Observe the coming of June by getting out and exploring Buffalo! This Sunday Buffalo Tours will offer four wonderful opportunities to do just that.
The construction fences are down, and the Erie Canal Commercial Slip is finally open. On Waterfront Revival: From Lighthouse to Commercial Slip, learn how the Buffalo harbor and the Erie Canal terminus played a critical role in not only the growth of Buffalo, but the history of the country as well. Your guide will tell you about the once barren and flooded “flats” that became a thriving neighborhood of homes and shops during the heyday of the Erie Canal. End a comfortable walk on the replica bowstring bridge, and hear about the preservationists’ long struggle to get the canal site reconstruction done right, and get a glimpse at what’s coming next. The tour meets at 9:30 a.m. at The Hatch restaurant (Erie Basin Marina).
A national preservation group has called the Peace Bridge neighborhood one of the nation’s most-threatened historic sites. The Peace Bridge Authority claims that demolishing over 80 houses will have no negative impact. Hear the truth on In the Shadow of the Peace Bridge. While you still can, see this intact neighborhood of many century-spanning, architecturally significant buildings and learn firsthand about the irreplaceable urban fabric we might be about to lose, as well as community efforts to save it. The tour meets at 1:00 p.m. at the corner of Columbus Parkway (Seventh Street) and Columbus Park West (Connecticut Street).
Learn all about when Buffalo was one of the major railroad centers in the country, second only to Chicago, on Inside the Central Terminal. Stroll around the exterior of this Art Deco masterpiece, and marvel at the concourse, one of the grand spaces in Buffalo. Since 1997, the non-profit Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC) has restored the tower clock, conducted regular clean ups, and sponsored well attended events in this magnificent structure. See the results and hear about future plans. This tour is given in collaboration with the CTRC. The tour meets at 11:00 a.m. at the terminal, on Memorial Drive off Broadway and Paderewski Drive.
Join Walking the Pan-Am, and imagine that time when, from May to November 1901, more than 8 million people from all over the world traveled to Buffalo to witness the marvels of electric lights and distant cultures, midway curiosities, fountains and pavilions. This tour is given in collaboration with the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society (BECHS). The tour meets at 12:30 p.m. at the Historical Society building, 25 Nottingham Court at Elmwood Avenue.
All tours are $10. Tours run rain or shine. For more information, call 716-852-3300.
Buffalo Tours is a collaboration of the Preservation Coalition of Erie County and the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier.
Support for Buffalo Rising comes from:
Support for Buffalo Rising comes from: