Or, the Land We Live In. A Delineation by Pen and Pencil of the Mountains, Rivers, Lakes... With Illustr. on Steel and Wood, by Eminent American Artists, Volume 1
  William C. Bryant
  Appleton, 1872
  
  Artwork
  
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  Main Street, Buffalo, From St Paul's Church
  
  Picturesque America: Or, the Land We Live In. A Delineation by Pen and Pencil of the Mountains, Rivers, Lakes... With Illustr. on Steel and Wood, by Eminent American Artists, Volume 1
  William C. Bryant
  Appleton, 1872
  
  Artwork
  
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  Grain-Propeller, Buffalo
  
  Picturesque America: Or, the Land We Live In. A Delineation by Pen and Pencil of the Mountains, Rivers, Lakes... With Illustr. on Steel and Wood, by Eminent American Artists, Volume 1
  William C. Bryant
  Appleton, 1872
  
  Artwork
  
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  City of Buffalo
  
  Picturesque America: Or, the Land We Live In. A Delineation by Pen and Pencil of the Mountains, Rivers, Lakes... With Illustr. on Steel and Wood, by Eminent American Artists, Volume 1
  William C. Bryant
  Appleton, 1872
  Artwork
  
• 1854 - Buffalo
  Buffalo, a city, port of entry, and seat of justice of Erie county, New York, is situated at the eastern extremity of Lake Erie, 2 or 8 miles S. from the commencement of Niagara river : W. from Albany 364 miles by the Erie canal, and 325 miles by the Central railroad, (both of which terminate in...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1871 - Christopher Columbus was badly defeated for Councilman at the Buffalo election. Such is fame.
  
  St Joseph Herald
  Saint Joseph, Michigan
  January 7, 1871
  
  
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  Main Street, Buffalo, From St. Paul's Church
  Picturesque America... Oliver Bell Bunce, William Cullen Bryant
  New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1872-1874.
  Artwork
  
• 1880 - Ice Cream Sundae
  1880: Buffalo, NY; Evanston, IL; Two Rivers, WI; and Ithaca, NY all claim to have invented the ice cream sundae. Wherever it happened, it first started appearing in soda fountains during the 1880's. It was invented because ice cream sodas weren't allowed to be sold on Sundays; the ice cream sundae...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1887 - A PECULIAR CASE. Boys and Girls Married by a Buffalo Clergyman.
  BUFFALO, N.Y., March 16. A most peculiar case came up in the Police Court here to-day, when a little girl between thirteen and fourteen years of age Applied to Judge King for a warrant for her husband. After some explanation it was given, for non-support. She said his name was Herbert F. Stone, and ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1889 - BUFFALO'S CALAMITY. The Heart of the City Swept by Fire, and a Loss of $2,500,000 Incurred -
  Forty Buildings, Including Two Hotels Burned - A Fireman Killed by Falling Walls - Seventeen Other Persons Hurt.
  
  BUFFALO, N. Y., Feb. 4 - The great fire Saturday morning did the most disastrous work in Buffalo since the embryo city was swept in flames in the war with the British and Indians in...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  1890s
  New Process Soap
  Gowans & Stover
  Buffalo, N.Y.
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  Lutted's S.P. Cough Drops
  Buffalo, N.Y., U.S.A.
  
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•  1891 - A BIG BLAZE IN BUFFALO. WARNER BROTHERS' NEW BUILDING LAID IN ASHES.
  THE LOSS ON BUILDING AND STOCK IN FOUR STORES ABOUT $300,000, FULLY INSURED - TWO FIREMEN TAKEN FROM THE RUINS DEAD.
  
  BUFFALO, N. Y., Jan. 23. - The new and handsome building of Warner Brothers, at Terrace and Pearl Streets, was almost completely ruined by fire to-night. Within a week of the...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1893 - HEAVY FIRE IN BUFFALO. FIRE EARLY THIS MORNING DESTROYS PROPERTY VALUED AT $750,000.
  Buffalo, Dec. 14 - Fire this morning destroyed the Arcade building on Main street, including ROBINSON Musee, SHEAS music hall and several stores, including YENXA'S large grocery.
  
  The loss is estimated at three-quarters of a million.
  
  A number of people were sleeping in the Musee and barely...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1895 - Buffalo
  Buffalo, a city, port of entry, and seat of justice of Erie co., N.Y., is situated at the eastern extremity of Lake Erie, in lat. 42°53' N., lon. 78° 55' W., being 352 miles W. of Albany by the Erie Canal (300 miles by the New York Central Railroad), 460 miles N.W. of New York by the New York, Lake ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1896 - BUILDING COLLAPSED. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED AT BUFFALO, N.Y. ALMOST CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS.
  THE OLD STRUCTURE WAS PROPPED UP FOR REPAIRS, WHEN THE PROPS SUDDENLY GAVE WAY AND A SCORE OR MORE PEOPLE WERE CAUGHT IN THE TRAP.
  
  NAMES OF THE VICTIMS.
  
