1 | Buffalo Firsts: A List of Major and Minor Individuals and Events | Compiled by Library Staff Updated June 21, 2024 library@buffalohistory.org | ||||
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2 | First | Date | Description | Unique to Buffalo? | Source | |
3 | African-American architect | 1912 | John E. Brent (1889-1962), who designed the now-demolished Michigan Avenue YMCA. | N | John Edmonston Brent. www.burchfieldpenney.org/artists/artist:john-edmonston-brent/ | |
4 | African-American artist | 1857 | William H. Simpson (1818-1872), a portraitist | N | "We were in error giving the name...". Buffalo Morning Express, Dec. 28, 1857, p. 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Simpson_(portrait_artist) | |
5 | African-American author | 1853 | James M. Whitfield (1822-1871) was a poet and barber. He published his first book of verse in 1853. | N | Whitfield, James M. America and other poems. Buffalo, NY: J.S. Leavitt, 1853 | |
6 | African-American composer | 1839 | Frank Johnson (1792-1844), of Philadelphia, who wrote and published The Buffalo City Guards Parade March | N | Brassard, Alexandra. The First Published African-American Composer. William L. Clements Library, 2019. https://clements.umich.edu/the-first-published-african-american-composer/ | |
7 | African-American disc jockey | 1953 | James A. "Ducky" Rice | N | Graebner, William. Coming of Age in Buffalo. Philadelphia, PA: Temple U. Press, 1990, p. 29 | |
8 | African-American executive drector of The Buffalo News | 7/28/2022 | Sheila Rayam | N | "Sheila Rayam is named Executive Director of The Buffalo News." New York Times, July 28, 2022. | |
9 | African-American flight attendant | 1957 | Ruth Taylor of New York City, whose first flight was from NYC to Buffalo on Mohawk Airlines | Y | Rorty, James. "The first colored air hostess." The Crisis, June-July 1958, p. 339. | |
10 | African-American jury member | 1843 | Abner H. Francis (1813-1872) impaneled on a jury of the Recorder's Court | Y | "A colored juryman." Buffalo Daily Gazette, Sept. 12, 1843, p. 2 | |
11 | African-American librarian | 1943 | Frances K. Hall (1916-2007) begins her career in librarianship in Buffalo. | N | "Frances K. Hall, first black librarian in city of Buffalo to be certified, June 7, 1916-Aug. 6, 2007." Buffalo News, August 11, 2007 | |
12 | African-American Lutheran church | 01/01/1926 | Lutheran Church of Our Savior, founded as a "colored mission." Reportedly the first Black Lutheran church in New York State. | Y | "Colored Lutheran Church." Buffalo American, Feb. 18, 1926, p. 2. | |
13 | African American man elected in the City of Buffalo | 1955 | King Peterson (1915-2012), elected in November 1955 to Buffalo Common Council representing the Ellicott district | N | "Democrats retain 9-6 edge in Council seats." Courier Express, Nov 9, 1955, p.9 | |
14 | African-American man elected in Erie County | 1934 | Sherman Walker (1892-1969) elected to the Erie County Board of Supervisors | N | Taylor, Steven J. L. Desegregation in Boston and Buffalo: The Influence of Local Leaders. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1998, p. 36 | |
15 | African-American mayor | 2006 | Byron Brown (b. 1958), sworn in on January 1, 2006 | N | "Byron Brown." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Brown | |
16 | African-American member of the Buffalo School board | 1963 | Dr. Lydia Wright (1922-2006) | N | African American History of Western New York State, 1935 to 1970. http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/1935-1970.html | |
17 | African-American newspaper | 1895 | The Afro-American, published on Oak Street. Possibly associated with the Afro-American League. No copies are known to survive. | N | Severance, Frank. The Periodical Press of Buffalo, 1811-1915. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, v.19. Buffalo Historical Society, 1915, p.197 | |
18 | African-American NHL player | 11/1/1981 | Val James (b. 1957) debuts with the Sabres, becoming the first US-born Black player in the NHL. | Y | "Val James." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_James | |
19 | African-American on public TV | 1962 | Dr. Samuel L. Woodard (b. 1930) of WNED was the first African-American to appear on educational television in New York state | Y | The Crisis, August-September 1962, p. 436 | |
20 | African-American playwright | 1845 | D. Paul Brown's play about slavery is performed at the Eagle St. theater 7 years before the debut of Uncle Tom's Cabin, which is usually called the first anti-slavery play in America. Brown was a barber in Buffalo who had been kidnapped into slavery while visiting New Orleans, and somehow escaped. | N | African American History of Western New York State, 1830 to 1865. www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/1830-1865.html | |
21 | African-American police officer | 1918 | George C. Sarsnett, appointed to the Buffalo Police Department | N | Buffalo Police Department. History of Black Police Officers. www.bpdthenandnow.com/historyblackofficerpage1.html | |
22 | African-American professional baseball player | 1886 | Frank Grant (1865-1937). He signed with the Buffalo Bisons in 1886 but was forced out in 1889 when Black players were banned from professional baseball. | N | "Frank Grant." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Grant | |
23 | African-American resident | 1792 or earlier | Joseph Hodge (dates unknown) had a trading post and/or whiskey shop near Buffalo Creek. It is possible that he came here to escape from slavery. He may also be the first non-Native resident of Buffalo. | N | Hill, Henry Wayland. Municipality of Buffalo, New York, vol. 1, p. 75. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1923 | |
24 | African-American teacher | 1897 | Ida D. Fairbush (1869-1845) at School 6 Annex | N | Nevergold, Barbara Seals. "The History of Buffalo’s First African American Teacher." The Challenger News, March 1, 2020 https://thechallengernews.com/2020/03/the-history-of-buffalos-first-african-american-teacher/ | |
25 | African-American to perform for British royalty | 5/10/1854 | Soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield (ca. 1820-1876), who started her career in Buffalo, performs for Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham palace. | Y | Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Greenfield | |
26 | African-American woman bus driver | 1944 | Mildred Belcher Thomas, who was hired by the NFTA and earned an award for 30 years of safe driving | Y | "Mildred Belcher Thomas." www.uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com/person/mildred-belcher-thomas | |
27 | African-American woman elected official | 1957 | Cora P. Maloney (ca. 1905-1961) elected to Buffalo Common Council representing the Masten district | N | "Cora Pleasant Maloney." http://uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com/person/cora-1 | |
28 | African-American woman meteorologist | 1972 | June Bacon-Bercey (1930-2020) at WGR-TV | Y | "June Bacon-Bercey, 90, Pathbreaking Meteorologist, Is Dead." www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/science/june-bacon-bercey-90-pathbreaking-meteorologist-is-dead.html | |
29 | African-American women's organization | 1837 | Young Ladies Literary Society | N | "Address, delivered at Buffalo, by one of our young brethren at an exhibition of the Young Ladies Literary Society, December 27, 1837." Colored American, Feb. 3, 1838 | |
30 | African-American/Latino baseball manager at the Class Triple-A level. | 1969 | Hector Lopez is appointed manager of the Buffalo Bisons | Y | "First Negro Pro Baseball Pilot." New York Times, March 22, 1969 | |
31 | Air conditioning | 1902 | Invented by Willis Carrier (1876-1950) at Buffalo Forge Company | Y | "Willis Carrier." www.carrier.com/carrier/en/worldwide/about/willis-carrier/ | |
32 | Airmail delivery | 09/25/1926 | Brought to Buffalo by Lieut. George R. Pond. | N | Buffalo Courier Express, August 20, 1956, p. 4 | |
33 | Airplane flight | 4/2/1910 | Took place at the polo field of the Buffalo Country Club, Main & Bailey. Presently the site of the Grover Cleveland golf course. | N | Fox, Austin. The Country Club of Buffalo: The First 100 years, 1889-1989. Buffalo, NY: Country Club of Buffalo, 1989, p.43 | |
34 | Airport | 1926 | Buffalo Municipal Airport, now known as the Buffalo Niagara International Airport | N | "Airport history." www.buffaloairport.com/about-the-airport/airport-history | |
35 | Allentown Art Festival | 9/6/1958 | Organized by Jason Natowitz | Y | "Allentown Art Festival History." www.allentownartfestival.com/about "City briefs: Where to go tomorrow." Buffalo Evening News, September 5, 1958, p. 4. | |
36 | Alternating current, commercial use of | 11/26/1886 | Adam, Meldrum & Anderson department store | Y | Buffalo Courier-Express Pictorial, June 22, 1958, p.29 | |
37 | Apple trees | ca. 1760 | Planted at Fort Schlosser on the Niagara River, near the present-day water intakes for the New York Power Authority | N | Turner, O. Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase of Western New York... Buffalo, NY: Jewett, Thomas & Co., G.H. Derby & Co, 1849, p.222 | |
38 | Arab immigrants | 1894 or earlier | Four Arab families are reported living in a rear house at 398 Seneca Street. It is likely that they were Syrian or Lebanese. | N | "Death in an Arab colony." Buffalo Evening News, April 11, 1894 | |
39 | Arab to be naturalized | 1896 | John Truces of Seneca Street becomes the first Arab immigrant in the US to be naturalized | Y | "Renounced his allegiance." Buffalo Enquirer, April 23, 1896, p. 5 | |
40 | Arab-American man elected to public office | 2009 | Abdulsalam Noman, who is Yemeni-American, elected to represent the First Ward at the Lackawanna city council. He was the first Arab-American elected official in NY State and the second in the country. | Y | "Arab American sworn into office." Buffalo News, January 4, 2010 | |
41 | Arab-American woman elected to public office | 2021 | Amirah Muflahi, who is Yemeni-American, is elected to represent the First Ward at the Lackawanna City Council. | N | "CAIR-New York Congratulates Muslims Elected to New York City, Lackawanna City Councils." www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-new-york-congratulates-muslims-elected-to-new-york-city-lackawanna-city-councils/ | |
42 | Architect | 1842 | Valentine Ream becomes the first person to identify himself as an architect in a Buffalo city directory. Before him, builders probably served in this capacity. | N | Buffalo city directory, 1842, p. 181 | |
43 | Art auction | 10/8/1858 | William Coleman's store, 240 Main Street. | N | Buffalo Express and Daily Democracy, October 4 , 1858 | |
44 | Attorney | 1806 | Ebenezer Walden (1777-1857), who set up an office on Main near Exchange | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.40 | |
45 | Automobile delivery service | 1898 | H.A. Meldrum department store becomes the first retailer to use automobiles to deliver orders to customers. | N | Fitch, Charles Elliott. Encyclopedia of Biography of New York: A Life Record of Men and Women of the Past, v.5, p. 341. New York: American Historical Society, 1916. | |
46 | Automobile garage and service station | 12/1/1899 | 240 W. Utica St. in the former Brown Riding Academy | N | Buffalo Motorist, February 1921, summarized in Antique Auto Club of America Spring Meet program, June 1974 | |
47 | Automobile insurance policy | 2/27/1898 | Issued to Dr. Truman J. Martin of Buffalo, the first in America | Y | "First auto policy sold 110 years ago today." www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2008/02/27/87696.htm | |
48 | Automobile owned in Buffalo | 1897 | By Dr. V. Mott Pierce (1865-1942), proprietor of World's Dispensary Medical Association. | N | "Buffalonians recall horseless cars of '99; Pierce first owner." Buffalo Times, Feb. 19, 1928 | |
49 | Automobile parade | 1900 | Buffalo Automobile Club organizes Buffalo's first horseless carriage parade. | N | "Automobile club." Buffalo Commercial, July 7, 1900, p. 11 | |
50 | Automobile race | 8/12/1904 | Organized by the Automobile Racing Association at Kenilworth Race Track | N | "Buffalo's record-breaking two-day meet." The Automobile, Volume 11, August 20, 1904, p. 211. | |
51 | Automobile show | 3/10/1903 | At Convention Hall in Buffalo, the former 74th Regiment Hall at Elmwood and Virginia, designed by Louise Bethune. | N | "Buffalo show opens." Motor World, March 12, 1903, p. 912. | |
