Buffalo Tours - Audio, Boat and Walking Tours

We're On Facebook! (Again)

2011-12-01T16:17:00.005-05:00

Due to new rules at Facebook we've updated our Facebook Group. Be sure to "Like" our new Facebook Page. We'll be updating it with photos and other event updates during the winter. You might find a picture of yourself on a Buffalo Tour!

WGRZ.com features City Hall

2011-09-01T22:26:00.001-04:00

Click on this link: Architectural Showcase: Buffalo City Hall

Buffalo Tours at the Lewiston Art Festival

2011-08-18T10:56:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone who visited us at last weekend's Lewiston Art Festival! We met about 500 people and had a great time. Here's a photo of Cindy and Paul manning the Buffalo Tours tent. [photo by Carol at Graycliff]

African-American Heritage Tour of Buffalo

2011-08-03T21:26:00.003-04:00

Some time ago we took a great group of visitors on a themed tour of African-American heritage spots in downtown Buffalo. Wouldn't you know, but we just stumbled upon one person's slideshow of the tour. If you take photos during a Buffalo Tours event and would like them posted, E-mail Buffalo Tours and we'll be happy to show them off!

Buffalo Bike Tour

2011-07-08T14:54:00.002-04:00

Our Gold Medal Grain Elevators Bike Tour took place on June 4th. It was so popular that we are having a second one on Saturday, July 30th at 10am. Be sure to contact Buffalo Tours at (716) 852-3300 for a reservation: Tours are $20 and a working bike and helmet is required.

In the meantime, chaperone Meagan Baco made a short film about the first tour. Check it out below:

Buffalo Tours at the Erie Canal Harbor

2011-07-04T11:49:00.003-04:00

Fellow docent Maureen Evans was featured in a TV piece about our Erie Canal Harbor tours. Check out the free tour on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at Noon this summer!

Erie Canal Stories

2011-07-04T11:03:00.004-04:00

Buffalo News 7/4/11
Note the video on the above page is not related to the canal tours.
WGRZ 7/4/11

Buffalo on Cover of Preservation Magazine

2011-06-29T14:33:00.003-04:00

You can read the entire article, Reinventing Buffalo, on the National Trust's website. WIVB Channel 4 also interviewed our Executive Director, Henry McCartney, on TV about the article.

Magazine swoons over Buffalo architecture: wivb.com

Buffalo to Austin, to Buffalo

2011-03-23T06:10:00.003-04:00

In October 2010 I drove from my hometown of Buffalo, New York to Austin, Texas for the 2010 National Preservation Conference. This year the 2011 Conference happens to be in Buffalo so I won't be traveling at all. Since the Conference has many repeat attendees and half of America's population lies within a day's drive of Buffalo, I thought potential visitors might want to see just a few of my photos. You probably won't travel a 4,500 mile route through 16 different states like I did, but here's my travelogue anyway.

All I used was a GPS, a cheap digital camera, a "This Place Matters" sign and a tiny pumpkin as a sort of Travelocity Gnome / Flat Stanley (it was Halloween, after all). Thanks to Andrew Gorman of the National Trust for setting up my field session schedule, Henry McCartney of Preservation Buffalo Niagara for all the other Conference arrangements (including days off for travel), and Jennifer Walkowski for providing the pocket-sized pumpkin.

TO PLAY: Click on the captions before clicking Play or a new window will open. There are about 25 slides changing automatically every 10 seconds. This slideshow is in 3 parts: Before, During, and After the Conference.

--Fred Schrock, Education Coordinator

Buffalo Tours Docent Writes Lincoln Book

2011-02-18T09:36:00.004-05:00

Longtime docent John Fagant recently published The Best of the Bargain: Lincoln in Western New York, available at Amazon.com and Talking Leaves Bookstores. The book describes in detail the recently-elected Lincoln on his inaugural trip through the region in 1861. You can read a chapter of the book at BuffaloAH.com and even hear a February 4th interview with the author himself at Toginet.com. His book was even referenced by a New York Times columnist.

Congrats John!

Baby, It's Cold Outside - FREE TOURS in January and February

2011-01-05T12:58:00.001-05:00

Every Friday at 10am in January and February, Buffalo Tours will offer free downtown walking tours when the temperature is 25 degrees or below. For each degree above 25 the cost goes up $1 to a maximum of $10 per adult ($5 for students). Price is determined 15 minutes before the tour using the Weather Channel website for the 14203 zip code. Tours meet in the Buffalo Visitor Center at 617 Main Street.

In the coldest weather, Buffalo Tours' trained, volunteer docents quickly go from historic interior to historic interior, from M&T's gold dome to St. Paul's Cathedral. This Winter Special was the result of a walking tour held last February for twenty people. The temperature that day: three degrees Fahrenheit, not including the wind chill factor. Maybe it's crazy to be outside when the weather is this cold, but that hasn't deterred our visitors yet. Why not reward the heartiest tour-takers with even crazier prices?

Unlike winter Bills games at the Ralph, shirts are required on all tours. Tour goers are not allowed to pray for bad weather. Attendees from within Western New York are encouraged to brag that "this is nothing" in the vicinity of out-of-towners. No change is given for coupons or Buffalo Tour Bucks.

Reservations are not required. For more information, visit BuffaloTours.org or call (716) 852-3300.

Imagining Buffalo's Waterfront

2010-11-22T16:03:00.002-05:00

Be sure to check out this video about the redevelopment of Buffalo's Waterfront, including an interview with local activist Mark Goldman as he discusses prospects for the future.

IMAGINING BUFFALO'S WATERFRONT from nathan m peracciny on Vimeo.

Visit Buffalo: This Place Matters

2010-11-03T12:20:00.006-04:00

Watch the newest video from the Buffalo Convention and Visitors Bureau. Made in preparation for the 2011 National Preservation Conference

Buffalo Tours Docent Interview

2010-08-10T10:30:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to docent Tom Mudra for his recent video interview on Skunkpost.com. To view the entire clip, click on the link below:

http://www.skunkpost.com/news.sp?newsId=2920

Docent in the News

2010-07-29T12:14:00.001-04:00

Suzanne Prabucki was recently featured by Buffalo State College for her work curating the Fraunces Tavern Museum, a Revolutionary War landmark in New York City. While studying at Buffalo State, Suzanne gave several tours and even wrote a new tour highlighting EB Green's residential architecture in Buffalo. For more about Suzanne, visit the website for Buffalo State College.

Massachusetts Makeover on TV

2010-07-19T12:22:00.003-04:00

WKBW Channel 7
YNN Time Warner Cable

This weekend's Massachusetts Makeover tour was well-attended, and got on TV, too! Click the links below to see what all the fuss was about. Be sure to take the next Massachusetts Makeover tour on August 28!

Niagara Square Exhibit at Historical Society

2010-06-25T16:58:00.004-04:00

The evolution of a premier residential address to a civic hub
Click Here

Buffalo Tours in the News

2010-06-21T13:27:00.002-04:00

Here's a link about our recent tour in the Village of Kenmore, featured in the Tonawanda News.

Here's another link about our docent training program, featured in Buffalo Rising.

And if you haven't done it already, click here to join our Facebook group, now 1000 people strong!

Pin your history to the world

2010-06-19T15:28:00.005-04:00

Upload your vintage pictures of places and pin them to Google Streetview:
historypin.com

National Preservation Conference Planning

2010-06-14T23:33:00.001-04:00

Representatives from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to Discuss the October 2011 Conference to be hosted in Buffalo -

Public Invited to Share Thoughts, Ask Questions, Volunteer

WHAT: National Trust representatives will kick off planning for the 2011 National Preservation Conference that will be held in Buffalo from Oct. 18-22, 2011. Officials will present their goals for the conference and solicit ideas for sessions, tours, speakers and more. The session will also be used to sign up volunteers to assist with organizing and marketing the conference and to assist during the conference itself. A question and answer session will conclude the evening. All interested organizations and individuals are invited to attend.

WHO: Valecia Crusafilli, NTHP, Acting Vice President, Programs
Lori Feinman, NTHP, Associate Director for Conferences and Training
Catherine Schweitzer, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, Chair
Edward Healy, Visit Buffalo Niagara, Vice President, Marketing
Michael Even, Visit Buffalo Niagara, Vice President, Sales

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 5:00 pm.

WHERE: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo

You can pre-register for this session and be placed on the conference planning mailing list by contacting Preservation Buffalo Niagara at 852-3300 or send your name, organization (if any), address and email to info@p-b-n.org. Updates on conference planning will be posted on p-b-n.org.

Buffalo Tours on WIVB Channel 4

2010-06-14T14:56:00.003-04:00

Click here to see WIVB's visit to our "Inside the Central Terminal" tour from Sunday. Thanks to everyone who came to the tour!

Buffalo in London's Financial Times

2010-06-07T14:32:00.002-04:00

Heritage and Culture

Happy Hour Tours Go Nationwide!

2010-06-01T13:14:00.002-04:00

The Springfield Preservation Alliance in Ohio noticed the success of our Happy Hour Tours and started some of their own! You can read more about their tours in this article.

For dates and times of Happy Hour tours in Buffalo, including our Search Party scavenger hunt, visit this page at BuffaloTours.org. The first tour is Friday, June 18th!

Preserving Buffalo’s Religious Legacy

2010-05-31T15:10:00.004-04:00

National Catholic Register
Wednesday Walks starting in July

Historic Tax Credit Workshops in Buffalo

2010-05-28T12:44:00.000-04:00

BECHS TO HOST FREE WORKSHOPS ON NEW YORK STATE HISTORIC TAX CREDITS PRESENTED BY PRESERVATION BUFFALO NIAGARA

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society (BECHS) is hosting two FREE workshops given by Preservation Buffalo Niagara. The workshops, which are co-sponsored by the Historical Society, are on New York State Historic Tax Credits. The date of the workshops is Thursday, June 3, 2010. They will be held at the Historical Society, located at 25 Nottingham Court at Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.

Both homeowners and business-owners may attend the free workshops to learn more about these specific New York State's tax credits-which are available to eligible property owners. The tax credits offer the chance for those rehabilitating eligible historic buildings to receive a credit covering a portion of the costs. Attendees will learn about the details, including eligibility and other requirements.

Featured will be speakers from the State Historic Preservation office-Daniel McEneny, Elizabeth Martin and Sloane Bullough. Additional speakers include Andrea Rebeck with Preservation Buffalo Niagara/National Trust; Michele Brozek-Knoll, City of Buffalo Senior Preservation Planner; and Steve Weiss, an attorney with Cannon, Heyman & Weiss.

The workshops are free; however, space is limited and pre-registration is required. Registrants may attend one or both sessions-to register, please call Preservation Buffalo Niagara at (716) 852-3300 or email your name, organization (if applicable), mailing address, phone number and email to info@preservationbuffaloniagara.org.

Who: Preservation Buffalo Niagara and Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society
What: FREE workshops on NY State Historic Tax Credits for Business- and Homeowners (pre-registration required)
When: Thursday, June 3, 2010
2:30 to 4:30 pm Commercial Properties
6:30 to 8:30 pm Homeowners
Where: Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, 25 Nottingham Court at Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo

CONTACT:
Jana Eisenberg, Communications Manager
Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society
bechspr@bechs.org
(716) 873-9644 x319

Twilight Tour of the Electric Tower

2010-05-04T00:06:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the 300 members, visitors, and docents who came to our kick-off for the new Buffalo Tours season! May is also National Preservation Month. Visit Preservation Buffalo Niagara for more May events at P-B-N.org.

Doors Open Niagara on MSNBC

2010-04-16T01:18:00.004-04:00

Click here for an excellent overview of Doors Open events throughout the continent, including Doors Open Niagara where we will give tours of Buffalo City Hall. Doors Open Niagara 2010 is October 17th and 18th.

Dyngus Day in Buffalo

2010-03-23T01:24:00.004-04:00

From TrueBlueBuffalo.com. Easter Monday is only a few days away! For info on Dyngus Day festivities, visit DyngusDayBuffalo.com. And be sure to come back to the East Side for our Inside the Central Terminal tour on April 18th.

Last year's post: How to Make a Butter Lamb

Buffalo Preservation Documentary

2010-03-13T21:18:00.002-05:00

In 2009, Preservation Buffalo Niagara worked with filmmaker Diedie Weng on this documentary as part of Squeaky Wheel’s Channels program. Through this film, Diedie Weng aimed to promote a conversation about low income communities’ efforts and struggles in revitalizing neglected historic Buffalo neighborhoods. We want to help you promote a conversation as well. To arrange a public screening of this film or to procure DVD copies for distribution, contact PBN.

Inside the Tonawanda Castle

2010-03-09T15:11:00.002-05:00

Click here for a short documentary about the newly renovated Tonawanda Castle, formerly the Tonawanda Armory. For a tour, don't miss this summer's "Tona-Wander" tours on August 8th and October 17th. Write to info@BuffaloTours.org with your address and we'll send you a 2010 brochure!

Extreme Makeover: Buffalo Edition

2010-01-25T11:21:00.002-05:00

In case you missed it, the entire two-hour episode of last night's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is available online. (You may have to install the media player.) The show with the Powell family is in two parts.

WKBW-TV also aired an hour-long special before the event, including live footage of the viewing party at Shea's. You can see some of their footage online, too.

Preserving Buffalo's Statler Hotel

2010-01-08T13:32:00.003-05:00

WBFO radio recently aired this news segment about the status of the Statler towers, as well as efforts by Preservation Buffalo Niagara to save the building. The Statler may be closed and mothballed in the next few weeks. Buffalo Tours gave an exclusive tour of the building in October of 2007.

Photo: Charles LaChiusa

Buffalo-Niagara Docent Training now taking applications

2010-01-05T02:59:00.000-05:00

Learn to tell Buffalo’s stories to the world! Beginning February 13th, Buffalo Tours hosts its docent training program for those interested in sharing Buffalo Niagara’s architectural, environmental, cultural, and historical heritage. During weekly Saturday sessions from 9:30am to 12:30pm, trainees will learn about Buffalo’s cultural heritage, develop public speaking skills and practice docenting and concierge techniques.

This year Buffalo Tours partners with the Roycroft Campus Corporation, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, and the Buffalo Religious Arts Center to train volunteers who are passionate about leading tours in the Buffalo Niagara region. Buffalo Tours’ main architectural tour is called Queen City Downtown. Roycroft Campus tours give visitors a glimpse into the 1900’s arts and crafts community located in East Aurora. The TR Site tells visitors about the most famous (or infamous) event in Buffalo’s history, while the Buffalo Religious Arts Center preserves and displays sacred cultural artifacts. Niagara Riverkeeper EcoTours give participants the opportunity to paddle around Strawberry Island and Cayuga Creek, hike the Niagara Gorge and Scajaquada Creek, and lead programs with Buffalo Audubon.

Each Saturday session includes training and related lectures or field trips around Western New York. On field trips, trainees deepen their understanding of local history and current events and the influence of world famous architects like Wright, Green, Richardson, and Olmsted while exploring places like the Roycroft Campus, the Niagara Falls Power Vista, and Gothic Revival cathedrals. The entire class lasts ten weeks.

The first five joint classes run from February 13th to March 13th at different locations. Volunteers choose to continue training with individual organizations for the remaining sessions. A one time fee of $75 will cover the cost of docent training materials and other costs. To register, please fill out an online application at BuffaloTours.org before the February 1st deadline. For more information, call 716-852-3300 or send an email to info@BuffaloTours.org.

Buffalo Tours is a public education program of Preservation Buffalo Niagara, a nonprofit organization created to identify, preserve, protect, promote and revitalize historically and architecturally significant sites, structures, neighborhoods, commercial districts and landscapes in Erie and Niagara Counties. Visit P-B-N.org for details.

Old Fort Niagara Free Reenactment Workshop

2009-12-23T15:19:00.003-05:00

During Old Fort Niagara's many summer events, staff are frequently asked by visitors and community members how a person gets involved in living history programs and reenacting. To answer this question and provide assistance in getting started, the Fort will host a special free seminar on Saturday, January 16 from 10:30 am until 3:00 pm in the Old Fort Niagara Visitor Center.

In addition to covering the basics of how to find and join a unit, do research, and locate suppliers, we will host representatives of several regional reenactment groups who portray a variety of time periods. Seminar participants will be able to discuss their interests with unit representatives and ask questions about getting involved in an educational and rewarding hobby.

The program is free, but the Fort will provide lunch at a cost of $8.00 per person (please call the Fort at (716) 745-7611 for lunch reservations). The morning session will cover the basics of historical reenacting and the afternoon session will allow participants to talk one-on-one with regional reenactment unit representatives.

Historical reenactment has become a popular leisure pursuit throughout North America. Each weekend, thousands of volunteers don historic costume and camp out at historic sites throughout the United States and Canada. Some reenact historic battles while others demonstrate period skills and learn about the past by reliving the experiences of their ancestors. In 2009 over 3,000 reenactors presented programs at Old Fort Niagara

For more information, contact the Jason Buckley at the Fort at (716) 745-7611. Old Fort Niagara is located in Youngstown, NY 14 miles north of Niagara Falls via the Robert Moses Parkway North. The fort opens at 9:00 am daily year 'round, and is open until 5:00 pm during the winter months. Admissions end at 4:30 pm. The Fort is closed December 25th and January 1st.

Old Fort Niagara is a National Landmark and State Historic Site operated by the Old Fort Niagara Association (a not-for-profit organization) in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.

Holiday Events in Buffalo

2009-12-22T14:39:00.004-05:00

Last week a book signing was held inside the Council Chambers at Buffalo City Hall. Daniel Steele, author of Buffalo: Architecture in the American Forgotten Land and a frequent contributor to Buffalo Rising, spoke about his project. He was joined by Author Richard Reisem and Photographer Andy Olenick, creators of several well-received photography books of New York State.

Also last week, Preservation Buffalo Niagara held its first Patrons Party at the Coit House last week. Guests enjoyed an excellent reception and a look inside the oldest house in Buffalo.

Wint Aldrich, the New York State Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation, was our special guest for the evening.

Be sure to check out our many holiday tours between Christmas and New Year's Day!

Buffalo Featured in USA Today

2009-12-14T14:05:00.006-05:00

Read the article here.

Members of Preservation Buffalo Niagara, including board members Harvey Garrett and Catherine Schweitzer, are quoted in the article.

Protest to Save the Buffalo Olmsted Parks

2009-12-14T10:15:00.002-05:00

In dismal weather, a crowd of people including several Preservation Buffalo Niagara board members and other members, joined Sunday's demonstration in MLK Park.

Spotlight on Buffalo: Olmsted Parks Conservancy

2009-12-11T13:42:00.001-05:00

Read the latest Buffalo News editorial on park service negotiations.
Buffalo Olmsted Parks website

Dr. V. Roger Lalli's Book Signing

2009-12-08T01:16:00.001-05:00

Old Editions Bookshop & Trocaire College are pleased to announce that, on DECEMBER 9th, 2009, a book signing featuring Dr. V. Roger Lalli's BUFFALO: MY CITY at Old Editions (located at 74 East Huron Street). Dr. Lalli will be available to sign books from 5 to 7pm and will also be available to discuss his work. This is a great opportunity to own an extraordinary book of BUFFALO art by one of the most talented artists to ever come out of the Queen City.

Sunday in the Cemetery

2009-11-30T13:37:00.002-05:00

Forest Lawn Adds Winter Series to Sunday in the Cemetery Programs

Forest Lawn Cemetery has just announced the addition of a winter concert and lecture series as a part of its 13 years of successful Sunday in the Cemetery tours. Taking place at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the Month from January through April in Forest Lawn's historic Chapel, the series will be as follows:

January 10
The History of Music in Buffalo

Presenter: Raya Lee, retired Music Department Librarian of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library

Organist Bruce Woody, talented and animated Organist and Choir Director Corpus Christi Church, Buffalo, NY

February 14
The Entertainers and Writers of Forest Lawn

Presenter: Forest Lawn Researcher, Patrick Kavanaugh

Musical presentation: Romantic tunes performed by renowned Buffalo musicians, Billy Mc Ewen and Joe Head

March 14 Review of The Larkin Soap Company – A Man and His Products

Presenter: Jerry Puma – Larkin Enthusiast

Musical presentation: The Decenko Brothers performing a duet of Irish tunes

April 11
Smokestacks & Skyscrapers: A Lighthearted History of Buffalo

Presenter: Author of Buffalo Gal, Laura Pederson

Musical presentation: Villa Maria Music Department Student

Joseph P. Dispenza, Forest Lawn President commented: "Over the years, there has been so much enthusiasm for our summer tours, we began to receive requests for different but related programs during the winter. Our historic chapel is acoustically magnificent with its vaulted ceilings and flagstone floors, and it seats up to 150 guests. That makes it the perfect place for lectures as well as musical performances. We've decided to keep the tickets reasonably priced at $15, but people can save $8.00 buy purchasing a ticket for all four performances for just $52. We're delighted to be able to have both the facilities as well as the historic resources to make Forest Lawn Cemetery a year-round destination."

Tickets are available at the front desk of Forest Lawn at the corner of Delaware and Delavan Avenues, or by calling 885-1600 ext. 302.

Channels – Stories from the Niagara Frontier

2009-11-25T10:48:00.003-05:00

Premiere Screening!
Sunday, December 6th, 3 pm
Market Arcade Film & Arts Center, 639 Main Street
Cost: FREE! (donations accepted)

Channels - Stories from the Niagara Frontier, now in its third year, is Squeaky Wheel’s production program which matches documentary filmmakers with grass roots initiatives and groups to collaboratively create documentary films about issues important to this region. The participating groups are Preservation Buffalo Niagara, the Coalition for Economic Justice, Native American Community Services, and Read To Succeed. Channels is supported by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Build on the Past for Our Future by Diedie Weng aims to promote a conversation about low-income communities' efforts and struggles in revitalizing neglected historical Buffalo neighborhoods by valuing the people and the place as assets.

‘Round the Clock: Buffalo’s Workers and the Fight for Jobs with Justice by Christine Zinni focuses on 4 workers whose income from full time employment is well below the federal poverty level, showing how people are fighting back to bring about change.

The Ecology of Reading (working title) by Loren Sonnenberg shows the innovative and holistic approach the Read To Succeed coalition and other organizations in Buffalo bring to the field of literacy education.

Unseen Tears: The Impact of Native American Residential Boarding Schools in Western New York by Ron Douglas focuses on Western New York Native American communities who are attempting to heal the wounds and break the cycle of inter-generational trauma resulting from the boarding school experience.

Check out Squeaky Wheel's videos on vimeo

Family Day at the History Museum

2009-11-17T10:42:00.001-05:00

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
presents FAMILY DAY at the Museum

Saturday, November 21 from 12-3pm
$5/child for members, $10/child for nonmembers
Adults are free with child admission

PIONEER LIFE!

Activities will include:

· Beeswax Candlestick Making
· Handmade Paper
· Clay Pinch Pot Building

LIVE MUSIC AT 2PM WITH DAVE RUCH

Museum Tours, Scavenger Hunts, Live Interpreters in the Pioneer Exhibit
Call Tara Lyons, Museum Educator with questions
873-9644 extension 311

Tree Planting in the Olmsted Parks

2009-11-13T13:53:00.003-05:00

The Olmsted Parks Conservancy is hosting a tree planting this weekend, Saturday the 14th, in several of the Olmsted parks. They need a few more volunteers to plant in Front Park (25 trees to be planted) and Martin Luther King Jr. Park (50 trees to be planted).

For a tree planting volunteer form, please contact Steven Nagowski at 716-838-1249 ext. 33 more information. The group meets at 8:30am for registration. Wear old clothes, boots, gloves and--if you have one--bring a spade shovel.

Local Armory Events

2009-11-10T15:16:00.003-05:00

Buffalo's Connecticut Street Armory will will host a public Veteran's Day commemoration at 11am this Wednesday (11/11), to be followed by a public reception and a public tour of this monumental fortress. The other opportunity to tour the armory is at a similar event held every Memorial Day. The tours are led by official Armory historian Warren Baltes.

On November 22, the completely restored armory of the 25th Company of the New York State National Guard--now known as the Tonawanda Castle--will be open to the community to come and share their experiences and personal memories of this historical building.

Visit BuffaloRising.com for more information.

Lecture Series at the Buffalo Central Library

2009-11-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is hosting a series of speakers this winter. For more details and updates, visit this link. The first lectures are listed below.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
12:15-1 PM
Speakers: Dennis Galucki, Founder, Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature; Chuck LaChiusa, Buffalo Architecture and History webmaster

Tuesday, December 8, 2009
12:15-1 PM
Speaker: Brian Reilly, City of Buffalo Commissioner Economic Development
1-1:45 PM
Speaker: Hon. Paul A. Dyster, Mayor Niagara Falls, NY

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
12:15-1 PM
Speaker: John J. Hurley, President Designate Canisius College

Buffalo Youth Media Institute event

2009-11-05T14:13:00.004-05:00

SPECIAL AFTERNOON SCREENING FOR THE
BUFFALO YOUTH MEDIA INSTITUTE

Sunday, November 15, 3pm
Market Arcade Film & Arts Center, 639 Main Street

$10 Admission
$25 Supporter (will get a free t-shirt or dvd)
$50 Patron (will get free t-shirt and dvd)

Reception and gift raffle will follow the screening.

Please join us to help make this year's BYMI a reality!

We will screen an hour long program of some of the highlights from the past 4 years of the Buffalo Youth Media Institute. Expect a wonderful kaleidoscope of what Buffalo has to offer as seen through the eyes of Buffalo’s next generation of film makers: a magical portrait of Forest Lawn cemetery, a poem about graffiti, an insightful interview with recently deceased community activist Rosa Gibson, an ode to the beauty of grain elevators, a close look at the local food movement, a loving portrayal of St. Luke’s on the East Side, a passionate appeal on behalf of bees, and a thoughtful essay about the proposed downtown casino. Please help us so we can continue to offer this truly unique program to Buffalo’s youths!

The Buffalo Youth Media Institute is a collaboration with Preservation Buffalo Niagara and Squeaky Wheel and has been supported in part by the NEA, the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, the Baird Foundation, the Laura Jane Musser Fund, and individual contributions.

Please RSVP at 884-7172 if you wish to attend. As an example, here is another short film created by a BYMI student:

The Infected District

Buffalo Youth Media Institute | MySpace Video

New Book About Parkside

2009-11-04T10:47:00.002-05:00

After nearly two years of work, Steve Cichon is now taking pre-orders for The Complete History of Parkside, a 172-page book, filled with 135 historic photos.

You can read about the Frederick Law Olmsted designed neighborhood, from its place in the history of the Seneca Nation, to its role in the War of 1812, to Olmsted's design and the turn of the century building out of the area, and the neighborhood's 20th century evolutions. Included are discussions of the area's earliest colorful settlers, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House, Delaware Park, The Buffalo Zoo, and the stories and anecdotes of many more struggles, individuals, and institutions that have made Parkside one of Buffalo's premier historic neighborhoods today. More on the book and what's inside can be found at http://www.staffannouncer.com/parksidebook.htm

Sales of the book will benefit several non-profit groups and churches in the Parkside area. Steve Cichon is one of several Parkside Community Association members who give our monthly Parkside Neighborhood tours in the summer.

Looking Forward: The National Preservation Conference Comes to Buffalo

2009-11-03T13:28:00.002-05:00

Edward Healy, Vice President of Marketing for the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau, explains why Buffalo is the perfect choice for the 2011 National Preservation Conference. Visitors to this year's annual conference in Nashville were already buzzing about Buffalo.

Source: the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Seeds of the New Commons

2009-10-31T16:56:00.002-04:00

Seeds of the New Commons: Building the Future in the Present
Chris Carlsson in conversation with Justin Booth and Kirk Laubenstein
November, 6th 7:00 pm
Sugar City (19 Wadsworth - near Elmwwod and Allen)

Join Chris Carlsson (San Francisco-based activist, author and historian), Justin Booth (Green Options Buffalo, Buffalo Blue Bicycle) and Kirk Laubenstein(Grassroots Gardens) for a discussion on how the future is being built today, in Buffalo and beyond.

Chris Carlsson is a writer, publisher, editor, and community organizer. He is the executive director of the multimedia history project Shaping San Francisco,
and has edited four collections of political and historical essays. He helped launch the monthly bike-ins known as Critical Mass, and was the longtime editor of Processed World magazine.

In his current book Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant-Lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today, San Francisco-based activist and historian Chris Carlsson profiles practices that embody a deep challenge to the basic underpinnings of modern life, as a new ecologically driven politics emerges from below, reshaping our assumptions about science, technology, and human potential.

Justin Booth is the director and founder of Green Options Buffalo which has launched programs including Recycle-A-Bicycle, Blue Bicycle and the Commercial District Bicycle Parking Program. His focus has been on developing interventions focused upon enhancing quality of life through healthier built and natural environments.

Kirk Laubenstein is president of Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, a community gardening program working with public and private sectors to revitalize neighborhoods and build quality of life through the reuse and beautification of vacant land.

This event is free and open to all ages

http://www.nowtopians.com
http://www.greenoptionsbuffalo.org
http://www.grassrootsgardens.org

Carlsson interviewed on KEXP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_pfDjnbWuQ

[Thanks to Kirk Laubenstein and Cynthia Van Ness for the information]

Photos from our Annual Meeting

2009-10-27T11:31:00.004-04:00

Preservation Buffalo Niagara celebrated its 1st anniversary with a meeting at the historic Delaware Avenue Baptist Church. Built from 1894-5, the interior has remained virtually unchanged throughout its history. After brief speeches about the year's successes and challenges, membership was invited to enjoy some birthday cake and cider. More pictures will be posted later. If you are interested in becoming a member, which includes discounts and coupons for many Buffalo Tours events, please call us at (716) 852-3300.

Richardson Olmsted Complex Declared 2009 Landslide Site

2009-10-23T12:13:00.003-04:00

From the Richardson Center Corporation:

The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) announced the 2009 Landslide theme – Shaping the American Landscape – and the sixteen 2009 Landslide sites, including the Richardson Olmsted Complex.

Landslide, established in 2002, examines threatened landscapes (listed thematically, e.g., working landscapes, designed landscapes), and is designed to educate the public about and rally support for these sites.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), established in 1998, is the only not-for-profit foundation in America dedicated to increasing the public’s awareness of the important legacy of cultural landscapes and the need to help save them for future generations.

Previous Landslides have been accompanied by traveling exhibitions organized in cooperation with and curated by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, which commissioned original photography of the endangered places.

The sixteen 2009 Landslide sites, culled from nearly 100 nominations, feature the work of master landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted, Beatrix Farrand, George Kessler and Hideo Sasaki, along with architects I.M. Pei and H.H. Richardson.

Erie Canal Harbor Model Photos

2009-10-22T14:23:00.005-04:00

Several hundred citizens attended a public comment session about the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Study (DGEIS) for the Erie Canal Harbor. More details about the meeting can be found on Buffalo Rising. Models were also on display, of which some photos can be seen below.

Pedestrian ramp and recreation area outside Bass Pro.

Looking south down Main Street

Looking east from the Cobblestone District

Looking north from the water. In front, a proposed boutique hotel.

Construction of a parking ramp near the Marine Drive Apartments generated the most controversy.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Buffalo Venture

2009-09-25T10:28:00.002-04:00

From the UB Reporter:

“Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo Venture: From the Larkin Building to Broadacre City,” an exhibition focused on the context in which Buffalo became a locus for Wright’s architectural activities in the first decades of the 20th century, will be presented by the UB Anderson Gallery Oct. 2 through Dec. 30.

The exhibition will be free of charge and open to the public in the gallery, One Martha Jackson Place—off Englewood Avenue between Main Street and Kenmore Avenue. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. For information, call 829-3754.

The exhibition will present more than 130 objects, including those related to 22 buildings and projects—11 built works and 11 unrealized projects—that resulted from Wright’s 32-year association with the forward-thinking executives of the Larkin Company, a once-prominent soap-and-mail-order business based in Buffalo.