  Buffalo, May 22. - Yesterday morning the Seneca Street side of the Brown building formerly occupied by the Western Union Telegraph company...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  T. C. Tanke
  Cor. Main and Eagle Streets
  Buffalo, N.Y.
  
  Ladies' Home Journal
  November 1898
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  Elk Street Market
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• 1901 - McKinley Assassinated
  President William McKinley is assassinated in Buffalo.
  Location: Inside the Temple of Music on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
  
  He was shaking hands with the public when Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, shot him twice in the abdomen. McKinley died six days later on...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1901 - Pan-American Exposition (Buffalo)
  The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied 350 acres (1.4 km2) of land on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood Avenue and northward to Great Arrow ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Temple of Music, Buffalo, N.Y. Where Pres. McKinley was Shot (1901)
  
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  Wilcox Residence, Buffalo, N.Y. where President Roosevelt took the oath of office, Sept. 14th, 1901
  Postcard
  
• On July 17, 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system. (Buffalo, NY)
  
  www.carrier.com
  
  
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  City Hall, 1907
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  Ellicott Square Building, 1907
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  North Street Looking West From Delaware Ave., Lenox Hotel, Buffalo, N.Y., 1907
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  Old Home Week, 1907
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  Delaware Ave. Residences, 1908
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  Elmwood Avenue Bridge and Albright Art Gallery
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  Albright Art Gallery
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  Allen Street, looking toward Days Park
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  Chamber of Commerce and Bank of Buffalo, 1910
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  Historical Building, Delaware Park
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  Lafayette Hotel
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  Lafayette Square, 1910
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  The Larkin Factories, Buffalo, N.Y.
  Over Fifty Acres of Floor Space. Visitors Welcome.
  
  The Larkin Company are the World's Largest Manufacturers of Soaps and Toilet Preparations and are important Food Specialists. The entire output of the Larkin Factories goes direct from the Factory to Family, thus saving for customers the expenses and profits of wholesalers and retailers.
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  Outer Light House and Breakwall
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  Marine Nat'l Bank Bldg., 1910
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  Bird's-eye View of the H. A. Meldrum Company's Department Stores
  460-470 Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y.
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  Bear Pits, Park Zoo
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  The Telephone Building
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  William Street, showing Siegrist & Fraley Department Store
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•  1911 - $250,000 FIRE IN BUFFALO FACTORY. FIREMEN BATTERED AND BURNED IN FIGHTING TO AVERT BIG EXPLOSION. TWO WOMEN RESCUED.
  THICK SMOKE OVERCOMES DWELLERS IN ADJACENT HOUSE, WHO ARE CARRIED TO SAFETY - SCORE OF FIREMEN BLOWN ACROSS STREET - FLAMES KEPT FROM TURPENTINE.
  
  Special to The Syracuse Herald.
  Buffalo, April 27 - Damage estimated this morning at $250,000 resulted from a fire which practically destroyed the...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Morning Roll Call at Fort Porter, 1911
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  Edward Street Grammar School No. 46
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  Shelton Square, Intersection of Main, Erie, Church and Niagara Streets
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  Elk Street Market
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  Main Street Looking North
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•  1913 - Six Men Injured in $100,000 Fire at Buffalo Hotel
  Buffalo, Sept. 17.- Fire which broke out in the plant of Dirnberger Popcorn company, No. 135 Seneca street this morning spread to the Hotel Broezel and within a few minutes the third, fourth and fifth floor of the hotel were ablaze.
  
  No one was killed, but six men were injured. They are:
  
  John ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1916
  Buffalo, a city, port of entry, and seat of justice of Erie co., N.Y., is situated at the eastern extremity of Lake Erie, in lat. 42° 53' N., Lon. 78° 55' W., 352 miles W. of Albany by the Erie Canal and 300 miles by the New York Central and Hudson River R. Other railroads centring here are the...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Shopping District, Main St.
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  School 56
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  Main Street from Shelton Sq., Buffalo, N.Y. (1918)
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  Academy of Science
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  Central Terminal
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• 1922 - March 14 - WGR-AM in Buffalo NY begins radio transmissions
  
  historyorb.com
  
  
• 1927 - August 4 - The Peace Bridge between the U.S. and Canada opens. The 3,580 foot long bridge is located near Buffalo, New York, and crosses the Niagara River.
  
  http://www.independentsentinel.com/
  
  
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  St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral and Shelton Square, Buffalo, N.Y.
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  New Federal Court House, Niagara Square, Buffalo, N.Y.
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  Hotel Touraine
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  Peace Bridge across Niagara River, Connecting Canada and Buffalo, N.Y.
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  Kleinhan's Music Hall, 1944
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• 1945 - December 14-17 - A record December snowstorm buried Buffalo, NY, under 36.6 inches of snow, with unofficial totals south of the city ranging up to 70 inches. Travel was brought to a halt by the storm.
  
  The Weather Channel
  
  
•  1967 - June 27 - Race riot in Buffalo NY (200 arrested)
  
  historyorb.com
  June 27, 1967
  
  
• Buffalo is the 10th windiest city in the U.S. with an average wind speed of 11.8 mph.
  
  National Weather Service