52 | Automobile to cross the Peace Bridge | 3/12/1927 | Driven by engineer Edward P. Lupfer, with Mr. & Mrs. William Eckhert, H.W. Willson, John W. Van Allen, A.J. Dillenbeck, and Reed W. Cady, either as passengers or in a second vehicle | Y | "First autos cross Peace Bridge." Courier-Express, March 13, 1927, p. 1 | |
53 | Aviation organization | 3/21/1910 | Aero Club of Buffalo incorporated, the first in the US | Y | Aviation History Made by the Aero Club of Buffalo. https://archive.org/details/1970buffalonyaeroclubhistory | |
54 | Bakery | 1804? | Established by John Despar on Washington St. between Seneca and Exchange | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.38 | |
55 | Balloon launch | 8/5/1845 | Hot air balloon ascension announced at McArthur's Garden, Tuesday evening, August 5, 1845. | N | "Balloon ascension and fire works... Daily National, August 5, 1845, p. 2 | |
56 | Bank | 1816 | Incorporated as the Bank of Niagara, was in business for about 16 years | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason 1884, p.222 | |
57 | Baptism, recorded | 1812 | Mary Tillinghast, baptized at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. | N | St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Baptisms, 1812-1897 [microfilm]. Buffalo, NY: St. Paul's Cathedral, n.d. | |
58 | Baseball game | 9/11/1857 | Played against a Brooklyn team in a vacant lot at Pennsylvania & Seventh St. | N | "Baseball came to Buffalo in 1857." Buffalo Evening News magazine, Sept. 30, 1961, p.1 | |
59 | Baseball music | 1858 | The Baseball Polka, composed by J.R. Blodgett of Buffalo, was the first baseball song published in the US. | Y | "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Library of Congress, n.d. https://loc.gov/item/ihas.200153239/ | |
60 | Baseball team | 1850 | Buffalo Niagaras | N | Langendorfer, Paul. Baseball in Buffalo. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2017, p.30 | |
61 | Basketball team | 1895 | Buffalo Germans | N | Biesel, David B. Can You Name That Team? A Guide to Professional Baseball, Football, Soccer, Hockey, and Basketball Teams and Leagues. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2002, p.13 | |
62 | Basketball team at UB | 1916 | The University at Buffalo forms its first basketball team. | N | UB Firsts. https://library.buffalo.edu/archives/ubhistory/timelines/ub-firsts.html | |
63 | Beef-on-weck sandwich | Late 19th c.? | Developed by German immigrants in Buffalo. Its history is not well documented. | Y | Cichon, Steve. Buffalo’s Definitive Foods: The Beef on Weck. http://blog.buffalostories.com/buffalos-definitive-foods-the-beef-on-weck/ | |
64 | Bicycle | 2/25/1869 | Tinkham & Huntoon open a velocpede school in St. James Hall | N | "Velocipede school." Buffalo Commercial, Feb. 25, 1869, p.3 | |
65 | Black church | 1831 | Vine Street African Methodist Episcopal, now known as Bethel AME, Michigan & E. Ferry | N | "Bethel History." https://bethelame-bflo.org/about-us/our-history | |
66 | Black swimmer to cross the English Channel | 08/25/1981 | Charles "Charlie the Tuna" Chapman of Buffalo becomes the first Black swimmer to swim solo across the English Channel | Y | Howley, Elaine K. "The loneliness of the black long distance swimmer." Outdoor Swimmer, October 7, 2020. https://outdoorswimmer.com/blogs/the-loneliness-of-the-black-long-distance-swimmer | |
67 | Black Veterans Memorial | 09/24/2022 | The first National Black Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Sept. 24, 2022 at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park. | Y | "New monument honors service of Black Americans in 12 U.S. wars." Washington Post, October 6, 2022 | |
68 | Blacksmith | 1798 | William Robbins, who had a shop on Main St., probably near the Buffalo River | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.20 | |
69 | Boat built in Buffalo | 1803 | A schooner called "The Contractor," built at Black Rock, by either Norton & Phelps or Porter, Barton & Co. | N | Hill, Henry Wayland. Municipality of Buffalo, New York: A History, 1720-1923, Vol. 1." New York: Lewis Historical pub. Co., 1923, p.97 | |
70 | Boat on the upper Great Lakes | 1678 | Le Griffon, built by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle at the mouth of Cayuga Creek on the Niagara River | Y | "Le Griffon." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Griffon | |
71 | Boat to travel the entire Erie Canal | 10/25/1825 | The Seneca Chief leaves Buffalo for New York with Governor Clinton aboard to celebrate the completion and opening of the Erie Canal | Y | Colden, Cadwallader David. Memoir: Prepared at the Request of a Committee of the Common Council of the City of New York ... New York: W.A. Davis, 1825, p. 333 | |
72 | Book published in Buffalo | 1812 | The French Convert, an anti-Catholic novel published widely in 18th century Europe | N | D'Auborn, A. The French Convert. Buffalo, NY: H.A. Salisbury, 1812 | |
73 | Bookstore | 1811 or earlier | The first issue of the Buffalo Gazette has a list of books for sale at the Buffalo Bookstore. | N | Buffalo Gazette, October 3, 1811, p. 1 | |
74 | Bowling alley | 1843 | Established by J.C. Cornish at the American Star tavern on Water Street. | N | "Bowling saloon, Water St." Buffalo Courier, April 25, 1843, p.2. | |
75 | Bowling pin setting machine | 1947 | Invented at American Machine & Foundry in Cheektowaga and first tested in a Depew bowling alley before going on the market | Y | Cichon, Steve. "Buffalo in the '40s: Advances in WNY helped usher in modern era of bowling." Buffalo News, April 16, 2019. https://buffalonews.com/2019/04/16/buffalo-in-the-40s-advances-in-wny-helped-usher-in-modern-era-of-bowling/ | |
76 | Brainstorming | 1933 | Creativity and idea generation technique developed by Buffalo advertising executive Alex Osborn (1888-1966) | Y | "Brainstorming." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming | |
77 | Brewery | 1811 | Owned by Joseph Webb in the village of Black Rock | N | "Brewing in Buffalo." https://grogenealogylocalhistory.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/brewing-in-buffalo/ | |
78 | Brick building | 1806 | William Hodge's home & hotel at 1358 Main St. Presently the site of a Burger King restaurant at Main & Utica. | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p. 14 | |
79 | Buddhist temple | 1999 | Chau Tu Hien Buddhist Cultural Center, 647 Fillmore Avenue, founded by Vietnamese immigrants | N | "First Buddhist Temple in Western New York." https://hwpi.harvard.edu/pluralismarchive/news/first-buddhist-temple-western-new-york?page=7 | |
80 | Buffalo Sabres regular season game | 10/10/1970 | Sabres vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.74 | |
81 | Burmese grocery store | 2010 | Lin Asian Market opened by Khin Maung Soe and his wife Thain Hla at 113 Grant Street | N | "Lin Restaurant." www.linrestaurant.com/about | |
82 | Burmese restaurant | 2010 | Sun Food Market at 1989 Niagara Street, later Sun Restaurant | N | "Sun Cuisines: Burmese, Thai." www.suncuisines.com/about/meet-the-owners/ | |
83 | Burmese Water Festival | 2005 | Took place in the back yard of the International Intitute on Delaware Avenue | N | "Buffalo Burmese Water Festival." www.buffalowaterfestival.com/ | |
84 | Butcher shop | 1808 | Opened by Gilman Folsom on Main near Chippewa | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p. 16 | |
85 | Cancer research facility | 1898 | Now known as Roswell Park | Y | Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. History. www.roswellpark.org/about-us/history | |
86 | Cannabis shop, licensed | 2023 | Dank 716 opens at 501 Main Street, July 17, 2023. | N | "Buffalo's first cannabis dispensary nears $5 million in sales." Syracuse.com, Jan. 10, 2024, www.syracuse.com/marijuana/2024/01/buffalos-first-cannabis-dispensary-nears-5-million-in-sales-a-qa-with-aaron-van-camp-of-dank-716.html | |
87 | Catholic church | 1/5/1829 | St. Louis Roman Catholic at Main & Edward, also the first German church | N | Riester, Michael A. A Brief History of St. Louis Church. https://stlouisrcchurch.org/about/history/ | |
88 | Catholic mass | 1821 | Conducted by Rev. Kelly of Rochester at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, attended by 5 families | N | Evans, Charles W. History of St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, N.Y. Buffalo, NY: Matthews-Northrup Co., 1903, p. 361 | |
89 | Cell phone network | 1984 | Supposedly demonstrated by Mayor Griffin | N | Thomas Farley and Ken Schmidt. Daily Notes Archive. December 10, 2003. PrivateLine.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20151226213031/http://www.privateline.com/dailynotes/index19.html | |
90 | Cellophane | 1924 | Not invented here, but first manufactured in the US here. Made at the DuPont plant on River Road, Tonawanda. | Y | E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Yerkes Plant. https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6c3375j "Cellophane." Rocky Mountain Druggist, November 1923, p. 43. | |
91 | Cemetery, private | 1807 | First known burials took place on the private property of William Johnson, north of Exchange St. & east of Washington St. | N | Devoy, John. A History of the City of Buffalo and Niagara Falls: Including a Concise Account of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of This Region... Buffalo: The Times, 1896, p.102 | |
92 | Cemetery, public | 9/20/1821 | The Holland Land Company deeds to the Village of Buffalo a plot to be used as a public burial ground, called Franklin Square. Today it is the site of Old County Hall. | N | Buffalo city directory, 1836-7, p. 11. | |
93 | Charity Organization Society | 1877 | First attempt to systematize charity; considered the beginning of the social work profession in America. | Y | Charity Organization Societies: 1877-1893. https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/civil-war-reconstruction/charity-organization-societies-1877-1893/ | |
94 | Chicken wings served Buffalo style | 1964 | Invented by Teressa Bellissimo at the Anchor Bar | Y | "Buffalo wing." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_wing | |
95 | Child born to settlers | 2/1798 | Sophia Ransom, born to Asa and Kezia Ransom, near Washington & Quay St. in Buffalo | N | Severance, Frank. Recalling pioneer days. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 26. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1922, p. 323 | |
96 | Chinese citizen | 1888 | Mr. Tong Chuck, naturalized January 10, 1888 | N | "The first chinese citizen..." Buffalo Commercial, January 11, 1888, p. 4 | |
97 | Chinese restaurant | 1897 | The earliest recorded Chinese restaurant we could find is H.T. Licht's restaurant, 476 Michigan Street. | N | "Chinese Restaurant." Buffalo Times, October 8, 1897, p. 6 | |
98 | Chinese Sunday School | 6/1909 | First Sunday School for Chinese immigrants established, 515 Michigan Street, by the Lafayette Baptist Church. | N | "For the Chinamen." Buffalo Enquirer, June 14, 1909, p 10 | |
99 | Chinese-American baby | 4/1904 | Named Chin Gim Doc | N | "Chin Wong Foo and the First Chinese Baby Born in Buffalo." Buffalo Times, April 17, 1904. www.archives.nysed.gov/education/chinese-buffalo-buffalo-times-excerpt-1904 | |
100 | Chinese-American pilot | 1922 | Harry Chin, a restaurant owner, qualifies for a pilot's license after testing at Curtiss Field | Y | "Chinaman qualifies as aviation pilot." Buffalo Times, December 7, 1922, p. 31 | |
101 | Chocolate served or sold | 1813 | J.N. Bailey's shop near Main & Exchange | N | "New goods. J.N. Bailey." Buffalo Gazette, June 29, 1813, p.3 | |
102 | Christian Science Church | 1892/01/10 | On Jan. 10, 1892, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, holds services in the former West Side Presbyterian church at 203 Jersey St., the first Christian Science congregation in New York State to own its own house of worship. | Y | Napora, James. Houses of Worship: A Guide to the Religious Architecture of Buffalo, New York. Buffalo, NY: MA Thesis, 1995. https://buffaloah.com/how/2/2.3/firstch.html | |
103 | Church building in Buffalo | 1819 | A short-lived wood-frame building erected by Methodists at Pearl and Niagara | N | Clarke, Walter. The First Church in Buffalo, Half Century Discourse, Delivered on the Evening of Feb. 3d, 1862. Buffalo, NY: Butler, 1862, p.44 | |
