~*~BUFFALO LONG AGO~*~

Our Rich And Wonderful History...

Where did it all begin? Those with a fascination for history, or those with a curiosity about the place they call home, may well find this essay a bona fide personal exploration. Everything that goes on today in Buffalo City doesn’t go on just because of today, but rather toward a leading up to - today. Once you become familiar with the yesterdays, you will see how truly rich and wonderful our history actually is. In fact, I would say it is something every resident (city or out-of-city) should become familiar with, if for no other reason than knowledge and education about one’s homeland.

We've Been Around Over 300 Years...

The very first documented discovery date that white men stepped upon the shores of Western New York was historically 1678. French explorers were our first inhabitants and they arrived via sailboat navigating the lower Niagara River. Under the guidance of Frenchman, Rene Robert Cavalier Sieur de la Salle, these explorers originated the Village of LaSalle located on Cayuga Island. Their next step was to build a better ship, the Griffon (1679), which they did and sailed further up the Niagara River to what became known as the Village of Black Rock.

Next documentation was in 1758, stating that white settler, Chabert Joncaire, had constructed a barn and house along the Buffalo Creek. The already established Indian population was in place and Joncaire was known to trade amongst them. The British, soon after in1759, defeated the French at Fort Niagara and made claim until the Revolutionary War (1779) forced them out.

In 1791, Robert Morris and a group of six Dutch investors founded the Holland Land Company. Morris, who had purchased the land of Western New York from the State of Massachusetts, dealt with extensive Indian claims upon this land. Eventually, the Indians were persuaded to sell their land and relinquish all claims connecting to it. In 1797, the settlement went for $10,000 cash and three Indian reservations on the Niagara Frontier. Hence, the beginning of the discovery of the City of Buffalo.

Buffalo City - The Foundation...

Originally identified as the Village of Buffalo, things began to fall in place in 1804. The Holland Land Company began their expansion by purchasing numerous Western New York land parcels. Over a period of seven years of arduous struggle, Buffalo City was laid out. Surprisingly, much of that layout is still in existence today.

Continued growth of our Buffalo Village was sluggish until the War of 1812. Military forces created destruction in mass, and many of our residents were forced to move for survival reasons. Rebuilding was slow until 1821, when Erie County was born out of Niagara County and became an entity of its own. The real challenge began now, as Buffalo Village lacked in suitable transportation. It wasn’t until 1822, when negotiations by General Peter Porter, spokesman for the Village of Black Rock, were encouraging enough for Buffalo to become connected to the Erie Canal. Resulting from this we became known as the City of Buffalo, and became incorporated with administration by a president and board of trustees.

By 1825, Buffalo was on its way to becoming the gateway to the west, the Erie Canal proved that to be true. We became the largest grain handling port in the world. By 1832, Buffalo City had banks, insurance companies, garish houses and the creation of a water works project. Good frothy breweries began a tradition, which endured until 1972. Then, gladly, on April 20, 1832, the City of Buffalo became chartered.

What happened during the next 68 years became the crux for where and what we are today. Any full-fledged city has to survive on its own, develop its successes and certainly survive its adversities when they come. In the 1830’s, we became a city of over 17,000 residents. By taxing Buffalo City citizens, revenues were used for municipal improvements and maintenance, city officials' salaries, lighting the streets, bridgework, and other sundry expenses.

Buffalo City’s first mayor, Dr. Ebenezer Johnson (1832), was the richest city citizen and influential in the building of our first hospital. By 1833, Buffalo City had eleven steamboats going to and from Chicago; also a new lighthouse was opened. A devastating storm appeared in 1837 killing many of our citizens and blowing several ships onto our streets. In 1838, with the help of federal aid, we
constructed a seawall for protection. And until 1840, our port was continually added to and improved upon.

By 1850, we had acquired more banks, a railroad, a newspaper (the Commercial Advertiser), an elegant theatre (Eagle Street Theatre), a public school, a city jail, churches, hotels, grocery stores and dry-goods emporiums, carriage, stagecoach and omnibus services. We were also known for having “the wickedest street in the world” (the Canal District). The Attica and Buffalo Railroad was our first rail transportation, and we weathered another storm which destroyed our seawall and took more lives. At this time we saw the origin of the University of Buffalo and the Buffalo Savings Bank; the creation of the Diocese of Buffalo, and the first catholic church (St. Louis Church). And in 1850, Millard Fillmore (a prominent Buffalo lawyer) became U. S. president.

Between 1850 and 1899, we made “claim to fame” for the first electric powered department store, Adam, Meldrum & Anderson Co.; the Ellicott Square Building was designed and constructed; Bethlehem-Lackawanna Steel became the world’s largest steel making operation; Roswell Park became the first cancer laboratory in the country, and the City of Buffalo endorsed the first dog licensing law in the nation.

I ask this question – “If we could go back in time in Buffalo City what would we find?” I have explored only a minor portion of what I found, and wasn’t it fascinating? Interesting…times are really not much different now. We have our discoveries, our trials and errors, our successes and failures, and our challenges to overcome. BUT, no matter what - we will always have our Buffalo City, the only city of exceptionally good neighbors.

More About Buffalo's History...

The Buffalonian
WNY Heritage Press, Inc.
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