Click here to see the rest of the article.

Historic Preservation Rehabilitation Tax Credit Workshop with Sam Hoyt

2009-09-22T20:13:00.001-04:00

Attention Historic Preservationists, Housing Activists, Commercial Developers, and all who love Buffalo:

Please join Assemblymember Sam Hoyt at the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit workshops on Wednesday, September 30th from 1-3pm (commercial tax credit workshop) and 5:30-7:30pm (residential tax credit workshop) at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.

As you may know, Sam Hoyt and others worked very hard over this past few years to see this legislation signed by Governor Paterson in Buffalo in July. Within hours of its signing, a multi-million dollar project on the East Side of Buffalo was announced by Business First. Without your help this past spring, including the critical letters of support that you sent to Governor Paterson, we would not be here. These workshops are an opportunity to educate our community about the benefits of this program and prove that investing in our historic cities and neighborhoods is concrete, sustainable economic development that means both jobs and revitalized urban communities.

Both historic rehabilitation tax credit workshops will be held at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and will have officials from the New York State Office of Historic Preservation, as well as other local and state preservation experts. Event partners include the NYS Office of Historic Preservation, the Preservation League of New York, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, the Campaign for Greater Buffalo, the Allentown Association, and Black Rock Riverside GNPA Historic Preservation Committee.

Please RSVP for either of these workshops (commercial or residential) to Preservation Buffalo Niagara at 716-852-3300.

Learn more about the Historic rehabilitation tax Credit program and see if your property is eligible!

Host: Citizens for Sam Hoyt
Wednesday, September 30, 2009, 1:00pm - 7:30pm
Location: Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
25 Nottingham Court, Buffalo, NY

Sam Hoyt Hosting Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Workshop

2009-09-10T14:39:00.002-04:00

NEWS FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER SAM HOYT
144th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Contact: Sam Hoyt (716) 885-9630
E-mail

Hoyt Hosting Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Workshop
September 30 Event Designed To Educate Homeowners and Businesses

Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo) is hosting a Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Workshop on Wednesday, September 30 at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Two separate seminars, one for commercial real estate and one for residential properties, will be held. The State Historic Preservation Office, Preservation Buffalo Niagara, the Preservation League of New York State, and several local block clubs in historic neighborhoods are working with Hoyt to coordinate this event.

This workshop will offer guidance for people interesting in using the new Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit authored by Assemblymember Hoyt. There is tremendous potential for economic growth through restoration of historically significant buildings. This tax credit was created to assist homeowners and businesses by making restoration more affordable to create renewal without sacrificing the unique architectural heritage that is a hallmark of Buffalo.

WHO: Assemblymember Hoyt and preservation experts.

WHEN: 1-3pm for the Commercial Historic Preservation Tax Credit
5:30-7:30pm for the Residential Historic Preservation Tax Credit

WHERE: Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
25 Nottingham Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14222

RSVP: Please Call Preservation Buffalo Niagara at 716-852-3300.

Assemblymember Sam Hoyt represents the 144th Assembly District.

Teresa Glanowski
Director of Communications and Special Projects
Assemblymember Sam Hoyt
936 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo,
NY 14209
716.885.9630
716.885.9636 fax

Louis Sullivan and H. H. Richardson in Buffalo

2009-09-09T16:01:00.004-04:00

Here is the trailer for the film produced by the guys who came to Buffalo last year. The producer is Mike Kwielford and you can also check out the film's website. (Thanks to Harry Meyer of Hodgson Russ for this link.)

Plans continue to unfold at the Richardson-Olmsted Complex as well. You can read a recent Buffalo News editorial about the plans and get a video look inside the building by clicking here. (Thanks to Monica Pellegrino Faix of the Richardson Center Corporation for this link.)

“Elbert Hubbard and the Roycrofters”

2009-09-03T15:37:00.002-04:00

Special Preview of New Documentary, November 5th at 7:30pm

The RCC welcomes guests to join them for the first public viewing of the new, educational one hour documentary about the Roycroft community and its influential founder, Elbert Hubbard. The show was produced by Buffalo’s WNED-TV with the help of a substantial grant from The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. Special pricing to purchase videos will be available that night only!

Call (716) 655-0261 or visit The Roycroft Campus Corporation for more information.

Expression of Sympathy

2009-08-28T21:48:00.004-04:00

Preservation Buffalo Niagara Sadly Announces
the Death of Our Executive Director, Michael Miller

Preservation Buffalo Niagara is sad to announce the untimely death of its recently appointed Executive Director, Michael Miller, 51, of Wheatfield, NY. Michael was previously employed by M&T Bank for over 17 years and was an active volunteer and leader for the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation. Michael recently made the decision to join Preservation Buffalo Niagara to fulfill a life-long passion to work full-time in the area of historic preservation, where he devoted so much of his free time.

Catherine Schweitzer, Board Chair of PBN said "We are all deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Michael's passing. Michael was so happy with his decision to join PBN as our first full time executive director; he brought significant professional skills, a wonderful spirit and enthusiasm to the organization as well as an extensive network of friends. Through his dedicated service to the Central Terminal and Broadway-Fillmore area, Michael earned the trust and respect of the preservation community. He was genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead for himself, the preservation movement, and the entire Buffalo/Niagara region. Michael will be sorely missed. We all extend our heartfelt condolences to Michael's family and many friends."

Plans are underway for a remembrance of Michael's life at the Central Terminal. Information will be forthcoming.

Preservation Buffalo Niagara is a recently re-constituted organization representing the combination of the former Preservation Coalition and the former Landmark Society and is devoted to education and advocacy for Historic Preservation principles, practices, and related issues. In addition to hiring Michael as its Executive Director, PBN was in the process of searching for a "Preservation Specialist", which is expected to continue. PBN successfully secured significant philanthropic funding and will play a lead role when Buffalo hosts the National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conference in 2011.

MILLER - Michael J. August 27, 2009, of Wheatfield, NY, Executive Director Preservation Buffalo Niagara, son of Rita (Schwendler) Miller and the late Earl; loving brother of Karen (Robert) Smith of Tonawanda, NY, Katie (Chuck) Travis of North Tonawanda, NY, and the beloved uncle to Corey and Sara. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 2-7 PM at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, where a Memorial Service will he held at 7 PM, with the Rev. Robert J. Fink, officiating. Should friends desire, memorials in Mike's memory may be made to the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, PO Box 468, Buffalo, NY 14212. Visit www.rhoneyfuneralhome.com, for guest register.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/buffalonews/obituary.aspx?n=michael-j-miller&pid=132066018

Happy Hour Tour: The West Village

2009-08-20T15:56:00.002-04:00

Buffalo's own West Village was recently the highlight of a Preservation Magazine photo essay. To view the essay, click here!

Our Happy Hour Tour of the West Village begins at 6pm, Friday, October 21 and ends at a local pub. Explore the neighborhood pioneered by Buffalo’s first mayor, Ebenezer Johnson, in 1824. Excellent examples of Italianate, French Second Empire, Victorian Gothic, and Richardsonian buildings survive. Visit the finest red brick architecture in Buffalo, one of the city’s first public parks, early mansions and apartment houses. Meet us at Johnson Park & South Elmwood Avenue, next to the big rock--you can't miss it!

View Larger Map
Special encore tour Sunday, September 27 at 2pm

Happy Hour Tour this Friday at 6pm

2009-07-12T23:08:00.004-04:00

We asked a few people on the first happy hour tour what they thought. To hear what they said, click "play" below. The next Happy Hour tour on July 17 in the Theatre District.

Pictures are from Happy Hour and other recent tours. Thanks to Jane for the audio!

FREE City Hall Tours at Taste of Buffalo

2009-07-08T20:03:00.001-04:00

Sunday 11 - 5

Catch the New Courthouse on Queen City Tours

2009-07-07T21:06:00.004-04:00

Here's one persons view.

Buffalo Tails - Dog Walking Tours

2009-07-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Buffalo Tours docents Cindy & Paul teamed up with The Puppy Playpen on Ellicott Street for the first ever dog walking tour of downtown Buffalo. What a great idea! And from the looks of it, the tour was a rousing success.

Thanks again to Atsuko Mitchell for her photos.

Join our Facebook group

2009-07-03T07:13:00.002-04:00

Our facebook group just passed 600 members. Joseph Ellicott has 882 friends. Can you help us surpass Joseph? Give it a try.

War of 1812 sites in Buffalo & Black Rock

2009-06-30T00:53:00.003-04:00

Historian Richard Feltoe came in from Toronto and met some community activists to research possible sites for a War of 1812 memorial in Buffalo. See three video clips below! Books, tours, movies, and many more projects are in the works. Buffalo Tours also gives architecture and history tours of the Black Rock area on July 4th, August 1st, September 5th, and October 3rd at 10am.

Free Roycroft Raffle and Free Tours

2009-06-29T07:50:00.006-04:00

When you complete the sign-in sheet at the start of any tour you will be entered into our end-of-season raffle. A free dinner and overnight stay at the historic Roycroft Inn will be awarded to the lucky raffle winner.

In addition, you can take the tour for free and get $20 in Tour Bucks for future tours! Just select the option on the sign-sheet to join Preservation Buffalo Niagara ($40/individual or $50/family). We accept cash, check, Visa or Mastercard.

Unanswered Tour Questions

2009-06-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

Tour patrons sometimes ask questions for which the docent doesn't have an answer. With this in mind I've created a public place to display those questions and answers .

Buffalo Tours now has a Flickr group

2009-06-28T15:21:00.002-04:00

If you give or take tours, you take pictures along the way, and you have a Flickr account, we'd love to have you join & share your pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/buffalotours/

Buffalo Tails: Dog Walk and Historical Downtown Tour

2009-06-21T22:22:00.003-04:00

When: Fri, June 26, 6pm – 8pm
Where: 431 Ellicott Street, Buffalo NY 14203
Call (716) 602-7169 for reservations.

Bring your pooch to a special edition of the Queen City Downtown tour! Co-sponsored by Companion Animal Network and Buffalo Tours, this 1 1/2 hour, fido-friendly family walk will visit some of the our beautiful downtown landmarks. Along the way you’ll hear the stories of Buffalo’s beginning, the Erie Canal and several master architects like Sullivan, Burnham, Upjohn and our own E.B. Green. This fun event will provide water and treats for our 4 legged companions. Some buildings will be open for the tour and dog sitters will be provided for your dog so that you may visit the inside of some of these fabulous buildings. The tour will begin from the Puppy Playpen on 431 Ellicott Street at Genesee Street. Hot dogs will be served from 6:15 to 7:00pm. The tour starts promptly at 7:00pm. Refreshments, desserts and dog treats will be served at the Puppy Playpen after the tour. ThetTour will cost $25 for a family or $20 dollars and a pet food contribution to the Pet Food Pantry in advance or $30 dollars at the door. Your dog must be leashed and we ask that you bring materials to clean up after your dog.

Buffalo Tours: Queen City Downtown

2009-06-17T22:31:00.003-04:00

Over 1500 people have taken a tour with us in the past month, including over 75 people who braved the rain at a Queen City Downtown tour just a couple of weeks ago.

Our Queen City tours are held on Saturdays from June through October, Monday through Friday in July and August, and Tuesdays all year long.

To see tour times and meeting locations, check out the tour description online.

Elmwood Village Free Summer Concert Series

2009-06-03T16:49:00.002-04:00

Each Tuesday from June 30th to August 11th the Elmwood Village Association will stage a free concert on Bidwell Parkway.

Event sponsors include M&T Bank (Presenting Sponsor), Bergen & Schiffmacher, LLP, Damon & Morey LLC, Delaware District Councilmember Michael LoCurto, and the law firm of Cantor, Lukasik, Dolce and Panepinto.

The complete Summer Concert Schedule is as follows:

June 30th - Neville Francis & the Riddim Posse
July 7th - Doug Yeomans and the Lo Blu Flame
July 14th - Latin Jazz Project
July 21st - Outer Circle Orchestra
July 28th - Lee Ron Zydeco & the Hot Tamales
August 4th - Gretchen Schulz and the Morvels
August 11th - Babik

For more information about specific concerts please visit www.elmwoodvillage.org.

Food, water, beer and wine are available for sale by JP Bullfeathers with proceeds benefiting the Elmwood Village Association. Concert goers are also welcome to bring their own picnic to enjoy!

Forest Lawn Cemetery Summer Tour Program

2009-06-02T15:05:00.003-04:00

From Forest Lawn:

Forest Lawn Cemetery and Garden Mausoleums will greatly expand its popular Sunday in the Cemetery Tours. A total of 38 guided motor coach and walking tours will focus on the cemetery's history, nature, art and architecture, famous women, and African-Americans from June 7 through September 27, 2009. In 2008, Forest Lawn offered 25 tours as part of the summer program.

Now in its 13th year, the tour series marks the 160th anniversary of Buffalo's oldest cemetery. Founded in 1849, Forest Lawn continues to serve as an important end-point destination for tourists, historians, and families seeking a better understanding of the history of Buffalo and the nation.

During the tours, professional guides and authentically costumed characters chat with visitors and speak "in character" about what life was like from the early 1800's. Visitors tour parts of Forest Lawn's 269 acres (one of New York State's largest arboretums!) and see outstanding examples of funerary art. Forest Lawn is listed on both State and National Registers of Historic Places. More than 156,000 people have chosen Forest Lawn as their final resting place, and famous people interred there include a President of the United States, 47 Mayors of Buffalo, recipients of the Medal of Honor, veterans from more than 8 wars, and thousand of others.

The summer's schedule includes 20 History Tours by air-conditioned motor coach, 11 History Walking Tours; 2 Nature Walks; 1 Famous Women Motor Coach Tour and 1 Famous Women Walking Tour; 1 African-American Motor Coach Tour; 1 Pan Am Motor Coach Tour; and 1 Art & Architecture Motor Coach Tour. Motor Coach Tours are $25 per person. Walking Tours are $15 per person. Tours last approximately one and a half hours, and due to length, are not recommended for children under 12. Adult group tours are available by special arrangement through the Forest Lawn office, and information on both school and group tours may be obtained by calling 885-1606, extension 302. Reservations are required, and tickets may be obtained from Forest Lawn at the corner of Delaware and Delavan, or on line at forest-lawn.com, or www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/8231.

"Californians Drawn Here for the Culture"

2009-06-01T10:59:00.002-04:00

Read the Buffalo News article about a group who recently took one of our group bus tours. They also visited a number of museums and Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in Buffalo.

I had no idea that Buffalo had this much,” said Koch, who owns a travel agency in Manhattan Beach, California. “It’s a hidden gem. I knew this would be a good tour.

To arrange a bus tour for your group, visit our Group Tours page.

Queen City Saturdays Debut 6/6

2009-05-31T21:31:00.013-04:00

Last year's popular Downtown Revealed tour has been enhanced and renamed. Now called Queen City Downtown, you'll make several new stops including Buffalo Savings Bank, the Electric Tower and forgotten Genesee Street. At 2pm on Saturdays, meet at the Erie Canal Harbor next to the Naval & Military Park Store; $10; students $5.

Buffalo Photo Contest Announced

2009-05-31T00:50:00.002-04:00

From the Convention & Visitors Bureau:
Say Cheese, Buffalo! Photo Contest

The BNCVB photo contest is open to all levels of photographers of all ages. This is a photo contest sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau to showcase the beautiful sights of the Buffalo Niagara area. Each photo submitted has the chance to be used in various BNCVB publications and on its website, to promote the Buffalo Niagara area as a fun and exciting place for out-of-town visitors and locals. An entry form must be submitted with each photo. So grab your camera and help capture the beauty of Buffalo Niagara.

The contest is on-going and has seasonal periods of entry:

SUMMER: July 1, 2009 – September 30, 2009
AUTUMN: October 1, 2009 – December 31, 2009
WINTER: January 1, 2010 – March 31, 2010
SPRING: April 1, 2010 – June 30, 2010

Each of the seasonal contests will have a 1st place $100 winner.