104 | Church building in Erie County | 1806 | A log cabin built by the Society of Friends (Quakers) at Potter's Corners in what is now Orchard Park. | N | Smith, Henry Perry, ed. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol. 1, p. 94. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884. | |
105 | Circus performance | 7/21/1823 | A caravan arrived at the Eagle Tavern, featuring a lion, elephant, and camel | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County... Vol. 2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.542. | |
106 | City directory | 1828 | Published by L.P. Crary in the village of Buffalo | N | A directory for the village of Buffalo. Buffalo, NY: L.P. Crary, 1828 https://issuu.com/tbhm/docs/1828directory | |
107 | City to eliminate off-street parking minimums | 2016 | Buffalo became the first U.S. city to end minimum requirements for off-street parking | Y | Sommer, Mark. "Buffalo's Zoning Code Steps into the 21st Century." Buffalo News, December 27, 2016. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/buffalos-zoning-code-steps-into-the-21st-century/article_a8b81e45-f6f3-526e-99fe-dde988ef9c78.html | |
108 | Coffee break | 1902 | Barcalo Manufacturing Co. of Buffalo, Louisiana & Kentucky St., instituted the first in the US | Y | "Coffee break started 62 years ago in boiler room in Buffalo." New York UPI, Nov 11, 1965 | |
109 | Coffee house | 1813 | Black Rock Coffee House, operated by Pliny Field, address unknown | N | "Black Rock Coffee House." Buffalo Gazette, December 14, 1813, p.3 | |
110 | Coffee, instant | 1901 | Made its debut at the Pan-American Exposition, invented by Satori Kato, a Japanese-American chemist from Chicago. It was later marketed as Nescafe. | Y | Mariani, John F. Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013 | |
111 | College | 1836 | The Western New York University is incorporated. It is not clear if any classes were ever held before it failed in the Panic of 1837. | N | University of Western New York, Subscription and record book, 1836. Mss. W-55. | |
112 | Color movie shown | 2/25/1918 | "The Gulf Between," shown at Majestic Theater, Pearl & Genesee | N | "Buffalo International Film Festival." https://web.archive.org/web/20130707084446/ http://www.buffalofilmfestival.com/buffalomovietreasures/gulfbetween1918.html | |
113 | County executive | 1960 | Edward A. Rath (1907-1968), elected when Erie County replaced its Board of Supervisors system with a county executive system. | N | "Edward A. Rath." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_A._Rath | |
114 | Court case in Western NY | 1789 | Concerned the theft of a cow bell. Proceedings were held in Canandaigua, NY. Peter B. Porter, later of Black Rock, represented one of the parties. | N | "First court case in WNY was held in 1789." Buffalo Courier-Express, December 28, 1959, p. 26. | |
115 | Court proceedings in Buffalo | 1808 | Held at Landon's Tavern, with Augustus Porter (1769-1849) as judge | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p. 14 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100262566 "First court case in WNY was held in 1789." Buffalo Courier-Express, December 28, 1959, p. 26. | |
116 | Cul-de-sac | 1922 | St. Catherine's Court may be the first modern cul-de-sac in America | Y | "Does Buffalo have the first modern American cul-de-sac?" https://buffaloresearch.com/2023/09/05/does-buffalo-have-the-first-modern-american-cul-de-sac/ | |
117 | Dancing School | 1821 | Established by W.A. Mosely | N | Buffalo Journal, November 27, 1821, p.4 | |
118 | Day care center | 1881 | Fitch Creche, 159 Swan St, demolished in 1998. Possibly the first in the US. | Y | "Fitch Creche." www.preservationready.org/Buildings/159SwanStreet | |
119 | Democratic Socialist elected | 2023 | Brian Nowak elected as town supervisor of Cheektowaga, becoming the first Democratic Socialist to win public office in the 8 counties of Western New York. | N | "In Cheektowaga, Nowak's look belies spirit of consensus." Buffalo News, December 9, 2023, p. A1. | |
120 | Desegregation effort in the Buffalo public schools | 3/31/1846 | Black Buffalonians petition Buffalo Common Council to grant Black children "the same privileges white children enjoy." | N | White, Arthur O. "The Black Movement against Jim Crow Education in Buffalo, New York, 1800-1900." Phylon, vol. 30, No. 4 (4th Qtr., 1969), pp. 375-393. | |
121 | Dewey Decimal System use | 1877 | Buffalo Public Library (then known as the Young Men's Association) under the directorship of Josephus Larned became the first major library in the US to implement the DDS | Y | Quinn, Mary E. Historical Dictionary of Librarianship. Lanham [etc.] Rowman & Littlefield, 2014, p. 95 | |
122 | Diving, first book on | 1859 | Written by diver John Green (d. 1868), who grew up in Buffalo, and published his book here | Y | Green, J.B. Diving with or Without Armor Containing the Submarine Exploits of J.B.Green...1859. http://books.google.com/books?vid=BL:A0018322364.. | |
123 | Drive-in theater | 8/1/1941 | The Buffalo Drive-In, demolished September 2007. | N | Buffalo Evening News, November 12, 1957, p. 26 http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/19073 | |
124 | Earthquake | 10/23/1857 | First one recorded in Buffalo | N | Hubbell, Mark, ed. Buffalo: The city beautiful. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Truth Co., 1931, p.244 | |
125 | Election | 3/1/1803 | First public election held at Vandeventer's tavern in what is now Newstead | N | Buffalo Courier Express, October 28, 1945, Section 7, p.1 | |
126 | Electric power from Niagara Falls | 11/15/1896 | Used to electrify the streetcar lines | Y | Woodworth, Craig A. "Early Electrification of Buffalo." Engineering and Technology History Wiki, 2004. https://ethw.org/Early_Electrification_of_Buffalo | |
127 | Electric street car | 1888 | Ran south on Main Street from the Cold Spring barns, conducted by H.J. Curtiss. | N | Buffalo Evening News, March 24, 1936, p. 4 | |
128 | Electric streetlights | 7/1/1881 | Ganson Street | N | Woodworth, Craig A. "Early Electrification of Buffalo." Engineering and Technology History Wiki, 2004. https://ethw.org/Early_Electrification_of_Buffalo | |
129 | Electric vehicles for postal use | 7/2/1899 | "The first known test of an electric vehicle for mail collection was in Buffalo, NY, on July 2, 1899, when Buffalo’s superintendent of city delivery, driven by an electric car promoter in his Columbia automobile, collected mail from 40 boxes in an hour and a half – less than half the time it took with a horse-drawn wagon." | Y | "Electric Vehicles in the Postal Service." https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/electric-vehicles.pdf | |
130 | Electrocution, accidental | 8/7/1881 | George Leonard Smith, intoxicated at the time, grabs onto both generator poles at the Brush Electric Light Plant on Ganson Street, becoming the first human being to be killed by electric shock. | Y | "A young man of this city...". Catholic Union & Times, August 11, 1881, p.5 | |
131 | Electrocution, capital punishment | 1889 | William Kemmler, convicted of murder, dies in the electric chair | Y | Buffalo Courier, May 14, 1889, p.3 | |
132 | Elephant | 1820 | First elephant displayed in Buffalo. | N | Buffalo Evening Times, December 18, 1928, p.8 | |
133 | Elevator | 1878 | Installed in Pierce's Palace Hotel, Porter Avenue near Niagara, which burned down in 1881 | N | Hoolihan, Christopher, Comp. An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform. Rochester, NY: U. of Rochester Press, 2004, p. 179 | |
134 | Equal pay legislation | 1944 | Introduced by Winifred C. Stanley (1909-1996) of Buffalo, elected to Congress in 1942 | Y | "Winifred C. Stanley." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winifred_C._Stanley | |
135 | Erie County Fair | 1820 | Held on the site of what is now Phillips Lytle/One Canalside, previously known as the Donovan office building | N | "Erie County Fair." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_County_Fair | |
136 | Execution | 1813 | Two War of 1812 soldiers executed by firing squad for desertion | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p. 22 | |
137 | Facsimile (fax) | 1901 | Arrived at the U.S. Patent Office exhibit in the U.S. Government building at the Pan-American Exposition, sent by telegraph from "800 miles away." | N | Barnes, Mabel. Peeps at the Pan-American Exposition, v.1, p.141. Buffalo, NY: The author, ca. 1905. "Pictures by telegraph." Cyclopedic Review of Current History, September 1901, p. 442 | |
138 | Ferry across the Niagara River | 1796 | Established in Black Rock at the site of what is now the Peace Bridge, then moved to the foot of Ferry Street | N | Norton, Charles D. The Old Black Rock Ferry. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1879, pp.91-112. www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/Documents/BlackRockFerry/default.asp | |
139 | Filipino child | 6/28/1901 | Born at the Pan-American Exposition in the Philippine Village on the Midway. She was the first born in the US. | Y | Albany Medical News, v. XXII no. 8, August 1901, p. 459 | |
140 | Fire company | 3/7/1817 | Organized by the trustees of the village of Buffalo | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p. 24 | |
141 | Flag day celebrated in Buffalo | 6/14/1891 | Organized by Sara Hinson (1841-1926), the principal at School 31. She is not the founder; Flag Day was reportedly first celebrated in Wisconsin in 1885. | N | "What is Flag Day?" www.history.com/news/95-years-of-flag-day "Sara Hinson." www.forest-lawn.com/blog/2018/06/10/sara-hinson-founder-of-flag-day | |
142 | Food truck | 7/20/2010 | Where's Lloyd opens for business | N | "10. Years. Ago." @Whereslloyd, Twitter, July 20, 2020. | |
143 | Football game played at Memorial Auditorium | 10/16/1937 | Colgate vs. Tulane | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.40 | |
144 | Football game, American Football League | 7/30/1960 | Buffalo Bills vs. Boston Patriots, War Memorial Stadium | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.44 | |
145 | Football game, National Football League | 9/20/1970 | Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos, War Memorial Stadium | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.65 | |
146 | Football team at UB | 1894 | N | UB Firsts. https://library.buffalo.edu/archives/ubhistory/timelines/ub-firsts.html | ||
147 | Football team, professional | 1908 | Buffalo Oakdales | N | Griffith, R. D. To the NFL: You Sure Started Somethin' : a Historical Guide of All 32 NFL Teams and the Cities They've Played In. Pittsburg, PA: Dorrance Publishing Co., 2012, p.45 | |
148 | Ford Motors sales and service dealership | 1932 | Ford Sales and Service Station, Main & Lafayette | Y | "Ford Sales Station Opens Here Tuesday." Buffalo Evening News, October 29, 1932, p. 15. | |
149 | Friends (Quaker) Meeting House | 1808 | East Hamburg (now Orchard Park). | N | "Erie County." Lancaster Times, April 14, `887. | |
150 | Fugitive Slave Act arrest | August 1851 | Daviel Davis, a cook on the steamship Buckeye, was captured and beaten by slavecatcher Benjamin Rust. Davis was freed and went to Canada. Rust was fined and returned to Kentucky. | N | Richardson, Jean. Buffalo's antebellum African American community and the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Afro-Americans in New York Life and History, July 1, 2003 | |
151 | Garbage reduction plant | 1886 | "...the disposal was made by placing the garbage in dryers so as to break down the material and drive off the moisture, after which the solids were placed in extractor tanks and the grease recovered by means of a solvent..." | Y | Historia Sanitaria. The first America garbage reduction plant was built in Buffalo, N. Y. https://www.wiki.sanitarc.si/1886-first-america-garbage-reduction-plant-built-buffalo-n-y/ | |
152 | Gas light company | 1848 | Buffalo Gas Works, on W. Genesee St. | N | Buffalo city directory, 1849, p.32 | |
153 | Gasoline-powered auto made in Buffalo | 1900 | A runabout manufactured by the E.R. Thomas Co. | N | Buffalo Evening News, Nov. 20, 1945, picture page | |
154 | Gay bar | 1930 | Galante's, behind (west of) City Hall | N | www.bar-history.org/ | |
155 | German church | 1/5/1829 | St. Louis Roman Catholic at Main & Edward, also the first Catholic church | N | Riester, Michael A. A Brief History of St. Louis Church. https://stlouisrcchurch.org/about/history/ | |
156 | German elected official | 1837 | Dr. Samuel Dellenbaugh, elected to Common Council | N | Germans of Buffalo. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 2, 1879, p.144 | |
157 | German immigrant | 1809 | Samuel Helm, who worked as a ferryman | N | William G. Pomeroy Foundation www.wgpfoundation.org/historic-markers/samuel-helm/ | |
158 | German organization | 5/10/1841 | The German and English Literary Society, later renamed the German Young Men's Association | N | Germans of Buffalo. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 2, 1879, p.133 | |
159 | German religious service | 1828 | A Protestant mass held above Koons & Handel's grocery store on Main St. | N | Germans of Buffalo. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 2, 1879, p.139 | |
160 | Golf course | 1894 | First golf links were laid out at the Glenny farm on Amherst Street near Colvin. | N | "The first golf links..." Buffalo Courier, November 11, 1894, p. 5. | |
161 | Golf game in public | 07/26/1896 | Played between the Country Club of Buffalo against the Thistle Golf Club of Rochester at the Country Club of Buffalo and was won by Buffalo. | N | "They played golf." Buffalo Evening News, July 27, 1896, p. 13. | |
162 | Grain elevator | 1842 | Invented by Joseph Dart (1799-1879) and Robert Dunbar (1812-1890) | Y | "Dart's Elevator." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dart%27s_Elevator | |
163 | Grain elevator, concrete | 1906 | American Malt & Grain, later known as the Russell-Miller and Peavey elevator. | N | HAER No. NY-249: American Elevator, 1990 www.preservationready.org/uploads/HAER-NY-249-AmericanElevator-ny1677data.pdf | |
164 | Grain shipment arrives in Buffalo harbor | 1836 | Cargo sent from Grand Haven on Lake Michigan. | N | Report of the Federal Trade Commission on the Grain Trade, 1920, volumes 1-4, p. 183. https://books.google.com/books?id=dtBQQBGm38wC&pg=RA1-PA183&dq=Buffalo+grain+trade&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5hfipzL-DAxXyODQIHazYAl84KBDoAXoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=Buffalo%20grain%20trade&f=false | |
165 | Greek immigrants | 1893 | Paraskevas Niarchos, Spyros Niarchos, and Theodore Macheras | N | Historic marker at Main and South Division. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=65920 | |
166 | Greenhouse | 1838 or earlier | In 1838, Benjamin Hodge advertised for a nurseryman whose duties included tending greenhouse plants, which implies the existence of a greenhouse. | N | "Nurseryman Wanted." Genesee Farmer and Gardener's Journal, January 20, 1838, p. 24. | |
167 | Grist mill in Erie County | 1805 | Built by Asa Ransom at Clarence Hollow | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol. 1. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason Co., 1884, p.92 | |
168 | Hamburger mentioned in a Buffalo newspaper | 1893 | Intstructs reader to ask butcher to chop beef into "a Hamburger steak." | N | "How to buy meat." Buffalo Evening News, Sept. 25, 1893 | |
169 | Hardware store | 1818 | Weed & Co., was at 284 Main Street | N | "Pioneer businesses of the Niagara Frontier." Buffalo Business, April 1959, p.15 | |
170 | Haudenosaunee author | 1827 | David Cusick (ca. 1780-1831), a Tuscarora. His history of the six nations was first published in Lewiston | Y | Cusick, David. David Cusick's sketches of ancient history of the Six Nations. Lewiston, NY: Printed for the author, 1827. | |
171 | Haudenosaunee curator | 1903 | Moses Shongo (ca. 1858-1925), a Seneca, was employed by the Buffalo Historical Society (now The Buffalo History Museum) for 12 years. He might be the first Native curator employed by any museum in the US. | Y | "Moses Shongo passes away." Buffalo Times, Sept. 22, 1905, p. 1 Buffalo Historical Society. Reports of the President and Secretasry, submitted at the annual meeting, January 12, 1926, p. 87. | |
172 | Haudenosaunee newspaper | 1841 | The Mental Elevator, a small periodical published in English and Seneca at the Buffalo Creek Reservation, later at the Cattaraugus Reservation | Y | The periodical press of Buffalo. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 19, 1915, p.246-247 | |
173 | Hebrew day school | 9/4/1957 | Hebrew Academy of Buffalo, 85 Saranac Avenue. | N | Buffalo Courier Express, Sept. 7, 1957, p. 9 | |
174 | Helicopter | 1945 | Invented in Cheektowaga by Arthur Young and engineers at Bell Aircraft | Y | Fardink, Paul. “The Gardenville Way: The Birth of the Bell Helicopter." Vertiflite, September/October 2015. https://vtol.org/files/dmfile/GardenvilleCeremonies-Fardink1.pdf | |
175 | High school | 7/13/1829 | The Western Literary and Scientific Academy building still survives at 20 St. Louis Place as apartments | N | "Buffalo's first high school had its own defense program." Buffalo Evening News, April 12, 1941 | |
176 | High school yearbook | 1910 | Oldest surviving is the Verdian, published by Nichols School | N | The Verdian. Buffalo, N.Y: Nichols School. www.worldcat.org/oclc/39127302 | |
177 | Hispanic football player | 1929 | Jess Rodriguez (1901-1983), who played for the Buffalo Bisons. Rodriguez was born in Spain. | N | "Jess Rodriguez." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jess_Rodriguez | |
178 | Hockey game | 1/4/1896 | Played at Olympic Park, presently the site of the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts on E. Ferry St. | N | "Game of Hockey." Buffalo Commercial, Jan. 4, 1896, p.6 | |
179 | Hockey game played at Memorial Auditorium | 10/7/1940 | AHL Buffalo Bisons vs. NHL Montreal Canadiens | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.34 | |
180 | Homeless shelter | 1915 | The Hotel de Gink, which opened by the County of Erie in February 1915 on Lloyd Street at the Hamburg canal, housed unemployed men with no other options. It closed down at some point and was re-opened by the City of Buffalo in 1926. | N | "Buffalo, too has hotel 'de Gink' with own rulers." Buffalo Courier, Feb 14, 1915, p. 77 | |
181 | Homicide | 7/1/1801 | Fatal stabbing of John Hewitt by a Seneca warrior called Stiff Arm George, at John Palmer's tavern, roughly at Main & Exchange | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.23 | |
182 | Hospice | 1973 | Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo was the first in the US. | Y | "About us." www.hospicebuffalo.com/about-us/our-history | |
183 | Hospital | 1848 | Sisters Hospital, Main at Humboldt Parkway | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol. 2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason Co., 1884, p. 550 | |
184 | Ice cream parlor | 1835 | Mrs. Chalk's pastry shop, 377 Main Street | N | "A card: Mrs. Chalk respectfully informs the public...", Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, April 23, 1835, p. 3, column 3. | |
185 | Indian Restaurant | 1935 | Chandu's Restaurant, 761 William Street, opened by Frances Gedraitis in late 1935. At some point in the 1950s, Chandu's started mentioning"dishes of India" along with American food in its advertising. | N | "Business Names." Buffalo Evening News, November 19, 1935, p.30 | |
186 | Irish church | 1837 | St. Mary's of the Lake, operating in rented quarters. Later named Immaculate Conception and located at Elmwood & Edward. | N | Licata, Elizabeth. "Irish in Buffalo: An overview." Buffalo Spree, October 2015. www.buffalospree.com/Buffalo-Spree/October-2015/IrishinBuffalo-An-overview/ | |
187 | Irish elected official | 1821 | Samuel Wilkeson (1781-1848), the leader of the Buffalo harbor project. Elected to the Court of Common Pleas, then served as mayor in 1836. | N | "Samuel Wilkeson." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Wilkeson | |
188 | Irish immigrant | 1815 | Patrick O'Rourke and his family | N | "Irish American in Buffalo: An Overview." www.buffaloah.com/h/irish/index.html | |
189 | Iron manufacturer | 1841 | George Tifft, Son & Co, originally founded as the Buffalo Steam Engine Works. | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.239 | |
190 | Italian Baptist church | 1896 | First Italian Baptist Church, now known as the Edison St. Community Church, the first in the US | Y | "Edison Street Community Church." http://www.edisonscc.net/ | |
191 | Italian church | 1890 | St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic | N | "St. Anthony of Padua plans centennial celebration." Buffalo News, May 26, 1990 | |
192 | Italian immigrant | 1848 | Luigi Chiesa, shopkeeper at Genesee & Elm, later known as Louis Church | N | Cardinale, Anthony. "Ethnic Heritage Enriches Buffalo." Buffalo News, October 12, 1980 | |
193 | Jail | 1810 | On the site of what is now the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library at Lafayette Squre | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.41 | |
194 | Jaywalking arrest | 8/6/1920 | Robert Smith, age 24, of 94 Potomac Avenue, arrested at Main & Swan Street. | N | "Man 'pinched' for jay-walking." Buffalo Times, August 6, 1920, p.1 | |
195 | Jet aircraft | 1941 | The Bell P-59 Airacomet, manufactured at what is now the Tri-Main building, was the first jet-powered aircraft in America | Y | Aviation History Online Museum. "Bell P-59 Airacomet." www.aviation-history.com/bell/xp59.html | |
196 | Jewish congregation | 1847 | Beth El, now known as Temple Beth Tzedek on Forest Rd. in Williamsville | N | Landman, Isaac, and Simon Cohen. The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia ...: A Reading Guide and Index, vol.2. New York: Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, 1944, p.583 | |
197 | Jewish immigrant | 1835 | Lemuel Flersheim, a German teacher | N | Landman, Isaac, and Simon Cohen. The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia ...: A Reading Guide and Index, vol.2. New York: Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, 1944, p.583 | |
198 | Judge | 1804 or later | Samuel Tupper was appointed an associate judge by the governor. | N | "First court case in WNY was held in 1789." Buffalo Courier-Express, December 28, 1959, p. 26. | |
199 | Juneteenth Festival | 1976 | Organized by BUILD. | N | "June Teenth Celebration." Buffalo Criterion, July 6-12, 1976, p.2 | |
200 | Lacrosse league team | 1991 | Buffalo Bandits | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.126 | |
201 | Landmarked building | 01/13/1977 | Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic Church becomes the first legally landmarked building in the city of Buffalo | N | List of City of Buffalo landmarks and historic districts | |
202 | Lawn mowing machine | 1847 | Invented by William Ketchum, the first practical lawnmower in the US | Y | Ketchum, William. Improvement in reaping machines. Letters Patent No. 5,189, dated July 10, 1847; Reissue No. 206. dated October 21, 1851. https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/254602 | |
203 | LGBTQ elected official to serve openly | 1995 | Barbra Kavanaugh, elected to Buffalo Common Council | N | "Out and Elected in the USA: 1974-2004." http://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/out-and-elected/1995/barbra-kavanaugh | |
204 | LGBTQ organization | 6/9/1970 | Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier incorporated | N | NYS Department of State Division of Corporations. www.dos.ny.gov/corps/bus_entity_search.html | |
205 | LGBTQ person to address a national political convention | July 10-13, 1972 | Madeline Davis (1940-2021) of Buffalo was the first openly gay person to address the Democratic national convention in Miami. | Y | Madeline Davis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_Davis | |
206 | LGBTQ protest | 4/7/1970 | Seven activists picket City Hall to protest a raid on the Mattachine Club | N | Iovannone, Jeffry. Gay places with Dr. Jeff: 330 Franklin St. Preservation Buffalo Niagara, [2020]. https://preservationbuffaloniagara.org/blog-post/gay-places-with-dr-jeff-330-franklin-street/ | |
207 | Library | 1816 | The Buffalo Library, founded in the home of Gaius Kibbe. It was succeeded by the Young Men's Association, which, in turn, becamse the Buffalo Public Library. | N | Smith, Henry Perry, ed. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol. 2, p. 530. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884. | |
208 | Lincoln's birthday observance | 2/12/1874 | Took place at St. James Hall on Eagle St., organized by Julius Francis. | Y | Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. 5, p. 407 Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1902 | |
209 | Lithograph made in Buffalo | 1838 | A portrait of actress Ellen Tree Kean (1805-1880), published by Hall & Mooney | N | Buffalo Historical Society. Address of the President and Report of the Director Submitted at the Annual Meeting, 1917. p.77 | |
210 | Lone Ranger radio progran debuts | 10/28/1930 | Written by Fran Striker (1903-1962), originally called "Covered Wagon Days." Eventually became a television program and series of novels. | Y | "Covered Wagon Days will open on Monday." Buffalo Evening News, October 25, 1930, p. 30. | |
211 | Lumberyard | 1817 | Opened by Joseph Lawton | N | Buffalo Gazette, March 25, 1817, p.3 | |
212 | Lutheran church | 1832 | St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, originally on Hickory Street, now at 6540 Main Street in Williamsville | N | Buffalo's first Lutheran church preparing for 100th anniversary." Buffalo Times, Nov. 27, 1932 | |
213 | Macaroni/pasta factory | 1890 | Opened by Louis Onetto (1848-1943) on the Terrace, later on Broadway | N | White, Truman C. Our County and Its People. A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York. Vol. 2. [Boston]: The Boston History Co, 1898., p.117 | |
214 | Mail delivery | 1804 | A law passed establishing a mail route from Canandaigua to Buffalo, with weekly deliveries | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.36 | |
215 | Map depicting Buffalo Creek with that name | ca. 1762 | Made by Lt. George Demler | Y | "Map of Niagara River or Straits Between the Lakes Erie and Ontario." In: O'Callaghan, E.B. Documentary History of the State of New York, vol. 2, p. 458 Albany, NY: Weed & Parsons Co., 1850 | |
216 | Maternity home | 1869 | Ingleside Home, closed ca. 1976 | N | "Ingleside Home: 75th Anniversary : 1869-1944." [Buffalo]: [publisher not identified], 1944. | |
217 | Mayor | 5/28/1832 | Ebenezer Johnson (1786-1849) was elected as the first mayor of Buffalo as an incorporated city | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.135 | |
218 | McDonald's restaurant in NY State | 11/17/1959 | Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst, NY | Y | "Golden arches came to town 60 years ago this week." Amherst Bee, Nov. 13, 2019, p.5 | |
219 | Medical marijuana dispensary | 11/2018 | Opened at 192 Seneca Street. | N | "Medical Marijuana dispensary coming to Buffalo." www.wgrz.com/article/news/health/medical-marijuana-dispensary-coming-to-buffalo/71-609648263 | |
220 | Memorial Day observed | 5/31/1868 | First official observance | N | Buffalo Morning Express, June 1, 1868, p.4 | |
221 | Mental health hospital | 1860 | Providence Lunatic Asylum AKA Providence Retreat, on the grounds of Sisters Hospital | N | Dowdall, George. The Eclipse of the State Mental Hospital: Policy, Stigma, and Organization. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1996, p.54 | |
222 | Mosque, permanent | 1959 | Buffalo Islamic Center, 154 Maple Street. | N | "Islamic Center Buys Building." Buffalo Evening News, April 13, 1959, p. 10 "Moslem Dedication." Buffalo Courier-Express, Sept. 21, 1959, p. 12 | |
223 | Mosque, temporary | 1901 | Temple of Ousi, faithful reproduction of the original in Mecca, part of the Streets of Cairo attraction on the Midway at the Pan-American Exposition. | N | "Holy day overlooked." Buffalo Times, May 25, 1901, p. 7. | |
224 | Motion picture filmed in Buffalo | 1897 | The Edison Mfg. Co. released a series of shorts filmed in Buffalo, each only a few minutes long. Only one, "Buffalo Fire Department," is known to survive. | N | Internet Movie Database www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiO69wlvcm8 | |
225 | Motion picture shown in Buffalo | 6/8/1896 | Shown at Edisonia Parlor AKA Vitascope Hall, in basement of Ellicott Square building, possibly the first space in the world designed and built for the purpose of showing films. | Y | Buffalo Courier, June 8, 1896, p. 11 "Vitascope Hall." http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/20853 | |
226 | Motorcycle, commercially available | 1900 | The Auto-Bi, designed by E.R. Thomas Motor Co. in 1900 and sold on the market beginning in 1901. | Y | "Thomas Auto-Bi." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Auto-Bi | |
227 | Municipal bath house | 1897 | First city in the US to open city-run bath houses for public health and sanitary protections | Y | International Year Book. Dodd, Mead & Co., 1901, p. 18 | |
228 | Music store | 1827 | James D. Sheppard opened a music store that eventually became Denton, Cottier & Daniels | N | Severance, Frank Hayward. The Picture Book of Earlier Buffalo. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Sociey, 1912, p.409 | |
229 | Musical band | 1824 | A group of Buffalo villagers formed an unnamed band for social and public occasions | N | Swift, Bruce. "Buffalo's First Band of Music." Niagara Frontier, vol. 3, no. 1, Spring 1956, pp. 14-17. | |
230 | Musical organization | 3/29/1820 | Musica Sacra, a choral society | N | Musica Sacra. Constitution of the Musica Sacra Society of Buffalo, Organized March 29, 1820. 1820. | |
231 | Musicians | 1836 | Robert Baron, Thomas Cook, and Henry Varian are listed in the 1836 Buffalo city directory as musicians. No one earning a living as a musician was listed in the two directories prior to 1826, which were 1828 and 1832. | N | 1836 Buffalo City directory. https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/VHB011/id/8679/rec/2 | |
232 | Muslim chaplain in the US military | 1993 | Army Captain Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad of Buffalo | Y | "About Masjid Nu'Man. www.masjidnuman.org/about | |
233 | Muslim congregation(s) or organization | 1924/06/24 | Satti Majid (1883-1963), from Sudan, founds Buffalo Moslem Welfare Society in 1924. | N | "Sheik from the plains of Araby plans Mohammedan temple here." Buffalo Times, October 12, 1924, p. 5 "Descendent of the great Prophet Mohammed labors here for his countrymen." Buffalo Courier-Express, Sept. 7, 1924, p. 48 "Satti Majid." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satti_Majid | |
234 | Muslim-owned business | 1964 | Afro-Asian Bookstore, 1412 Jefferson Avenue, owned by Martin Sostre | N | Worthy, William. "Anguish of Martin Sostre." Ebony, October 1970 | |
235 | Nation of Islam congregation | 1954 | "The first meeting incorporating the teachings of Master W. D. Fard by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad took place in Lackawanna, N.Y. at the McQuiller Family House, located at 98 B Albright Court." | N | About Masjin Nu'Man. www.masjidnuman.org/about | |
236 | Native American Commissioner of Indian Affairs | 1869 | Ely S. Parker (1828-1895), a Seneca indian born on the Tonawanda reservation | Y | "Ely S. Parker." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_S._Parker | |
237 | Native American playwright | 1892 | Gowongo (Carrie) Mohawk (1860-1924) was born on the Cattaraugus Territory and wrote Wep-Ton-No-Mah: The Indian Mail Carrier in 1892. She had a career in vaudeville and may also be the first professional Native American actress. | Y | "Gowongo Mohawk." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowongo_Mohawk | |
238 | Native American to play a lead role in a feature film | 1913 | Jesse Cornplanter (1889-1957) was born on the Cattaraugus Territory and starred in Hiawatha, produced by Frank E. Moore. It was the first film to have a Native cast. | Y | "Jesse Cornplanter." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Cornplanter | |
239 | Newspaper | 10/3/1811 | The Buffalo Gazette, founded by S.H and H.A. Salisbury. It was published once a week. | N | Birth of Journalism in Buffalo. Buffalo History Musem blog, 2014. https://buffalohistorymuseum.com/2015/10/03/the-birth-of-journalism-in-buffalo/ | |
240 | Newspaper, daily | 1834 | Daily Star was Buffalo's first daily newspaper. First issue was published November 10, 1834. All earlier Buffalo newspapers were published once or maybe twice a week. | N | Severance, Frank "The Periodical Press of Buffalo," p. 267 Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, vol. XIX, 1915 | |
241 | Novel published in Buffalo & set in Buffalo | 1847 | Beardsley, Charles Victims of Tyranny Buffalo, NY: D. June, 1847 Set on the Niagara Frontier during the War of 1812, focusing on corruption in the colonial government in Canada. The author was a Canadian novelist who may not have been able to find a Canadian publisher willing to handle a work that was critical of Canadian government. | N | Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803115643453;jsessionid=8588100E294B9EE6F25BD8AE5671B680 | |
242 | Obstetrics training in a medical school | 1850 | University of Buffalo | Y | Thoms, Herbert. "James Platt White and Demonstrative Midwifery." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, August 1934, p.287 | |
243 | Odd Fellows lodge | 11/6/1839 | Niagara Lodge No. 25 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the first chapter in Western New York. | N | HS1043 .N7 C33 1919 Centennial, 1819-1919 : Independent Order Odd Fellows : Elmwood Music Hall, April twentieth, Buffalo. [Buffalo? : s.n., 1919] | |
244 | Oil refinery | 1873 | Empire Oil Works, operated by Joseph D. Dudley | N | The Conservationist, March-April 1980, p.17 | |
245 | One-way street | 1914 | Lafayette Square. Eastbound traffic was limited to the north of the plaza and westbound to the south. | N | "Lafayette Square: New Rules for Traffic There." Buffalo Commercial, July 29, 1914, p. 9 | |
246 | Opera prima donna | 1875 | Dr. Elizabeth Cronyn (1852-1921?), trained at D'Youville University and later taught there. | N | The American Catholic Who's Who, p. 30 St. Louis, MO: B. Herder, 1911 | |
247 | Operation Santa | 1898 | Originally begun at the Buffalo Times as a campaign to print childrens' letters to Santa Claus; became a national movement to recruit volunteers answer them in 1909. | Y | Ricca, Brad. "How a scrappy Buffalo newspaper saved Christmas and sparked a movement." Washington Post, December 25, 2023 | |
248 | Orphanage | 4/24/1837 | Buffalo Orphan Asylum, which was nondenominational | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.552 | |
249 | Painter, professional | 1821 | John Lee Douglas Mathies (1780-1834) | N | Krane, Susan. The Wayward Muse: A Historical Survey of Painting in Buffalo. Buffalo, NY: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1987, p. 23 | |
250 | Palm room | 1887 | Hotel palm rooms or palm courts, greenhouse spaces filled with palm trees, were pioneered by George H. Lewis, proprietor of the Niagara Hotel on Porter Avenue. Later became a staple of hotel design all over the country. | Y | Lewisiana: A Monthly Inter-Family Paper, October 1903, p. 63 | |
251 | Parachute jump | 9/8/1888 | From a hot air balloon launched at the International Industrial Fair | N | "Notes of the Fair." Buffalo Evening News, September 8, 1888, p.17 | |
252 | Parachute production | 1919 | At Irving Air Chute | Y | "The Irvin Air Chute: Life Preserver of the Air." wnyhistory.com/portfolios/businessindustry/irving_air_chutes/irving_air_chutes.htm | |
253 | Park system | 1868 | Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, originally consisting of Delaware Park, Front Park, and the Parade (now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park), connected by parkways | Y | "Buffalo, New York parks system." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo,_New_York_parks_system | |
254 | Patent issued to a Buffalo man | 1827 | Granted to David Beard for a washing machine, patent No. 4803X. In 1836, a disastrous fire in the US Patent Office destroyed all patents issued from 1790 to 1836. Only a few thousand of those lost patents have been recovered from other sources. This is one of them. | N | Directory of American Tool and Machinery Patents. www.datamp.org//patents/advance.php?pn=4803X&id=33027&set=180 | |
255 | Patent issued to a Buffalo woman | 1862 | Mary P. Carpenter was the first woman in Buffalo to be granted a patent. It was for an Improved Ironing or Fluting Machine, No. 35138 | N | Mary P. Carpenter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_P._Carpenter | |
256 | Peace Bridge automobile crossing | 3/13/1927 | Edward Lupfer, chief engineer, was the first to drive across the bridge when it was completed | N | "Peace Bridge." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Bridge | |
