In the early 1800s, Buffalo was a sleepy village on the edge of what was then America's western frontier. Joseph Ellicott surveyed the town in 1804 for the Holland Land Company and laid out the City's distinctive radial street plan that is still evident today.

Erie County was formed in 1821, a year before the City of Buffalo was incorporated. The Erie Canal opened in 1825 with Buffalo located at its western terminus, a location that was key to the City's metamorphosis into a major shipping hub for the burgeoning West. Located on the western side of Buffalo, the mouth of the Buffalo River also played an important role in the growth of the shipping industry, as many wharves, storehouses and other facilities opened to support the waterway.

Over time, shipping volume continued to grow and a new industry, railroads, also began to flourish. Buffalo grew exponentially for the remainder of the 19th Century as business boomed and immigrants flooded into the City, particularly from Western Europe. The shipping industry generated tremendous capital that led to investments in other sectors, including manufacturing and banking.

By 1900, more than 350,000 people resided in the City, and Buffalo had produced two Presidents of the United States, Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland. It had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the United States and was home to one of the world's largest transportation ports. The area also attracted industrial entrepreneurs due to the electric power provided by Niagara Falls. This cheap power allowed steel plants, including Bethlehem Steel, Lackawanna Steel and Republic Steel, to flourish and enabled Buffalo to become one of the largest steel-producing locations in the U.S.

The growth and prosperity of the City was celebrated in 1901 with an event of global proportions, the Pan-American Exposition. The Exposition highlighted the advances of the day, including the latest mechanical and electrical wonders. Sadly, the Exposition was also the site of the assassination of President William McKinley.

The importance of the canal began to diminish with the increase in railroad shipping, although Buffalo's economy continued to thrive as a center for manufacturing and shipping steel, automobiles and airplanes. With the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958, however, shipping from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean largely bypassed Buffalo. Eventually, most of Buffalo's steel plants shut down, which resulted in the loss of over 30,000 jobs. The 1980s and early 1990s brought tough times economically, as the area struggled to adapt to the new conditions.

During the 1990s, the City's economy stabilized, and new industries are currently transforming the economy. The City's location on a major fiber optic telecommunications hub has spurred growth in high tech industries. Banking is also a major employer, with the headquarters for both M&T Bank and H.S.B.C. Bank U.S.A. located within the central business district. The area is home to several colleges and universities, including New York State's largest public university, the State University of New York at Buffalo. In addition, the bio-medical field is growing, as evidenced by the expanding Medical Corridor on High Street, just north of downtown. The area is home to world-class hospital and medical research facilities, most notably the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The waterfront, long vacant with old industrial lands, is seeing new activity; with entertainment development plans in the inner harbor area. Downtown Buffalo has regained its status as an entertainment destination with the re-emergence of the Theater District and the Chippewa Street Entertainment District. Plans are currently being made for dozens of new market-rate housing units that should bring additional life to the central business district.

All told, the future is bright for Buffalo, the Queen City of the Great Lakes.

 Buffalo Niagara will surprise and delight you with outstanding theater, a world-class symphony, authentic American heritage sites, extraordinary architecture, non-stop nightlife, an historic zoo, one of the world's top collections of modern art, charming restaurants, great shopping, major league sports and an exciting array of family attractions. All this and the wonder of Niagara Falls!