There’s nothing like an old Buffalo postcard to pull at the sentimental heartstrings of history buffs. There’s just something about the faded colors, and the way that a scene can be captured. To flip through a stack of cards is to take a visual stroll through commercial districts that look almost foreign, until you catch a glimpse of a recognizable structure that weathered the test of time. BRO reader Craig Steger sent us a link to an impressive collection of historic Buffalo postcards the likes of which many people have never seen. There are upwards of 1600 images, some duplicates and a few not pertaining to ‘our’ Buffalo.
The site is called Card Cow – the images are fascinating to browse through. From Fort Porter to the Chippewa Market, there are some heartbreaking images of magnificent structures lost along the way, as well as others that make you hold your breath and thank the stars that they persevered. Steel posted on the site Card Cow over a year ago, and at that time there were upwards of 600 Buffalo cards to peruse. By keeping these images fresh in our minds, we have reminders of what we have retained amongst what we have lost. Although we cannot rebuild the Erie County Savings Bank, we can look at the image of the the Chippewa Market and attempt to recreate bits and pieces of what made these incredible public spaces work so well.