257 | Peace Bridge pedestrian crossing | 1926 or 1927 | William Eckhert reportedly crossed in 1926 but the newspaper does not give the exact date. Dorothy L. Gantzer of Black Rock was reportedly the first through the pedestrian turnstile, accompanied by Ernest J. Friend. | N | "First to cross on Peace Bridge." Buffalo Times, October 30, 1926, p.10. "Miss Gantzer first." International Gazette, October 29, 1927, p.1 | |
258 | Pharmacy & pharmacist | 1804 | Established by Louis Stephen LeCouteulx (d. 1839) on Exchange St. | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.36 | |
259 | Photograph, outdoor | 3/10/1850 | The ruins of the American Hotel after a fire, Main St. near Eagle | N | Severance, Frank H. The Picture Book of Earlier Buffalo. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1912, pp.70,165 | |
260 | Photographer | 1840 | Dr. Elliott Burwell opened a Daguerrian studio at 268 Main St. The first Buffalo photographs were portraits. | N | Craig, John S. Craig's Daguerreian Registry. Torrington, Conn: J.S. Craig, 1994, p. 86 | |
261 | Physician | 1803 | Dr. Cyrenius Chapin (1769-1838) lived on Swan St. and served patients for miles around by traveling on horseback | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol. 2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.29 | |
262 | Piano | 1811? | Judge Ebenezer Walden (1777–1857) is credited as having the first piano in Buffalo. | N | Letchworth, William Pryor. Sketch of the Life of Samuel F. Pratt. Buffalo, NY: Warren, Johnson & Co., 1874, p. 61 | |
263 | Picture of Buffalo | 1811 | Color lithograph titled View of the Lake and Fort Erie from Buffalo Creek, drawn by E. Walsh of the 49th British Regiment, published in London | N | Severance, Frank H. The Picture Book of Earlier Buffalo. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1912, p.5 | |
264 | Pizzeria | 1928 | Earliest documented restaurant to serve pizza was Dante's Tavern, 1029 Niagara Street, owned by Victor R. Mistretta. | N | "Dante Tavern Ready." Buffalo Courier Express, Feb 06, 1928, p.5 | |
265 | Playground | 6/29/1900 | Public playground established at Public School #31 on Emslie St.. | N | Buffalo Courier, June 29, 1900, p. 8 | |
266 | Poet Laureate | 3/?/2021 | Jillian Hanesworth named Buffalo's first Poet Laureate | N | "With ‘fire in the bones,’ Buffalo’s first poet laureate lights the way." www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo/jillian-hanesworth-poet-fire-buffalo-first-poet-laureate-lights-the-way/ | |
267 | Polish church, Baptist | 1894 | Church of Our Savior, founded in the basement of Reid Memorial Chapel on William St, presently in Cheektowaga. The first in the US. | Y | "Church of Our Savior Polish Baptist Church." http://poloniatrail.com/location/church-of-our-savior-polish-baptist-church/ | |
268 | Polish church, Catholic | 1873 | St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic | N | "The history: St. Stanislaus B&M Church." http://ststansbuffalo.com/about/about-us/parish-history/95.html | |
269 | Polish elected official | 1891 | James Rozan, Erie County Board of Supervisors | N | Taylor, Steven J. L. Desegregation in Boston and Buffalo: The Influence of Local Leaders. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1998, p.30 | |
270 | Polish graduate of UB Medical School | 1897 | Dr. Frances Fronczak (1874-1955) | N | Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York: Biographical and Genealogical, vol. 2. New York: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1906, p.71 | |
271 | Polish newspaper | 1885 | Ojczyzna (Fatherland) begins publishing once a week, changed its name to Polak w Ameryce (Pole in America) in 1887. | N | BX4603 .B852 S263 1973, p. 11 Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church One hundred years of grace, 1873-1973 : commemorating St. Stanislaus B. and M. Parish, Buffalo, New York, centennial [Buffalo] : St. Stanislaus, [1973] | |
272 | Polo teams & games | 1877 | Country Club of Buffalo hosted the first polo games in America. The Buffalo Polo Club was founded at the Buffalo Club. | Y | A memoir: John George Milburn, Jr. Privately printed, 1938 Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.547 | |
273 | Pomology conference | 9/1848 | The first fruit growers' convention in the US was held in Buffalo | Y | "Pomological convention, at Buffalo." Magazine of Horticulture, Botany and All Useful Discoveries and Improvements, December 1848, pp. 535-542. | |
274 | Postage stamp honoring a Buffalonian | 1996 | Harold Arlen | N | "Famed Buffalo composer gets postal service's stamp of approval." Buffalo News, September 10, 1996 | |
275 | Preservation district | 3/22/1977 | The Delaware District becomes the first locally designated landmark district in the city of Buffalo | N | List of City of Buffalo landmarks and historic districts | |
276 | Presidential visit | 8/9/1817 | James Monroe, who gave a speech at Landon's Hotel | N | Buffalo Gazette, August 12, 1817 | |
277 | Private social club | 1/1/1867 | The Buffalo Club, founded by Millard Fillmore and others. Still on Delaware Avenue. | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.546 | |
278 | Prostitution conviction | 1816 | Mary Rathbone sentenced to 12 months for "seducing young girls" and operating a "disorderly house." | N | "Monthly sessions." Buffalo Gazette, March 12, 1816, p. 3 | |
279 | Public bath house | 1897 | First free public bath house in the U.S. | Y | Buffalo Evening News, March 1, 1956, section 47, p. 1. | |
280 | Public market | 1821 | Probably the Mohawk Street market at the junction of Mohawk, Pearl and Genesee streets, demolished 1882 | N | Waring, George E., Jr., comp. Census Reports Tenth Census. June 1, 1880: Social statistics of cities, Part one. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1886, p.498 | |
281 | Public park | 1804 | Niagara Square, laid out by Joseph Ellicott as part of Buffalo's radial street plan. | N | Walkowski, Jennifer. Early History of Buffalo. https://buffaloah.com/h/jw/bflo.html | |
282 | Public performance/ entertainment | 9/1/1820 | A ventriloquist named Mr. Charles performed in the courthouse | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.542 | |
283 | Puerto Rican festival | 1969 | Grease Pole festival, organized by the Pucho Olivencia Community Center | N | "50th anniversary annual grease pole festival." Panoramo Hispano, July 2019. https://panoramahispanonews.com/50th-anniversary-annual-grease-pole-festival/ | |
284 | Puerto Rican immigrant | 1901 | Julio de Castro (1854-1923), manager of Foster-McClellan Co. | N | Report of the President and Secretary, January 8, 1924, p. 67 Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Historical Society, 1924. "Buffalo Latino History." https://considerthesourceny.org/using-primary-sources/legacies/latino-legacies/buffalo-latino-legacy/buffalo-latino-history | |
285 | Puerto Rican police officer | 1971 | Paul Russi | N | "New York's Finest." Hispanic Executive, June 16, 2013. https://hispanicexecutive.com/acacia-network/ | |
286 | Puerto Rican social worker | 1979 | Carmen Del Valle (1949-1995) | N | Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Indiana University Press, 2006, pp. 202-203 | |
287 | Pulitzer prize winner | 1958 | Editorial cartoonist Bruce Shanks of the Buffalo Evening News for "The Thinker," published on August 10, 1957, depicting the dilemma of union membership when confronted by racketeering leaders in some labor unions. | N | "Editorial cartooning." www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/215 | |
288 | Quaker meeting house | 1807 | Orchard Park, then known as East Hamburgh, NY. | N | Fess, Margret. "Founded by Quakers, Orchard Park Has Distinct Air." Buffalo Courier-Express, Nov. 11, 1960 www.gojp.com/genealogy/documents/willardjolls.html | |
289 | Quaker missionaries | 1798 | Came from Philadelphia to Buffalo Creek to negotiate the boundaries of the Seneca reservations in Western NY | N | Swatzler, David. A Friend Among the Senecas: The Quaker Mission to Cornplanter's People. Stackpole Books, 2000, p. 18 | |
290 | Radio broadcast | 4/16/1922 | Station WWT | N | "Radio telephony." Buffalo Evening News, April 10, 1922, p. 6 | |
291 | Railroad | 5/16/1834 | Buffalo & Black Rock Railroad | N | Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission, July 1929, vol. 27, p. 618 "1st Train Here -- One Horsepower." Buffalo Evening News, May 14, 1964 | |
292 | Regional Planning Agency | 1925 | The Niagara Frontier Planning Board, created by an act of the New York State Legislature, was the first regional planing agency in the US. | Y | United States. Congress. House. Committee on Rivers and Harbors. Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin Hearings, Part 1, June 17 to July 9, 1941, p. 467. | |
293 | Reinforced concrete structure | 1897 | The Graystone Hotel, now known as the Berkeley Apartments, 24 Johnson Park. Designed by Carlton Strong, a Buffalo architect. The first in the US. | Y | History of Pittsburgh and Environs. New York: American Historical Society, Inc., 1922, p. 280 | |
294 | Religious congregation in Buffalo | 2/2/1812 | First Presbyterian Church, now on Symphony Circle | N | "When Buffalo installed first minister." Buffalo Evening News, May 3, 1946 | |
295 | Religious congregation in Erie County | 1807 | Clarence United Methodist Episcopal Church, now at 10204 Greiner Rd. | N | "Church rite marks 200th anniversary." https://buffalonews.com/2007/04/23/church-rite-marks-200th-anniversary/ | |
296 | Religious service | 1/11/1801 | Sermon preached by Rev. Elkanah Holmes | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.23 | |
297 | Road into Buffalo | 1798 | Constructed by Joseph Ellicott prior to starting the survey of the Holland land purchase. Ran from Transit Rd. to the Buffalo Creek and was wide enough for wagon use. | N | Hill, Henry Wayland. Municipality of Buffalo, New York: A History, 1720-1923, Vol. 1. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1923, p.82 | |
298 | Robot butler | 3/2017 | The Westin Hotel in Buffalo was the first in NY State to implement a Relay robot to deliver items to guest rooms. | N | "First robot butler in a New York state hotel has unique focus on bringing wellness amenities to guests of The Westin Buffalo." www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4081915.html | |
299 | Rolltop desk | 1882 | First patented in the US by Abner Cutler and manufactured by Cutler Desk Company of Buffalo, though it was being manufactured before anyone applied for patents. | Y | "Collector questions: Cutler Roll-top desk." www.kovels.com/collectors-questions/cutler-roll-top-desk.html | |
300 | Saint Patrick's Day observance | 3/17/1839 | In the home of Mary Lynch O'Rourke, 123 Main Street | N | MacManus, John. Mary Lynch O'Rourke: The Simple Story of an Eighteenth Century Gentlewoman ; Lovingly Inscribed to Her Great-Great-Grandson, John Ridd MacManus. Buffalo, NY: The author, 1903, p. 21 | |
301 | Saint Patrick's Day parade | 3/17/1849 | Organized by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and the Sons of Erin, with a procession to St. Patrick's Church | N | "St. Patrick's Festival." Buffalo Daily Republic, March 20, 1849, p.2 | |
302 | Same-sex wedding, legally recognized, in NY State | 7/24/2011 | Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd of Buffalo becamse the first same-sex couple to legally wed in NY state | Y | "As the clock strikes midnight, same sex couple says I Do at the Falls." Niagara Gazette, July 24, 2011. www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/as-clock-strikes-midnight-same-sex-couple-says-i-do-in-the-falls/article_5db18b14-c1b8-55b0-9870-f384f8ac466b.html | |
303 | Sawmill | 1799 | Operated by William Johnston on Scajaquada Creek. | N | Hill, Henry Wayland. Municipality of Buffalo, New York: A History, 1720-1923, Vol. 1. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1923, p.83 | |
304 | Schoolhouse | 1807-1808 | Pearl & Swan Street, presently the site of the Dun Building | N | Lindberg, Olga. "How Buffalo raised $157.37 for First Schoolhouse." Buffalo Evening News Magazine, May 7, 1960 | |
305 | Sculptor | 1846 | J. Sangster [possibly James Sangster] of Buffalo, age 14, exhibited a wood sculpture at the New York State Fair. | N | "J. Sangster, boy of 14..." Buffalo Commercial, Sept. 26, 1846, p. 3, bottom left corner. | |
