Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is a city rich with culture and history. From the inspired architecture of the "Avenue of the Presidents" to the exciting championship sports teams to famous art collections and exhibits, Buffalo shines. As an "All America City," a gateway to one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, and a center of commercial development and cultural activity, Buffalo inspires. And with a new master plan for community schools, the newly designed award-winning airport, and innovative efforts to bring the region's economy to a new level, Buffalo moves.

The governing bodies of Buffalo have left no stone unturned in order to ensure that the city gets its due and large amounts of money have been pumped in to ensure that the economy of the city rises to its erstwhile glory.

The city is today a center for bioinformatics and the study of the human genome. A lot of research is also being done by the researchers at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the Roswell Park Center. The city is also home to Rich Products, one of the largest food manufacturers in the county. With a great waterfront, many parks and delectable food, Buffalo is a city that is going places.

Buffalo has great organizations and venues to make it ideal both as a tourist destination and a place where people love to live permanently. If you are thinking of a place offering great opportunities to students, suitable jobs and experienced professionals in search of better employment, then Buffalo is one of the first few places to explore. 

Buffalo History

Buffalo was once occupied by the Neural Nation and was later taken over by the Iroquois. An agent of the Holland Land Company, Joseph Ellicott created a radial street system in the city as early as 1804. And in 1813 the British forces burned down Buffalo during the war of 1812. The completion of the Erie Canal increased the population of the city from a measly 2400 to as high as 10,000 people.

The port of Buffalo continued to develop during the 1800's. Commercial goods, grain and other food products were shipped from this port to other places in the country. The first steam powered grain elevator was also created in Buffalo in 1843. The population of the city increased as a result of the Civil War. The city is not known to have sent a lot of people to war but it played a significant role by supplying war materials.

Buffalo has had the opportunity of being host to the largest office building of the times for 16 years. This was the Ellicott Square Building that was constructed in 1896. And as the city ventured into the 20th century, the city of Buffalo was lucky to be one of the first cities to get hydroelectric power from the Niagara Falls. At this time it was also called the 'city of light' due to the widespread availability of electrical lighting.

Even as the world entered World War II, Buffalo maintained it high levels of employment due to the industries that it had. The manufacturing hub continued to make rail cars and other war requirements. One such company was the American Car and Foundry company.

Since Buffalo is on the US side of the Niagara Falls it also saw the construction and opening of the Peace Bridge that linked Buffalo to Erie Fort in Ontario. The opening of the St Lawrence Seaway cut off Buffalo from the major trade routes. This led to deterioration in the city's economy during the mid 1900's. And as a result almost 50 percent of the population moved out of the city looking for better opportunities in surrounding areas.

The government of Buffalo made all attempts that it could to try and rekindle the economy of the city and is pumping in millions of dollars in order to renovate and establish the city again. Today the economy of the city is stable and it has become a great tourist location as various people go to the city to watch the great Niagara Falls. There are continuous attempts by the government to create more attractions in this tourist town now so that the tourist traffic can be increased.

About Buffalo, New York

After New York City, Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York. The city is located on the shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River. Buffalo is also the county seat of the Erie County.

The city of Buffalo is estimated to have a population of 261,310 in the US Census of 2010. While the city had a small population earlier, it grew rapidly after the opening of the Erie Canal. By 1900 it was the 8th largest city in the country. As per the 2000 census the population density of the city was 7205.8 people per square mile. More than half the residents are white and more than a third are African Americans. Some of the largest ancestries in the city include German, Irish, Italian, Polish and English.

It became a significant center as a railway hub and also the largest grain milling center. However, the fortunes turned for the city when the St. Lawrence Seaway was opened, leaving the city out of major trade routes.

With all the changes that took place in the fortunes of the city, it is now a center that is known for tourism, health care and education. The growth in tourism comes mainly from the presence of the Niagara Falls in the city. The medical sector has grown due to the expansion of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the education industry can thank The University of Buffalo for the development that it has seen. The retail sector is also booming in the city thanks to the Canadian shoppers that come over to take advantage of the lower prices.

With all the development, the city of Buffalo was nominated as the 8th best place to raise a family. The unemployment rate of the city is also just 7.6 percent, significantly lower than the country average. The State of New York, The University of Buffalo, Kaleida Health, the United States of America and the HSBC Bank are the top employers in the city.

Being towards the north, the city is known to have continental type climate that results in snow filled winters. However, the presence of the Great Lakes gives a maritime climate effect to the city as well. While summer and winters are distinct in the city, the transitional seasons barely last for a few weeks. Winters last from mid November to mid March and the city is covered with snow from late December till March. This is mainly due to the lake effect that results in higher levels of snow. Summers have moderate humidity and are sunnier than any other city this north.

Buffalo is a melting pot for many cultures and this has resulted in a typical cuisine of the place. Some of the cuisines that are common in the area include Irish, Italian, German, Polish, Greek, Indian and African American. Some of the favorites include sponge candy, fish fries, pierogi and beef on weck sandwich.

About Erie County, New York

Located in the state of New York, Erie County has a population of 919,040 based on the 2010 census. The county takes its name from Lake Erie which was named after the Erie Tribe of American Indians. It is interesting to note that when the counties were formed in New York State, Erie County was considered to be an Indian state. It was not part of the New York State. Only after the Holland Land Company removed the claim that Indians had to the land did the process of forming the Erie County began.

Genesee County came from Ontario County. A part of the Genesee County was cut off as Niagara County and then from the Niagara County, Erie County was formed. The county has a total area of 1227 square miles of which almost 15 percent is water. The adjacent counties include Niagara County in the north, Wyoming County and Genesee County in the east, Cattaraugus County in the south, Chautauqua County in the southeast and Niagara region, Ontario in the northwest.

The county has various water bodies that include the Buffalo River, Cattaraugus Creek, Cayuga Creek, Lake Erie, Niagara River, Scajaquada Creek, Tonawanda Creek and Ellicott Creek. It also includes the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site.

The greenery in the county has been maintained with the various parks and lands that the state maintains. These include the Amherst State Park, the Beaver Island State Park, the Buckhorn Island State Park, the Evangola State Park, the Great Baehre Swamp, the Knox Farm State Park, the Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, the Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area and the Woodlawn Beach State Park. There are also many Heritage Parks, Waterfront Parks and Conservation Parks in the county along with some special purpose parks like the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and the Sprague Brook Park.