Field Trip to Buffalo City Hall

2009-05-28T21:20:00.003-04:00

When a recent school group took a tour inside City Hall, Councilman Demone Smith popped out of his office and spoke to the students about the three branches of city government. Thanks to Councilman Smith for stopping by!

To arrange an educational school tour for your class, call us at (716) 852-3300 or write us at info@BuffaloTours.org.

Erie Canal Harbor Tours Announced

2009-05-27T19:57:00.002-04:00

Buffalo Tours will give guided tours of the Erie Canal and Central Wharf area on weekends this summer! The tours are free to the public. View the summer schedule here.

The Erie Canal tours are sponsored by Buffalo Place and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, as well as Preservation Buffalo Niagara and M&T Bank.

The Oldest Building in Erie County

2009-05-23T17:37:00.006-04:00

According to an article by John Conlin in the Winter 2003 issue of Western New York Heritage, the oldest surviving building in Erie County is the Gipple Cabin built by a frontier settler named Amos Woodward in 1803. The Rev. Walter Kern took this photo of the cabin in 1974:

This week I went out searching for the structure, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Harris Hill Road and Wehrle Drive in Lancaster. (Map.) The building can be found at the very corner of an expanding office development whose parking lot ends only a few yards from the front door.

Here is the building today:

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin

2009-05-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

"An Arts & Crafts Community for the 21st Century"

7:00pm Thursday, May 21st

Guest Speaker:
Gerald Morosco, Taliesin Architect, Board member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. He authored the article by that title in the "Arts & Crafts Home & Revival" -Fall 2008.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC
Lectures Scheduled for The Roycroft Inn, 40 South Grove Street, East Aurora NY. 7:00 pm with dessert buffet and coffee reception.

For more information call 655.7252 or visit www.ralaweb.com

2009 Buffalo Preservation Awards

2009-05-14T18:03:00.003-04:00

May is Preservation Month, and also time for Preservation Buffalo Niagara and the City of Buffalo Preservation Board to present their annual awards. Peter Brink, senior vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Byron Brown, Mayor of the City of Buffalo, were both in attendance. You can read a detailed article at Buffalo.com.

Visit PreservationBuffaloNiagara.org for a list of award recipients and sponsors.

Built to Last: New Urbanism

2009-05-06T15:30:00.001-04:00

Built to Last examines the impact of our built environment on the natural environment. This clip was created as an entry into the Congress for New Urbanism CNU17 video contest.

Buffalo & WNY History Course

2009-04-26T15:13:00.003-04:00

Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society: Starts Tues 4/28. See archive

Clean-Up at the Buffalo Central Terminal

2009-04-21T16:15:00.002-04:00

Come help prepare the concourse and grounds for another busy summer season at the 12th Annual Spring Clean Up - April 25 2009, 9am to 1pm. Gloves, work attire recommended and tools, such as brooms, shovels, and rakes are always welcome. Free food and drink will be available. Official Website

Cars Sharing Main Street

2009-04-17T12:54:00.003-04:00

Public Meeting Announced

The City of Buffalo will conduct a Public Meeting from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on April 27, 2009 at the Erie County Public Library (1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203). After a presentation at 6:00 pm on the results of the Environmental Assessment, the public will have an opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and/or indicate their opinion regarding the EA and the Project.

The City of Buffalo, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), New York State Department of Transportation, and Buffalo Place, Inc., with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as lead Federal agency and the Federal Highway Administration as a cooperating Federal agency, has published an EA for the City of Buffalo Main Street Multi-Modal Access and Revitalization Project (better known as Cars Sharing Main Street).

The EA evaluates the environmental effects of the return of vehicular traffic to lower Main Street between Tupper Street and Scott Street. The EA is currently available for public review and comment at the City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning (920 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202); Buffalo Place, Inc. (671 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203); and the NFTA (181 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203). The EA is also available in electronic form at www.nfta.com/mainst.asp. The deadline to submit comments is May 16, 2009. Written comments should be directed to Kimberley Minkel of the NFTA at 181 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203.

The Main Street Multi-Modal Access And Revitalization Project Environmental Assessment was prepared as required under the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, (FTA) regulations under 23 CFR 771.119(d), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1965, the State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) of 1980, and Executive Order 12898 for Environmental Justice.

Buffalo's Heavenly Spaces

2009-04-16T14:22:00.002-04:00

The Grand Island Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5 in the Grand Island Memorial Library Community Room. Guest speaker Bill Koch will present "Buffalo's Heavenly Spaces," a program on churches of Buffalo. Bill is past president of the Landmark Society, chairman of Erie County Preservation Board, board member of Buffalo Religious Art Center, and director of WNY Heritage Magazine. The public is cordially invited. Refreshments will be served.

Photo by Bill Koch

Housing Summit on April 25th

2009-04-14T10:14:00.001-04:00

Heart of the City Neighborhoods, along with several West Side based community development organizations, Financial Institutions, local Realtors and the Office of the Attorney General is partnering to host a Housing Summit on April 25th. The housing summit will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 from 10 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. If you own a home, or have considered becoming a homeowner, don’t miss this event!

For more information and how to register for this FREE event, visit their website calendar.

Agencies involved include: Habitat for Humanity; Heart of the City Neighborhoods; HomeFront; HOPE Refugee Services; LISC; PUSH Buffalo; WEDI; Westside Community Collaborative; Westside Ministries; and WestsideNHS.

Martin House in the Architectural Record

2009-04-09T10:59:00.003-04:00

A Modern Pavilion by Toshiko Mori

Be sure to click on this impressive article about the new Eleanor and Wilson Greatbatch Pavilion at Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House. The Pavilion houses the brand-new visitor center and is an architectural treasure all its own.

Dyngus Day on Buffalo's East Side

2009-04-06T16:00:00.004-04:00

From the Buffalo Central Terminal:

Join the Buffalo Central Terminal in celebrating Dyngus Day on the East Side - April 13th, 5-9pm. The Dyngus Day Parade starts at the Broadway Market at 5, and ends at the Terminal at 5:45. Admission is $10 and include reduced admission to other East Side venues (see below). Music from Those Idiots, beer from Flying Bison, and food from Potts Deli and Grill, Ulrich’s Tavern and Wardynski Meats. Central Terminal is a 21+ venue.

Plan on spending the whole night on the East Side? Put more Dyngus in your Day with the 2009 Pussy Willow Pass. Purchase a $10 admission at participating Dyngus Day Buffalo Official Festival Sites and receive a wristband offering $2 admissions to any other participating venue during the day. Your Dyngus Day Buffalo Pussy Willow Pass also allows you to hop on the Sobieski Vodka Shuttle Bus to over 15 festival halls and taverns.

The Dyngus Day Pussy Willow Pass can be purchased and redeemed at: St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish, the Adam Mickiewicz Library & Dramatic Circle, *Buffalo Central Terminal*, Corpus Christi Church, Adam Plewacki Post No. 799, Pvt. Leonard Post Jr. VFW #6251, The Polish Falcons Club, Polish Villa II, Potts Banquet Hall, Dnipro Ukrainian Center and the Polish Cadets in Black Rock.

The smart and safe way to get around the Dyngus Day Capital of the World. The Sobieski Vodka Shuttle will run between many of Dyngus Day Buffalo’s Official Festival Halls from 4pm to 1am. Use of the Sobieski Vodka Shuttle is free once you purchase a Pussy Willow Pass. The shuttle is proudly sponsored by Sobieski Vodka and encourages all participants not to drink and drive.