306 | Seneca Constitution | 1833 | The first Constitution of the Seneca Nation was written at the Buffalo Creek Reservation. | N | Bilharz, Joy. The Allegany Senecas and Kinzua Dam: Forced Relocation Through Two Generations. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1998, p. 16. | |
307 | Settler in Alden | 1810 | Moses Fenno | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
308 | Settler in Amherst | 1801 | John Thompson | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
309 | Settler in Aurora | 1804 | Jabez Warren, Taber Earle, Henry Godfrey | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
310 | Settler in Boston | 1804 | Charles Johnson | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
311 | Settler in Brant | 1810 | Moses Tucker | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
312 | Settler in Cheektowaga | 1808 | Apollus Hitchcock | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
313 | Settler in Clarence | 1799 | Asa Ransom | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
314 | Settler in Colden | 1810 | Richard Buffom | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
315 | Settler in Collins | 1807 | Jacob Taylor and members of the Quaker Mission | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
316 | Settler in Concord | 1807 | Christopher Stone, John Albro | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
317 | Settler in East Hamburg (now Orchard Park) | 1804 | Ezekiel Smith, David Eddy, and others | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
318 | Settler in Eden | 1808 | Benjamin Joseph, Samuel Tubbs | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
319 | Settler in Elma | 1827 | Taber Earle | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
320 | Settler in Evans | 1804 | Joel Harvey | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
321 | Settler in Hamburg | 1803 | Dydimus Kinney | N | Briggs, Erasmus. "History of the original town of Concord." Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
322 | Settler in Holland | 1807 | Arthur Humphrey, Abner Cumer | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
323 | Settler in Lancaster | 1804 | James and Amos Woodward | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
324 | Settler in Marilla | 1829 | Jerry and Joseph Carpenter | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
325 | Settler in Newstead | 1802 | Peter Vandeventer | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
326 | Settler in North Collins | 1810 | Stephen Sisson, Abram Tucker, Enos Southwick | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
327 | Settler in Sardinia | 1809 | George Richmond, Ezra Nott | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
328 | Settler in Tonawanda | 1805 | Alexander Logan, John King, John Hershey | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
329 | Settler in Wales | 1806 | Oliver Pattengil, William Allen | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
330 | Settler in West Seneca | 1826 | Reuben Sackett | N | Briggs, Erasmus. History of the original town of Concord. Rochester, N.Y: Union and Advertiser Co.'s Print., 1883, p. 104 | |
331 | Settlers in Buffalo | ca. 1792 | Joseph "Black Joe" Hodges, Cornelius Winney | N | Hill, Henry Wayland. Municipality of Buffalo, New York: A History, 1720-1923, Vol. 1. New York: Lewis Historical pub. Co., 1923, p. 75 | |
332 | Shopping mall, enclosed | 1962 | Boulevard Mall | N | "Mall Hall of Fame." http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2007/07/boulevard-mall-niagara-falls-boulevard.html | |
333 | Shopping plaza | October 1941 | University Plaza, 3536 Main at Kenmore Avenue, originally called University Village shopping center | N | "University Village Will Open Oct. 23." Buffalo Evenings News, October 18, 1941, p. 7 | |
334 | Sidewalk, paved | 1829 | Main Street from Exchange to Swan, paved with brick or flagstones. | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities: comprising sketches of early Buffalo and the Great Lakes, also sketches of Alaska. Buffalo, NY: The Courier Company, 1898, p. 25 | |
335 | Skin graft | 1854 | First successfully achieved by Dr. Frank H. Hamilton (1813–1886) at Sisters Hospital | Y | Dunkle, Colin. "Ten Things That Came from Buffalo: Skin Grafts." BuffaloRising.com, July 16, 2020. https://www.buffalorising.com/2020/07/ten-things-that-came-from-buffalo-skin-grafts/ | |
336 | Skyscraper, steel-framed | 1896 | Guaranty building designed by Louis Sullivan | N | "History: The Guaranty Building." Buffalo Architecture & History. https://buffaloah.com/a/church/28/02ext/ | |
337 | Soccer team, professional, indoor | 1979 | Buffalo Stallions | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.61 | |
338 | Social Register | 1901 | First Buffalo edition published by Mary Lovering | N | Buffalo Evening News Magazine, January 16, 1954, p.5 | |
339 | Sound movie shown in Buffalo | 1/29/1928 | The Jazz Singer | N | Buffalo Evening News, Jan. 28, 1928, p.7 | |
340 | Soy-based ice cream | 1951 | Robert E. "Bob" Rich, Sr., founder of Rich Products, invents and markets Chil-Zert, the world's first commercial soy-based ice cream/frozen dessert. | Y | Shurtleff, William and Akiko Aoyagi. History of Rich Products' Work with Soy Proteins, 2004. www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/rich_products.php | |
341 | Speed limit law | 7/26/1820 | No driving faster than a trot within village of Buffalo limits | N | Clinton, George W. A sketch of the early history of Buffalo, 1847. Reprinted in 1862 Buffalo city directory | |
342 | Speeding ticket | 6/7/1901 | Fred Jones was the first known automobile driver in Buffalo to get fined for speeding. | N | Buffalo Review, June 8, 1901, p.7 | |
343 | Sponge candy mentioned in a Buffalo newspaper | 1903 | Brief instructions for making sponge molasses candy. | N | "Sponge molasses candy." Buffalo Evening News, August 5, 1903, p.3 | |
344 | Sports team, professional | 1877 | Buffalo Bisons baseball club | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.17 | |
345 | Steam-powered boat on the Erie Canal | 8/6/1858 | The Sternberg takes maiden journey from Rochester to Buffalo. It was designed and built in Buffalo. | Y | "Steam on the Erie Canal." Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review, vol. 39, 1858, p.377 | |
346 | Steamboat on Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan | 5/28/1818 | Walk-in-the-water, built in Black Rock. Destroyed in a storm in November 1821. | Y | "Walk-in-the-Water (steamboat)" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk-in-the-Water_(steamboat) | |
347 | Steel frame structure | 1895 | D. S. Morgan building, Niagara & Pearl, since demolished | N | Buffalo Courier-Express, January 18, 1957, p.1 | |
348 | Street paved with asphalt | 1878 | Delaware Avenue, Virginia to North | N | "Street paving in Buffalo." City Government, September 1896, p. 50. Back cover of City of Buffalo: Its History and Institutions..., Buffalo, NY: Mathews-Northrup, 1888 | |
349 | Street paved with stones | 1835 | East Seneca Street, which was completed just days ahead of Main Street from the foot to Exchange (then called Crow St.). | N | "Seneca Street Paving." Daily Commercial Advertiser, August 27, 1835, p. 4 | |
350 | Superintendent of schools | 1838 | Buffalo was the first city to appoint a school superintendent | Y | Examination of public school system of the City of Buffalo. Albany, NY: University of the State of New York, 1916, p. 28 | |
351 | Syrian Church | 1904 | Dedication of St. John Maron on Seneca Street | N | "The Syrian Church of St. John Maron." Buffalo Courier, June 12, 1904, p. 4 | |
352 | Syrian grammar school graduate | 1910 | Unnaned Syrian boy graduates from School #35 on Swan Street. | N | "School #35." Buffalo Enquirer, June 27, 1910, p. 3 | |
353 | Tavern | 1798 | Kept by John Palmer at what is now the vicinity of Main & Exchange St. | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason, 1884, p.19. | |
354 | Taxes | 1816 | Assessed and collected in the village of Buffalo | N | Atkins, Barton. Modern antiquities. Buffalo, NY: Courier Co., 1898, p.23 "First court case in WNY was held in 1789." Buffalo Courier-Express, December 28, 1959, p. 26. | |
355 | Taxicabs | 1900 | Automobile cab service incorporated, using electric vehicles | N | "Automobile cabs." Buffalo Express, Jan. 22, 1900 | |
356 | Telegram | 7/3/1846 | The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser reports receipt of the first telegram, from Albany, NY | N | Severance, Frank. The Periodical Press of Buffalo. Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, Volume 19, 1915, p. 186. | |
357 | Telephone company | 2/1/1879 | "Telephonic exchange" installed at Williams block, northeast corner of Main & Eagle. | N | "First users of telephone feted at jubilee." Buffalo Evening News, Feb. 3, 1926. | |
358 | Telephone directory | 1880 | Bell Telephone Directory of Buffalo Telephone Directory Buffalo, NY: The Company, 1880 | N | WorldCat. https://worldcat.org/en/title/23588210 | |
359 | Telephone, commercial customer | 4/9/1879 | Installed at Charles W. Miller's livery at 202 Pearl St. | N | "First Telephone: Bell Thrilled Buffalo 65 Years Ago." Buffalo Evening News, Feb. 26, 1944 | |
360 | Telephone, long distance operator | 1895 | Mrs. Lenoir Rogers Pascall | N | "She made local telephone history." Buffalo Courier-Express, Feb. 25, 1962 | |
361 | Telephone, residential customer | 1879 | George D. Barr, 82 Prospect Avenue | N | "Early subscribers paid $20 a year for telephone." Undated clipping in Ready Reference files, "Buffalo - Firsts," Research Library, TBHM | |
362 | Television broadcast | 2/13/1948 | By WBEN-TV | N | Buffalo Broadcasters Association. "Buffalo Television." www.buffalobroadcasters.com/archives-history/buffalo-television/ Buffalo Evening News, February 14, 1948, section 3, p. 6 | |
363 | Television broadcast of a live performer | 9/22/1928 | Actress Peggy O'Neil (1898-1960) of Buffalo, was the first performer to be broadcast on live TV, in London, England at the National Radio Exhibition. | Y | Tiltman, R.F. "The entertainment value of television to-day!" Television, November 1928, p. 13. https://search.worldcat.org/title/1411107257 | |
364 | Television show set in Buffalo | 1983 | Buffalo Bill, a sitcom set in a daytime talk show at the fictional WBFL-TV station in Buffalo | N | Internet Movie Database. "Buffalo Bill." www.imdb.com/title/tt0084992/?ref_=nv_sr_5?ref_=nv_sr_5 | |
365 | Tennis court | 1883 | Falconwood Club, Grand Island. Courts were installed at the new clubhouse after the original clubhouse was destroyed by fire. | N | "Falconwood: Description of the splendid club-house in the course of erection on Grand Island." Buffalo Commercial, April 28, 1883, p.3. | |
366 | Theater | 1822 | The Buffalo Theatre, a short-lived venue near Main & Eagle | N | Smith, H. Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, vol.2. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason 1884, p.542 | |
367 | Town established in Erie County | 3/11/1808 | Clarence, NY | N | "About our town." www2.erie.gov/clarence/index.php?q=about-our-town | |
368 | Traffic signals | 1919 | Prior to the installation of automated signals, traffic was managed by patrolmen using hand and arm gestures. | N | "Today's question: What do you think of the new traffic signal system?" Buffalo Commercial, July 22, 1919, p. 9 | |
369 | Transgender person to live openly | 1978 | Peggie Ames (1921-2000) of Clarence Center | N | Leiker, Louise. “A Transsexual’s Anguish: Alone, Assaulted and Harassed.” Buffalo Courier-Express, May 14, 1978. Iovannone, Jeffry. Gay places with Dr. Jeff: 9500 Clarence Center Rd. Preservation Buffalo Niagara, [2020]. https://preservationbuffaloniagara.org/blog-post/gay-places-with-dr-jeff-9500-clarence-center-road/ | |
370 | Tuberculosis hospital | 1894 | Erie County Hospital, on the grounds of what is now the south campus of the University at Buffalo, was the first TB hospital in America | Y | "The first consumptive hospital in this country." Trained Nurse and Hospital Review, August 1895, p.101 | |
371 | Turkey Trot | 1896 | Oldest continually held footrace in the US, organized by the YMCA | Y | "Buffalo Turkey Trot." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Turkey_Trot | |
372 | Undertaker | 1816 | Thomas F. Crowley Co., later known as the Gethoefer Funeral Home in North Tonawanda | N | "Pioneer businesses of the Niagara Frontier." Buffalo Business, April 1959, p.15 | |
373 | Uniformed militia | 1838 | Buffalo City Guards, later known as the 37th NY State Artillery | N | Buffalo city directory, 1844, p.37 | |
374 | Unionized NFL cheerleaders | 1995 | The Buffalo Jills became the first cheerleading squad in the NFL to unionize. | Y | "Buffalo Jills" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Jills | |
375 | Unionized Starbucks | 12/9/2021 | Employees of the Elmwood Avenue Starbucks cafe voted to join a union, becoming the first unionized Starbucks in the US | Y | Thorbecke, Catherine "Starbucks cafe in Buffalo votes to form coffee chain's 1st union in US." ABC News, December 9, 2021 https://abcnews.go.com/Business/nlrb-set-count-votes-starbucks-union-election-buffalo/story?id=81649388 | |
376 | Veterans Court | 2008 | The Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court was the first in the US. | Y | Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court | |
377 | Voting machine | 11/7/1899 | Invented by Jacob H. Myers, first used in Lockport | Y | Beach, Frederick Converse. The Encyclopedia Americana: A universal reference library ..., vol. 16. New York: Scientific American Compiling Dept., 1904 | |
378 | Wax Lips | Unknown | Wax lips, a candy store staple, were invented by John W. Glenn and first produced at his J.W. Glenn company on Carroll St. It was later acquired by W&F Manufacturing Co., which also made Gurley and Tavern candles. We are still searching for the date when wax lips first went on the market. Our current guess is that it was between 1930 and 1950. | Y | "Oleaginous History of Wax Lips." American Oil & Gas Historical Society, Dec. 1, 2006. https://aoghs.org/products/an-oleaginous-history-of-wax-lips/ | |
379 | WBFO broadcast | 1959 | Founded by a group of UB students and faculty. | N | UB Firsts. https://library.buffalo.edu/archives/ubhistory/timelines/ub-firsts.html | |
380 | Webhosting company | 2/23/1993 | After Five Technology | N | GerlandLLC.com | |
381 | Will in Erie County | 1808 | Filed by Abner Granger (1735-1817) at Erie County Surrogates Court | N | Liberty Bank. Liberty Trust News, July 1932 | |
382 | Woman appointed to a mayor's cabinet | 1956 | Lucy A. Curley, who served as City of Buffalo treasurer | N | "Lucy Alford Curley, 86, pioneer in city government, politics, dies." Buffalo News, March 7, 1997, p.C-6 | |
383 | Woman architect | 1881 | Louise Bethune (1856-1913), designed the Lafayette Hotel | Y | "Louise Blanchard Bethune." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Blanchard_Bethune | |
384 | Woman assistant coach, full-time, in the NFL | 2016 | Kathryn Smith for the Buffalo Bills | Y | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.72 | |
385 | Woman author | 1834 | Mary Applebee (b. 1789) was shipwrecked on Lake Erie and wrote an account of clinging to the wreckage for 5 days | N | Applebee, Mary. A narrative of the wreck of the schooner New Connecticut on Lake Erie, Sept. 4, 1833... Buffalo, NY: H.A. Salisbury, 1834 | |
386 | Woman chemist | 1890 | Anne Elizabeth White Carpenter (1868-1964), worked at Schoellkopf Aniline and the New York Car Wheel Works. | Y | Naples, Sasha C. "The Woman Behind the Wheel." Western New York Heritage, v. 24, no. 2, Summer 2022, pp.6-15. | |
387 | Woman commissioned officer in the Marine Corps | 1943 | Captain, then Major Anne Adams Lentz of Buffalo, who was one of 3 women promoted in the women's reserve. | Y | "Capt. Anne Lentz promoted." Buffalo Evening News, Feb. 10, 1944, p. 21. "A century of solidarity." www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/1601358/a-century-of-solidarity-celebrating-100-years-of-women-serving-in-the-marine-co/ | |
388 | Woman conductor of a major American orchestra | 1998 | Joann Falletta of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra | Y | "Joann Falletta." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JoAnn_Falletta | |
389 | Woman curator | 1873 | Mary L. Wilson (1839-?), curator of botany for the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, known today as the Buffalo Museum of Science. Likely the first woman curator of botany in the US. | Y | Battaglia, James. "A biographical profile of Mary L. Wilson." Clintonia: The Magazine of the Niagara Frontier Botanical Society, vol. 37, #2, May 2022, pp. 3-5. | |
390 | Woman cyclist | 1869 | Mrs. Frank Goodwin, who mastered the velocipede | N | "The velocipede school -- fun this evening." Buffalo Courier, March 3, 1869, p.2 | |
391 | Woman detective novelist | 1878 | Anna Katharine Green (1846-1935) | Y | "Anna Katharine Green." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Katharine_Green | |
392 | Woman director of a major art museum | 1910 | Cornelia Bentley Sage Quinton (1876-1936) at what is now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery | Y | "Cornelia Bentley Sage Quinton." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Bentley_Sage_Quinton | |
393 | Woman elected to county legislature | 1972 | Genevieve "Jane" Starosciak (1923-1999). She also served as the first female county clerk in 1974. | N | Tarapacki, Tom. "Starosciak was first in many ways." Am-Pol Eagle, August 19, 2021 p. 11. | |
394 | Woman engineer | 1955 | Louise Frances Hetzelt Maier (d. 1999) becomes the first woman engineer at Bell Aircraft, possibly the first woman engineer in Buffalo | N | Photo of her in General Subject Collection - Buildings - Factories - Airplane - Bell Aircraft - Employees. | |
395 | Woman governor of NY State | 2021/08/24 | Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul of Buffalo, who was sworn in upon the resignation of Governor Andrew Cuomo. | Y | "Kathy Hochul." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathy_Hochul | |
396 | Woman graduate of the UB Pharmacy School | 1888 | Rosa Schorp (1862 or 1866-1930?) | N | "More About Women Pharmacists." Druggists' Circular and Chemical Gazette, Vol. 40, May 1896, p. 103. | |
397 | Woman graduate of UB Medical School | 1876 | Dr. Mary Blair Moody (1837-1919). | N | "Mary Blair Moody." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Blair_Moody | |
398 | Woman in the police department | 5/2/1887 | Margaret Meldrum (1841-1921) appointed as police matron in the Buffalo Police Department | N | "Woman's Work: Duties of the recently appointed police matron." Buffalo Courier, May 15, 1887, p.5. | |
399 | Woman journalist | 1880 | Jane Meade Welch (1854-1931), who worked at the Buffalo Courier. | N | Willard, Frances Elizabeth, ed. A woman of the century. Buffalo, NY: Charles Wells Moulton, 1897, p. 757. https://tinyurl.com/y7soz2bc | |
400 | Woman juror in a murder trial | 1956 | Mrs. Phoebe E. Miller | N | Buffalo Evening News, June 20, 1956, p. 64 | |
401 | Woman member of the Buffalo Athletic Club | Mary Cass, president of F.N. Burt Co. | N | The Shears, vol. 29, November 1921, p. 173. https://tinyurl.com/28e58a5o | ||
402 | Woman member of the Buffalo Historical Society | 1866 | Maria T. Burwell (died ca. 1877) admitted as a life member to the Buffalo Historical Society, Nov. 1866. | N | "The Buffalo Historical Society." Buffalo Commercial, November 21, 1866,p. 3 | |
403 | Woman nominated for public office in Buffalo | 1887 | Dr. Eleanor Elizabeth Burnside, on the Prohibition ticket, for Superintendent of Education | N | Buffalo Historical Society. Reports of the President and Secretary, Jan. 10, 1922, p. 38 | |
404 | Woman photographer | 1848 | Mrs. Lewis L. Stevens operated a daguerreotype studio at Main & Erie from 1848-1853. | N | Rossi, Dale. Photographing the Queen (City). Limerick, PA: The author, 2000, p. 145. https://worldcat.org/en/title/245536930 | |
405 | Woman photojournalist | 1901 | Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870-1942), hired by the Buffalo Inquirer newspaper | Y | "These are the pioneering women in photojournalism." www.cnn.com/2020/03/06/world/gallery/trailblazers-of-light-women-photojournalists/index.html | |
406 | Woman physician | 1855 | Dr. Julia P. Mills, homeopathic physician | N | "Buffalo's earliest woman physician, Dr. Julia Mills." Buffalo Morning Express, Feb. 26, 1905, p. 9 | |
407 | Woman president of a railroad | 1916 | Mrs. Melodia Jones (1850-1931) of Buffalo, who succeeded her deceased husband at the Niagara Gorge Railway Company and the Gulf & Ship Island Railroad in Mississippi, the first in the US | Y | "Mrs. Jones of Buffalo First Woman in U.S. to Head Railroad." Buffalo Times, Dec. 31, 1916 | |
408 | Woman president of the American Library Association | 1911 | Theresa Elmendorf (1855-1932) of the Buffalo Public Library | Y | "Theresa Elmendorf." "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Elmendorf" | |
409 | Woman president of the NY State Bar Association | 1987 | Maryann Saccomando Freedman (b. 1934) | Y | "Maryann Saccomando Freedman." www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/directories/women_trailblazers/freedman_bio.pdf | |
410 | Woman publisher | 1837 | Sarah Crary (1803-1868), widow of Leonard P. Crary, published a Buffalo city directory | N | A directory for the City of Buffalo... Buffalo, NY: Mrs. Sarah Crary, 1837 | |
411 | Woman recipient of the Spingarn medal | 1922 | Mary B. Talbert (1866-1923) of Buffalo was the first woman to be awarded the Spingarn medal, the highest honor bestowed by the NAACP | Y | "Spingarn Medal." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spingarn_Medal | |
412 | Woman talent scout, full-time, in the NFL | 1986 | Linda Bogdan (1948-2009) for the Buffalo Bills | Y | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.71 | |
413 | Woman telegraph operator | Before 1907 | Elizabeth Gertrude Fitzpatrick Sheehan, who worked in the Buffalo Western Union office | N | The Key: Commercial Telegraphers Journal, January 1918, p. 33 | |
414 | Woman to address a national political convention | 8/30/1843 | Abolitionist Abby Kelley (1811-1887) speaks at the National Liberty Party convention, held in Buffalo | Y | Johnson, Reinhard O. The Liberty Party, 1840-1848: Antislavery Third-Party Politics in the United States. Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 2009, p.1647 | |
415 | Woman to win a Nobel prize in medicine | 1947 | Dr. Gerti Cori of Roswell Park, then Washington University | Y | "Carl and Gerty Cori: A collaboration that changed the face of biochemistry." J Med Biogr. 2021 Aug 29(3):143-148. doi: 10.1177/0967772019866954. Epub 2019 Sep 2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31475888/ www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=25497 | |
416 | Women's professional football team | 10/16/1970 | The Buffalo All-Stars, the first women's professional football team in New York State, holds first scrimmage in Delaware Park. | Y | "Girl Gridders Drill Tomorrow." Buffalo Evening News, October 15, 1970, p. 58. | |
417 | Women's professional hockey league team | 2015 | Buffalo Beauts, one of four founding teams of the National Women's Hockey League | Y | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019 | |
418 | Women's professional softball team | 1976 | Buffalo Breskis, founded by Henry Breski, part of the International Women's Professional Softball League. | N | Tranter, Greg D. Makers, Moments & Memorabilia: A Chronicle of Buffalo Professional Sports. Cheektowaga, NY: Western New York Heritage, Inc. & The Buffalo History Museum, 2019, p.60 | |
419 | Women's suffrage parade | 06/14/1913 | Started at Niagara Square, marched north on Main Street | N | Oversize F129 .B8 B927 p.10 Buffalo Times New Year's Greeting | |
420 | Wood-based paper in America | 12/26/1854 | Made by John Beardsley, who showed it to the editor of the Buffalo Demokrat on this date. Today we call it "newsprint." | Y | Kane, Joseph Nathan. Famous First Facts: A Record of First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1950, p. 329 | |
421 | YMCA Annual Conference | 6/7/1854 | The first in the US was held in Buffalo. | Y | The Jubilee of Work for Young Men in North America. New York: International Committee of the YMCA, 1901, p. 200 | |
422 | Zoning ordinance | 12/16/1925 | Adopted by Buffalo Common Council | N | "Zoning ordinance soon in effect." Buffalo Times, December 17, 1925, p.32 | |
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424 | Short, sharable link: | https://tinyurl.com/TBHM-BuffaloFirsts | ||||
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426 | Return to The Buffalo History Museum website | |||||
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