New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Buffalo

Former Buffalo State Asylum Receives Preservation Award

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Richardson Olmsted CampusThe National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced the 145-year-old Richardson Olmsted Campus in Buffalo, New York as one of only three winners of the 2018 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards.

Given each year at the end of a juried competition, the Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards are bestowed on historic preservation efforts that demonstrate excellence in execution and a positive impact on the vitality of their towns and cities. [Read more…] about Former Buffalo State Asylum Receives Preservation Award

Richardson Olmsted Site Offering Sign Language Tours

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The Richardson Olmsted Campus Towers buildlingThe Richardson Olmsted Campus in Buffalo has announced the introduction of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted tours of the 145-year-old National Historic Landmark.

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has partnered with the Richardson Olmsted Campus and Deaf Access Services to provide ASL-interpreted historical tours of the iconic Buffalo landmark. [Read more…] about Richardson Olmsted Site Offering Sign Language Tours

Buffalo’s Dug’s Dive Riot of 1863

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dugs-dive-buffaloNot much has been written about this civil disturbance that occurred on the afternoon of August 12, 1862 when Irish and German stevedores protested against local dock bosses, demanding increased pay for their work, and preventing others from working however when police responded the rioters overpowered them and Chief Dullard and other members of the force injured.

Ultimately the police regained control of the situation with gunfire wounding two rioters and arresting the ring leaders. [Read more…] about Buffalo’s Dug’s Dive Riot of 1863

New Book On Buffalo’s Waterfront Grain Elevators

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american chartresBruce Jackson’s new book American Chartres: Buffalo’s Waterfront Grain Elevators (Excelsior Editions. 2016) documents Buffalo’s surviving grain elevators, capturing these monumental buildings in all seasons and in various light; from the Buffalo River, the Ship Canal, and Lake Erie; from inside and from the top floors and roofs; in detail.

Invented in Buffalo by Robert Dunbar and Joseph Dart, the city’s first grain elevator went operational in 1843. By the mid-1850s, Buffalo was the world’s largest grain port, and would remain so well into the twentieth century. Grain elevators made Buffalo rich, and they were largely responsible for the development of the Port of New York. [Read more…] about New Book On Buffalo’s Waterfront Grain Elevators

Millard Powers Fillmore: A Short Sketch

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Millard Fillmore portraitMillard Powers Fillmore, or “Powers” as he was commonly known, was a Harvard educated man. An avid outdoorsman trained in the law, Powers held a position in the White House by the age of twenty-two, serving as his father Millard Fillmore’s personal secretary.

He was short and stout, but handsome like his father, and had gained a reputation as a “good lawyer and sound thinker,” at a young age. His circumstances probably provided him plenty of opportunities to fraternize with women and other social elites of the time. [Read more…] about Millard Powers Fillmore: A Short Sketch

Grain Dust Dreams: A Short History Of Grain Elevators

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Grain Elevator HistoryGrain Dust Dreams (SUNY Press, 2015) tells the story of terminal grain elevators – concrete colossi that stand in the middle of a deep river of grain that they lift, sort, and send on.

From their invention in Buffalo through a present-day operation in Thunder Bay, Ontario, David W. Tarbet examines the difficulties and dangers of working in a grain elevator – showing how they operate and describing the effects that the grain trade has on the lives of individuals and cities. [Read more…] about Grain Dust Dreams: A Short History Of Grain Elevators

Buffalo History Museum Closing Until April

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Buffalo History MuseumThe Buffalo History Museum will be closed from February 23 until April 16 for exhibit viewing and tours. The ongoing electrical updates and technology improvements necessitates exhibit closings as the project enters the final phase of completion.

All programs, events, rentals, staff offices, visitor services and the Museum Gift Shop will remain open during regular hours from Tuesday– Friday. The Research Library will remain open during regular weekday hours and will be closed on Saturday. [Read more…] about Buffalo History Museum Closing Until April

Realist Art Exhibit: Eugene Speicher At NYS Museum

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Speicher_KingstonsThe New York State Museum has opened a new exhibition featuring the work of New York artist Eugene Speicher. Along His Own Lines: A Retrospective of New York Realist Eugene Speicher explores Speicher’s diverse art career ranging from portraits to still life to landscape.

On display in West Gallery through March 22, 2015, the exhibition features more than 70 artworks by Speicher, who was born in Buffalo, NY. [Read more…] about Realist Art Exhibit: Eugene Speicher At NYS Museum

University at Buffalo Launches Online LGBT Archive

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James Baldwin LGBTThe hand-written, photocopied flyer from 1980 asks a question and offers a response: “Gay at UB? Well, you are not alone!!”

The word “not” is underlined four times.

The flyer, as well as other materials in the University at Buffalo Libraries’ latest online archive, “LGBT at UB,” documents lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history at the university from the 1970s to the late 1990s. [Read more…] about University at Buffalo Launches Online LGBT Archive

History and Economic Development:
Some Lessons from Western New York

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1698There are two regions which have Path through History plans listed on the ten Regional Economic Development Councils (REDEC) for New York State.

I’ve reviewed the Long Island region proposal here.  As will be seen, there are certain overlaps and parallels in their respective plans and differences as well between their plans and those of the Western New York region, which I’ll cover here. [Read more…] about History and Economic Development:
Some Lessons from Western New York