ROUTE #1 - Outer Polonia

Polish Falcons Club 445 Columbia Ave., Depew
Leonard Post Jr. VFW Post 2450 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga
Potts Banquet Hall 694 S. Ogden St, Buffalo (TRANSFER STATION)
Polish Villa II 1085 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga

ROUTE #2 - Historic Polonia

Adam Mickiewicz Library 612 Fillmore Avenue, Buffalo
Adam Plewacki VFW Post 385 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo
Arty’s Grill 508 Peckham Street, Buffalo
Buffalo Central Terminal Paderewski Drive at Memorial, Buffalo
Corpus Christi Church 199 Clark St, Buffalo
G & T Inn 68 Memorial Drive, Buffalo
R & L Lounge 23 Mills Street, Buffalo
St. Stanislaus Parish 389 Peckham Street, Buffalo (TRANSFER STATION)
Three Deuces Grill 222 Gibson, Buffalo

ROUTE #3 - North - Dnipro/Black Rock

St. Stanislaus Parish 389 Peckham Street, Buffalo (TRANSFER STATION)
Adam Mickiewicz Library 612 Fillmore Avenue, Buffalo
Dnipro Ukriainian Center 562 Genesee Street
Polish Cadets 927 Grant Street
Sportsman’s Tavern 326 Amherst
Ukrainian-American Civic Center 205 Military

ROUTE #4 - Polonia Connector

St. Stanislaus Parish 389 Peckham Street, Buffalo (TRANSFER STATION)
Potts Banquet Hall 694 S. Ogden St, Buffalo (TRANSFER STATION)

How to Make a Butter Lamb

2009-04-05T19:41:00.003-04:00

Easter butter lambs are a Polish Catholic tradition. In America, that tradition continues at Buffalo's Broadway Market. But just how do you make a butter lamb, anyway? See below. (If you've never seen a butter lamb before, skip right to the third video.)

Buffalo Tours will give two "Heart of Polonia" tours this summer: July 12 and August 18. See you there!

Elmwood Village Green Campaign

2009-04-01T21:10:00.003-04:00

The Elmwood Village Green Campaign invites everyone to the 2nd of their eight part series of informational programs aimed at fostering a sustainable and environmentally responsible lifestyle in the Elmwood Village.

In addition, the Elmwood Village Green Campaign has embarked on an effort to evaluate the energy consumption of our resident both within the Village and beyond. Please take a moment to complete their 5-minute online survey.

One Night and Seven Churches

2009-03-30T10:55:00.002-04:00

April 9th - See the Official Website

It's back! For the third year in a row on Holy Thursday, Broadway-Fillmore Alive has put together a self-guided tour of seven historic churches in the Broadway-Fillmore area partaking in the traditional visitation of the Blessed Sacrament on this holy night.

Visitation generally begins after 7pm and the churches remain open till around 11pm.

The churches in Buffalo’s historic Polonia are awe inspiring and are deeply rooted in tradition…this is a way to experience their religious, artistic and cultural beauty while spending some time in prayer and reflection in this most sacred time of the year.

The Great Lakes Water Wars

2009-03-25T21:22:00.002-04:00

From Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER:

WHAT: Public lecture "The Great Lakes Water Wars"
WHO: Peter Annin
WHEN: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Bulger Communications Center, Buffalo State College. Parking in Lot T. For directions, visit www.buffalostate.edu

Free and open to the public.

"The Great Lakes basin is one of the largest freshwater ecosystems on earth, and it is also home to forty million people in the United States and Canada," says Peter Annin, author of the award-winning book The Great Lakes Water Wars, a subject he will discuss at length in a talk--free and open to the public--at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 26th, in Bulger Communications Center, Buffalo State College. This event is cosponsored by Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER and Buffalo State Communication Department and made possible, in part, by a grant from LPCiminelli, Inc.

"This is the definitive book about the fight over Great Lakes water."
Professor Noah Hall, Wayne State University

There are several threats to the quantity of Great Lakes water: climate change, diversion, and consumptive uses. There are currently four diversions of water out of the Great Lakes basin, the largest of which is protected by the United States Supreme Court. Some policymakers in the American southwest seriously consider Great Lakes water as a possible solution to their water-supply problems.

A veteran conflict and environmental journalist, Peter Annin spent more than a decade reporting for Newsweek on issues ranging from the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco, Texas and the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing to droughts, hurricanes, wildfires, and other environmental issues. Since January 2000, he is Associate Director of the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources, a nonprofit that organizes educational fellowships for environmental journalists and pursues quality news coverage of the environment.

Cosponsored by Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER and Buffalo State Communication Department with the help of a generous grant from LPCiminelli, Inc.

NYTimes article re challenge to preservation laws

2009-03-24T19:31:00.001-04:00

Click here

House Restoration Fair

2009-03-24T16:15:00.002-04:00

Saturday, March 28
10am--2:30pm

Looking to restore an architectural gem? Learn how at our House Restoration Fair, presented by the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society's Members Advisory Committee!

Speak with craftsmen, artisans, material suppliers, and contractors and attend the following programs:

10:30 a.m. "Preserving Buffalo's Neighborhoods" by Harvey Garrett, Jr.
Noon "The Residential Architecture of Esenwein & Johnson" by Martin Wachadlo
1:30 p.m. "Green Home Restoration" by Julie and Patrick O'Neill

Admission is $6 for BECHS members and $8 for the general public.

Saving the Sattler Theatre

2009-03-23T10:58:00.008-04:00

The new owners of the Broadway (AKA Sattler's) Theatre have a new website:

TheBroadwayTheatre.net

"One of our short term goals as owners of The Broadway Theatre is to have an immediate positive impact on the employment figures in the city by the creation of at least one hundred new jobs with focus on creating more jobs as business increases. Another short term goal of the Western New York Minority Media Professionals Inc. (WNYMMP) is the creation of an educational scholarship program for financially disadvantaged African American youths interested in attending college through our arts and education component."

Thanks to Betty Barcode for the heads up.

Buffalo Tours in the Media

2009-03-19T13:53:00.002-04:00

Buffalo Spree Home's newest edition features an interview with Fred Schrock, Education Coordinator of Preservation Buffalo Niagara. You can read it online, too.

Fred Schrock also discussed Buffalo Tours' upcoming tour season on WECK Radio. You can download the show as a podcast at their website. A direct link to the MP3 file is here.

Free Workshop and Tour in Rochester

2009-03-19T11:31:00.001-04:00

From our friends in Rochester:

The Landmark Society of Western New York and Animatics Corporation (designing, manufacturing and marketing motion control products) is hosting a special networking reception at 8:30 a.m. on March 24, 2009 at the company’s new offices, 568 St. Paul Street, Rochester. A continental breakfast will be offered.

Robert Bigler, Animatics CEO, will lead a tour of the building and describe how he made the decision to invest in a historic building in Rochester, how he accomplished the transformation of this 94-year-old former cigar manufacturing facility into a 21st-century workplace, and how his company has benefited from the project. Andy Germanow, a Landmark Society trustee whose company, Tel-Tru Manufacturing is located in the same neighborhood, will then walk us over to his historic campus of manufacturing buildings and share his perspective as a business owner with a long-term stake in historic infrastructure. Cynthia Howk, Landmark’s architectural research coordinator will talk about funding resources and tax credits for historic buildings.

FOR MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION:
http://www.landmarksociety.org/section.html?id=1&uid=93

Buffalo History Sale

2009-03-16T19:04:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, April 18th, The Pan-Am Expo Collector's Society will be holding its second show, sale and swap meet of all items related to Buffalo and WNY history. The event will take place from 9:00 to 3:00 at the Burchfield Nature and Art Center, 2001 Union Road, West Seneca NY.

Lecture Tomorrow

2009-03-11T18:00:00.001-04:00

ARCHITECTURAL PRIMER: Fred Schrock, education coordinator of Buffalo Tours, will present “Architecture for Dummies” at this month’s meeting of the Newstead Historical Society. He will highlight the architecture of the mid-to late 19th century, including some buildings in Akron and Newstead. The meeting is at 7:30 p. m. Thursday in Newstead Town Hall, 5 Clarence Center Road, Akron.

A Lost Mansion, A Saved Church

2009-03-09T13:46:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, April 14, at 7:15 PM, the Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society will present rare films of the 1978 demolition of Kenmore's historic L.P.A. Eberhardt mansion, and of the rescue and adaptive reuse of the former St. Peter's German Evangelical Church in the Town of Tonawanda. In 1976, St. Peter's was reopened as the Kenmore-Tonawanda Historical Museum as a town U.S. Bicentrennial project. The films, presented by Mr. Glenn Jumper, will be shown at the museum, located at 100 Knoche Road, Town of Tonawanda (between Delaware and Elmwood Avenues). Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend.