If you ever want to see an incredible painting of what the Buffalo waterfront looked like in the 1880s, just stop on into the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery. The remarkable painting was painstakingly created over a one-year period of time by Robert Averill who, at one point, owned Averill Gallery on Elmwood Avenue. The work of art hangs in the dining area towards the back of the restaurant. I've used bits and pieces of the details in previous posts, and each time someone has asked where image was from.
The oil and canvas work is four feet high and spans ten feet across. The detail and the accuracy of the area was recreated to show just what the harbors looked like back in the day. Pearl Street Grill & Brewery owner, Earl Ketry, commissioned the piece, and it was then that Robert Averill began the arduous process of researching the history of the area by studying early photos and drawings. If you're interested in getting a large-scale picture of what the harbor looked like back in the day, then this is a fascinating perspective. Pearl Street Grill & Brewery 76 Pearl Street Buffalo.