South Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
Encyclopedia
South Buffalo is a neigborhood that makes up the southern third of the City of Buffalo, New York
, USA. Traditionally known for its large Irish-American community, this once heavily industrialized district was home to many steel mills, automotive parts manufacturers, petroleum refineries, foundries, and machine shops. However, due to increasing deindustrialization
and rising unemployment
the area has experienced growing problems with poverty
, population decline
and urban blight, as is the region as a whole.
South Buffalo, as officially designated by the Buffalo City Council, is bordered by the town of West Seneca on the east, the City of Lackawanna
on the south, Lake Erie
on its western edge, and the Buffalo River
serves as its northern border. New York State Route 16
(Seneca Street), and South Park Avenue are the major streets serving South Buffalo, running west-northwest to east-southeast parallel to I-190
.
Recently, the South Buffalo Catholic Schools have consolidated to form one school, which is called South Buffalo Catholic School. This school has three campuses: Trinity Catholic Academy located at St. Teresa's Parish, Notre Dame Academy located at St. Martin's Parish and Ambrose Catholic Academy located at St. Ambrose Parish. These schools continue to struggle financially because of the high cost associated with operating private education. The 2008-2009 school year closed with a $340,000.00 operating deficit. The schools continue to see a decrease in enrollment, as families can no longer afford the high tuition expense in such a poor economy. Also, the area continues to see a drop in church attendance which has caused many parishes to close. The City of Buffalo
has been ranked by the U.S. Census Bureau as the third poorest city in the nation. The latest census figures also shows a steady decrease in the population of Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs.
The Public Schools of South Buffalo continue to operate despite the areas fiscal problems. Public Schools in South Buffalo include Hillary Park Academy, Southside Elementary, Lorraine Academy, Houghton Academy, School 4, and many charter schools. South Park
High School is the neighborhood's only public secondary school. The two remaining high schools in South Buffalo are Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
for boys and Mount Mercy Academy
for girls.
outside of Chicago
, many of whom settled in Buffalo after the completion of the Erie Canal
, as well as the coming of the railroads and the industrial revolution
later in the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, unlike many other American cities with large Irish-American populations, Buffalo, New York
's southside Irish came to the USA relatively late when comparatively speaking. By far the largest concentrations came from the Irish Counties of Clare
, Cork
, Mayo
and Wexford
. Indeed, most were post-famine arrivals who were recruited to work the burgeoning steel mills, petroleum refineries, foundries, flour mills, automobile factories, and machine shops sprouting up in this highly industrialized city. Many more of South Buffalo's Irish would wind up working in the ranks of the protective services for the Buffalo Police Department and Buffalo Fire Department
. Others found jobs in the various unionized Building Trades, such as in the labor unions representing the Carpenters, Bricklayers, Iron Workers, and Operating Engineers.
Youth ice hockey
is hugely supported in South Buffalo. The Cazenovia Chiefs
hockey
program provides recreation for hundreds of children in the neighborhood. This program has produced such hockey talents as Patrick Kane
, Tim Kennedy, Peter Ratchuk
, and Mike Ratchuk
.
The neighborhood plays host to the Goin' South Irish Feis every year, an event that is extremely popular among young people. It features food, fireworks, and live music, including Jackdaw
, a neighborhood favorite act. Because South Buffalo also has a number of Italian Americans, it hosts an Italian Festival each summer. Another popular event which takes place is the annual Seneca Street Car Show, which draws many people into South Buffalo.
With its Irish
roots there are also a few traditional Irish Dance Academies in the neighborhood area of South Buffalo, such as O'Sullivan Academy, Rince Na Tiarna, Woodgate-Shamrock, and Clann Na Cara.
In addition to the predominantly Irish ethnic population, there are also communities of English
, Italian, German
, and Polish
elements in the population of South Buffalo.
A number of newspapers, publications and websites keep residents up-to-date with news, events and announcements including The South Buffalo News print publication put out by the Front Page Group and available at local stores, The Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce newsletter that is sent out regularly to members and by request (http://www.SouthBuffaloChamber.org ) and the website South Buffalo & Southtowns Online news ( http://www.SouthBuffaloOnline.com ) .
in the New York State Senate
, Mark J. F. Schroeder
in the New York State Assembly
, Brian Higgins
in the United States House of Representatives
, and Michael "Mickey" Kearns on the Buffalo city council. All four are Democrats.
Most South Buffalonians who are involved in politics favor the Democratic Party, but generally lean somewhat more socially (and sometimes fiscally) conservative than the party as a whole, typical of most working-class Roman Catholic communities. Schroeder, for instance, is the only Democrat in the Assembly to not support longtime speaker Sheldon Silver
. One of South Buffalo's most famous politicians, James D. Griffin, served as mayor of Buffalo for 16 years and was noted for both his fiscal and social conservatism, to the point where the Republican and Conservative Parties frequently cross-endorsed him. Carl Paladino
, a South Buffalo native and resident who served as the Republican nominee in the 2010 New York gubernatorial election, was a Democrat from 1974 to 2005.
. These parks, Cazenovia and South Park
, are connected by wide elm-lined streets. McKinley Parkway and Red Jacket Parkway are two of the remaining parkways that created a greenway throughout the city in the early 1900s.
Cazenovia Park is the larger of the two parks. It contains two baseball and two softball diamonds. The baseball diamonds and one softball diamond reside in an area aptly referred to as the "Bowl". The second softball diamond is situated a little further away and called the "Hidden Diamond". The park also contains a nine hole golf course, a wading pool, playground, basketball & tennis courts, three soccer fields, as well as a casino, typical of the era when the park was designed. The road running through the park was named after South Park High School Alumni Warren Spahn
in 2004.
South Park is located along the border of Lackawanna. It also contains a nine hole golf course, as well as two softball diamonds. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
is also in the park. It is a favorite summer time habitat for Canada geese
..
Hillery Playground, located in the Seneca Street neighborhood, is a main recreational area for the residents of the Seneca Street area of South Buffalo.
In addition, there are numerous fishing spots on the waterfront such as the Small Boat Harbor, Gallagher Beach, and Union Ship Canal on the Lackawanna border.
The South Buffalo area is serviced by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
buses on Seneca St. (No. 15), Abbott Rd. (No. 14), McKinley Pkwy. (No. 19) and South Park Ave. (No. 16).
A game called Chestnuts was a popular activity during this time period in South Buffalo. Horse chestnuts would be suspended from a string, usually a shoelace, run through a hole drilled in the center. Participants would take turns holding their suspended chestnut, while their opponent would snap their chestnut against it. When either chestnut cracked the surviving chestnut would be crowned a kinger. Kingships would accumulate from game to game. Any accumulated kingships of a defeated chestnut would be transferred to the victor.
Community picnics at Cazenovia Park and in neighboring Crystal Beach
amusement park, located in Crystal Beach, Ontario
where provided annually by the Tri-Abbot Southpark Businessmen's Association.
Baseball
was and still remains another dominant sport in the area. In the past there wasn’t an established little league, but games would be played spontaneously almost anywhere, including playground ball fields, vacant lots and even the street. Teams would be formed by alternate selection until everyone present was chosen by one team or the other. The team captain to make the first choice was determined by tossing a bat with the handle up to one captain, who would grab it in one hand. Each captain would alternately place a hand on the top of the others hand until there was no more room on the bat. The last hand determined the first choice.
The area is represented by the South Buffalo Celtics in amateur American football
. The Celtics won the 2011 Mid Continental Football League championship in October 2011.
Two neighborhood movie houses, the Capitol and Shea's Seneca shows, provided entertainment at very reasonable prices. Saturday matinees where 14¢ for the Capitol and 20¢ for the Seneca. The Strand also provided motion picture entertainment.
Spoonley The Trainman on Choate was a major attraction in South Buffalo. This toy train shop, owned and operated by Chester Spoonley, drew people from all over western New York to experience the fascinating layouts featuring Lionel and American Flyer
trains and accessories.
Although the two steel
companies, Bethlehem
and Republic
, provided employment for a majority of South Buffalo residents during this time, they were also a major source of air pollution
. The blast furnaces and open hearth furnaces generated huge quantities of airborne particulates that coated every surface inside and outside of homes and buildings. This fact was not fully appreciated by the residents until the steel mills shut down and suddenly surfaces remained relatively clean.
The South Buffalo area suffered in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to the closing of the majority of steel mills, machine shops, automobile factories, oil refineries and flour milling plants which were either within or bordering the community. In search of jobs many of the residents were forced to leave Western New York
and seek employment out of state. The numerous independent small shops which once lined Seneca Street and South Park Avenue
suffered most from the economic downturn caused by the many plant closures. What was once the South Buffalo neighborhood's main retail area became a collection of boarded-up store fronts hard pressed for cash flow. Suffering less were the more middle-class neighborhoods of South Buffalo which border McKinley Parkway, Abbott Road and Potter Road.
The annual South Buffalo St. Patrick's Day Parade was revived some 20 years ago and serves as a more traditional celebration over the City of Buffalo's main St. Patrick's Day Parade held usually the following day in Buffalo's city center on Delaware Avenue
. The Grand Marshal's of this less formal event have represented a gammit from some of South Buffalo's best known Irish-American families.
Each year, starting in 2004, the Moe Talty-Franz walk for breast cancer awareness and fund raising is conducted in Cazenovia Park. Hundreds of people come together to support this worthy event.
Another new festival tradition is the South Buffalo Business Expo and Irish Festival, usually held the first weekend of September in Cazenovia Park. A day long event featuring local businesses, services, food, dance and music draws residents from all over.
Another favorite is the Labor Day
parade, where union members from all over Western New York
proudly march from the Irish
Center to the Casino in Cazenovia Park. It is followed by a picnic in the park.
Famous natives include political activist and property developer Carl Paladino
, who moved from the Lovejoy District
to South Buffalo during high school; Tim Russert
from NBC's Meet the Press
; James T. Molloy
, the former Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives; Jim Kelley
, the internationally known hockey writer; and Dan Neaverth
, a longtime Buffalo radio broadcaster from the 1950s to the present who was inducted into Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2000.
Dan attended Timon H.S. in South Buffalo. Another life long South Buffalo resident, Bishop Timon High School graduate and fellow radio disc jockey is WGRF
97 Rock's Slick Tom Tiberi at slicktom.com.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, USA. Traditionally known for its large Irish-American community, this once heavily industrialized district was home to many steel mills, automotive parts manufacturers, petroleum refineries, foundries, and machine shops. However, due to increasing deindustrialization
Deindustrialization
Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially heavy industry or manufacturing industry. It is an opposite of industrialization.- Multiple interpretations :There are multiple...
and rising unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
the area has experienced growing problems with poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, population decline
Population decline
Population decline can refer to the decline in population of any organism, but this article refers to population decline in humans. It is a term usually used to describe any great reduction in a human population...
and urban blight, as is the region as a whole.
South Buffalo, as officially designated by the Buffalo City Council, is bordered by the town of West Seneca on the east, the City of Lackawanna
Lackawanna, New York
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, New York, U.S., located just south of the city of Buffalo in the western part of New York state. The population was 18,141 at the 2010 census. The name derives from the Lackawanna Steel Company...
on the south, Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
on its western edge, and the Buffalo River
Buffalo River (New York)
The Buffalo River is a river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes, by the City of Buffalo in the United States of America. This stream is called the Buffalo River only in the vicinity of the city and is known as Buffalo Creek as it flows through other parts of...
serves as its northern border. New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
(Seneca Street), and South Park Avenue are the major streets serving South Buffalo, running west-northwest to east-southeast parallel to I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
.
Neighborhoods & schools
South Buffalo has various educational opportunities to offer, from Public Elementary and High Schools, to Elementary Charter Schools and even Catholic Elementary and High Schools. Also, there is the presence of Trocaire College.Recently, the South Buffalo Catholic Schools have consolidated to form one school, which is called South Buffalo Catholic School. This school has three campuses: Trinity Catholic Academy located at St. Teresa's Parish, Notre Dame Academy located at St. Martin's Parish and Ambrose Catholic Academy located at St. Ambrose Parish. These schools continue to struggle financially because of the high cost associated with operating private education. The 2008-2009 school year closed with a $340,000.00 operating deficit. The schools continue to see a decrease in enrollment, as families can no longer afford the high tuition expense in such a poor economy. Also, the area continues to see a drop in church attendance which has caused many parishes to close. The City of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
has been ranked by the U.S. Census Bureau as the third poorest city in the nation. The latest census figures also shows a steady decrease in the population of Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs.
The Public Schools of South Buffalo continue to operate despite the areas fiscal problems. Public Schools in South Buffalo include Hillary Park Academy, Southside Elementary, Lorraine Academy, Houghton Academy, School 4, and many charter schools. South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
High School is the neighborhood's only public secondary school. The two remaining high schools in South Buffalo are Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School is a Roman Catholic Franciscan private high school for young men located at 601 McKinley Parkway in South Buffalo, New York. Bishop Timon High School, as it was originally known, was founded in 1946.-History:In 1946, the school officially opened its doors with a...
for boys and Mount Mercy Academy
Mount Mercy Academy (Buffalo, New York)
Mount Mercy Academy is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Buffalo, New York.-Academics:In 2009, Mount Mercy Academy was ranked 42nd out of 131 Western New York high schools in terms of academic performance.-Athletics:*Swimming*Cross Country*Soccer...
for girls.
Society
South Buffalo has one of the highest concentrations of Irish Americans west of the Hudson RiverHudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
outside of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, many of whom settled in Buffalo after the completion of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, as well as the coming of the railroads and the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
later in the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, unlike many other American cities with large Irish-American populations, Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
's southside Irish came to the USA relatively late when comparatively speaking. By far the largest concentrations came from the Irish Counties of Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
and Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
. Indeed, most were post-famine arrivals who were recruited to work the burgeoning steel mills, petroleum refineries, foundries, flour mills, automobile factories, and machine shops sprouting up in this highly industrialized city. Many more of South Buffalo's Irish would wind up working in the ranks of the protective services for the Buffalo Police Department and Buffalo Fire Department
Buffalo Fire Department
The Buffalo Fire Department is the principal fire and rescue service for the city of Buffalo, New York. It is the largest fire department in Upstate New York. The Fire Department currently consists of one division which is separated into four battalions, and further separated into 4 platoons...
. Others found jobs in the various unionized Building Trades, such as in the labor unions representing the Carpenters, Bricklayers, Iron Workers, and Operating Engineers.
Youth ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
is hugely supported in South Buffalo. The Cazenovia Chiefs
Cazenovia Park Hockey Association
The Cazenovia Park Youth Hockey Association is a youth hockey organization in South Buffalo, NY. Its teams are named the Cazenovia Chiefs. It offers youth hockey for players ages 4–18. It houses its own "house league" at the mite level, made up of 5 or 6 teams that exclusively play each other and...
hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
program provides recreation for hundreds of children in the neighborhood. This program has produced such hockey talents as Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane
Patrick Timothy Kane, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Minor and junior:Kane attended the St...
, Tim Kennedy, Peter Ratchuk
Peter Ratchuk
Peter Ratchuk is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League A in Switzerland...
, and Mike Ratchuk
Mike Ratchuk
Michael Ratchuk is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who plays for the Fort Wayne Komets of the Central Hockey League...
.
The neighborhood plays host to the Goin' South Irish Feis every year, an event that is extremely popular among young people. It features food, fireworks, and live music, including Jackdaw
Jackdaw (band)
Jackdaw were a Celtic rock band from Buffalo, NY from 2000-2009. One of the group's members, George Tutuska, was a former drummer for the Goo Goo Dolls....
, a neighborhood favorite act. Because South Buffalo also has a number of Italian Americans, it hosts an Italian Festival each summer. Another popular event which takes place is the annual Seneca Street Car Show, which draws many people into South Buffalo.
With its Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
roots there are also a few traditional Irish Dance Academies in the neighborhood area of South Buffalo, such as O'Sullivan Academy, Rince Na Tiarna, Woodgate-Shamrock, and Clann Na Cara.
In addition to the predominantly Irish ethnic population, there are also communities of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Italian, German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, and Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
elements in the population of South Buffalo.
A number of newspapers, publications and websites keep residents up-to-date with news, events and announcements including The South Buffalo News print publication put out by the Front Page Group and available at local stores, The Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce newsletter that is sent out regularly to members and by request (http://www.SouthBuffaloChamber.org ) and the website South Buffalo & Southtowns Online news ( http://www.SouthBuffaloOnline.com ) .
Politics
As of 2011, South Buffalo is represented by Timothy M. KennedyTimothy M. Kennedy (politician)
Timothy M. Kennedy is an American politician from New York. He is currently a Democratic member of the New York State Senate, representing the 58th District since 2010...
in the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
, Mark J. F. Schroeder
Mark J. F. Schroeder
Mark J.F. Schroeder is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly representing the 145th Assembly District, which comprises portions of the city of Buffalo , the city of Lackawanna, as well as the entire towns of West Seneca and Orchard...
in the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the southern two-thirds of Buffalo proper, most of that city's eastern and southern suburbs, and all of Chautauqua County.-Early life, education and career:A native of...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, and Michael "Mickey" Kearns on the Buffalo city council. All four are Democrats.
Most South Buffalonians who are involved in politics favor the Democratic Party, but generally lean somewhat more socially (and sometimes fiscally) conservative than the party as a whole, typical of most working-class Roman Catholic communities. Schroeder, for instance, is the only Democrat in the Assembly to not support longtime speaker Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
. One of South Buffalo's most famous politicians, James D. Griffin, served as mayor of Buffalo for 16 years and was noted for both his fiscal and social conservatism, to the point where the Republican and Conservative Parties frequently cross-endorsed him. Carl Paladino
Carl Paladino
Carl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
, a South Buffalo native and resident who served as the Republican nominee in the 2010 New York gubernatorial election, was a Democrat from 1974 to 2005.
Geography
Also within the area are two parks designed by Frederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
. These parks, Cazenovia and South Park
Cazenovia Park-South Park System
Cazenovia Park-South Park System is a historic park system located in the South Buffalo neighborhood at Buffalo in Erie County, New York. The interconnected set of parkways and parks was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as part of his parks plan for the city of Buffalo.The system consists of the...
, are connected by wide elm-lined streets. McKinley Parkway and Red Jacket Parkway are two of the remaining parkways that created a greenway throughout the city in the early 1900s.
Cazenovia Park is the larger of the two parks. It contains two baseball and two softball diamonds. The baseball diamonds and one softball diamond reside in an area aptly referred to as the "Bowl". The second softball diamond is situated a little further away and called the "Hidden Diamond". The park also contains a nine hole golf course, a wading pool, playground, basketball & tennis courts, three soccer fields, as well as a casino, typical of the era when the park was designed. The road running through the park was named after South Park High School Alumni Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
in 2004.
South Park is located along the border of Lackawanna. It also contains a nine hole golf course, as well as two softball diamonds. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens are botanical gardens located at 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, New York, USA in South Park. These gardens are the product of landscaping architect Frederick Law Olmsted, glass-house architects Lord & Burnham, and botanist and plant-explorer John F...
is also in the park. It is a favorite summer time habitat for Canada geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
..
Hillery Playground, located in the Seneca Street neighborhood, is a main recreational area for the residents of the Seneca Street area of South Buffalo.
In addition, there are numerous fishing spots on the waterfront such as the Small Boat Harbor, Gallagher Beach, and Union Ship Canal on the Lackawanna border.
The South Buffalo area is serviced by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is a public authority responsible for the public transportation oversight of Erie and Niagara counties in the State of New York...
buses on Seneca St. (No. 15), Abbott Rd. (No. 14), McKinley Pkwy. (No. 19) and South Park Ave. (No. 16).
Past & present
During the 1940s and 1950s swimming was a favorite summer pastime at the two outdoor swimming pools in Cazenovia Park. The two pools have since been removed. Fishing in Cazenovia Creek was an alternative summertime activity. In the winter, a lagoon off of the creek provided ice skating, but this has also been removed.A game called Chestnuts was a popular activity during this time period in South Buffalo. Horse chestnuts would be suspended from a string, usually a shoelace, run through a hole drilled in the center. Participants would take turns holding their suspended chestnut, while their opponent would snap their chestnut against it. When either chestnut cracked the surviving chestnut would be crowned a kinger. Kingships would accumulate from game to game. Any accumulated kingships of a defeated chestnut would be transferred to the victor.
Community picnics at Cazenovia Park and in neighboring Crystal Beach
Crystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach is a community within Fort Erie, Ontario with a population of 3,800. It was named for the "crystal-clear" water conditions present when it was founded on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, across from Buffalo....
amusement park, located in Crystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach is a community within Fort Erie, Ontario with a population of 3,800. It was named for the "crystal-clear" water conditions present when it was founded on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, across from Buffalo....
where provided annually by the Tri-Abbot Southpark Businessmen's Association.
Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
was and still remains another dominant sport in the area. In the past there wasn’t an established little league, but games would be played spontaneously almost anywhere, including playground ball fields, vacant lots and even the street. Teams would be formed by alternate selection until everyone present was chosen by one team or the other. The team captain to make the first choice was determined by tossing a bat with the handle up to one captain, who would grab it in one hand. Each captain would alternately place a hand on the top of the others hand until there was no more room on the bat. The last hand determined the first choice.
The area is represented by the South Buffalo Celtics in amateur American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. The Celtics won the 2011 Mid Continental Football League championship in October 2011.
Two neighborhood movie houses, the Capitol and Shea's Seneca shows, provided entertainment at very reasonable prices. Saturday matinees where 14¢ for the Capitol and 20¢ for the Seneca. The Strand also provided motion picture entertainment.
Spoonley The Trainman on Choate was a major attraction in South Buffalo. This toy train shop, owned and operated by Chester Spoonley, drew people from all over western New York to experience the fascinating layouts featuring Lionel and American Flyer
American Flyer
American Flyer was a popular brand of toy train and model railroad in the United States in the middle part of the 20th century.- The Chicago era, 1907–1938 :...
trains and accessories.
Although the two steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
companies, Bethlehem
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
and Republic
Republic Steel
Republic Steel was once the third largest steel producer in the United States.The Republic Iron and Steel Company was founded in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899....
, provided employment for a majority of South Buffalo residents during this time, they were also a major source of air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
. The blast furnaces and open hearth furnaces generated huge quantities of airborne particulates that coated every surface inside and outside of homes and buildings. This fact was not fully appreciated by the residents until the steel mills shut down and suddenly surfaces remained relatively clean.
The South Buffalo area suffered in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to the closing of the majority of steel mills, machine shops, automobile factories, oil refineries and flour milling plants which were either within or bordering the community. In search of jobs many of the residents were forced to leave Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
and seek employment out of state. The numerous independent small shops which once lined Seneca Street and South Park Avenue
South Park Avenue
South Park Avenue is an important street connecting Buffalo to Hamburg. South Park Avenue is the most important street in South Buffalo, and is the primary alternative to the Buffalo Skyway when traveling between the city and the southern suburbs.South Park Avenue is U.S. Route 62 between Bailey...
suffered most from the economic downturn caused by the many plant closures. What was once the South Buffalo neighborhood's main retail area became a collection of boarded-up store fronts hard pressed for cash flow. Suffering less were the more middle-class neighborhoods of South Buffalo which border McKinley Parkway, Abbott Road and Potter Road.
The annual South Buffalo St. Patrick's Day Parade was revived some 20 years ago and serves as a more traditional celebration over the City of Buffalo's main St. Patrick's Day Parade held usually the following day in Buffalo's city center on Delaware Avenue
New York State Route 384
New York State Route 384 is a state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is a north–south route extending from the city of Buffalo, Erie County to the city of Niagara Falls, Niagara County, and is one of several routes directly connecting the two cities. The southern terminus...
. The Grand Marshal's of this less formal event have represented a gammit from some of South Buffalo's best known Irish-American families.
Each year, starting in 2004, the Moe Talty-Franz walk for breast cancer awareness and fund raising is conducted in Cazenovia Park. Hundreds of people come together to support this worthy event.
Another new festival tradition is the South Buffalo Business Expo and Irish Festival, usually held the first weekend of September in Cazenovia Park. A day long event featuring local businesses, services, food, dance and music draws residents from all over.
Another favorite is the Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
parade, where union members from all over Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
proudly march from the Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Center to the Casino in Cazenovia Park. It is followed by a picnic in the park.
Famous natives include political activist and property developer Carl Paladino
Carl Paladino
Carl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
, who moved from the Lovejoy District
East Lovejoy, Buffalo, New York
East Lovejoy is a neighborhood in Buffalo, NY. It is located on the East Side of Buffalo, and is part of the bigger Lovejoy area. The councilman of the area is Richard Fontana.-Businesses:...
to South Buffalo during high school; Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
from NBC's Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
; James T. Molloy
James T. Molloy
James Thomas Molloy was elected Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives during the 94th Congress in 1974 and served through the 103rd Congress. As Doorkeeper, he introduced six Presidents, several heads of state and other dignitaries in joint sessions and other congressional events...
, the former Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives; Jim Kelley
Jim Kelley
James Thomas "Jim" Kelley, Jr. was a professional sports news columnist whose 30-year career focused primarily on the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, and the greater Buffalo area...
, the internationally known hockey writer; and Dan Neaverth
Danny Neaverth
Dan "Danny" Neaverth is an American disc jockey and television personality from Buffalo, New York. He is best known for a run of over 25 years as the morning disc jockey at heritage top-40 and oldies station WKBW-AM/WWKB in Buffalo....
, a longtime Buffalo radio broadcaster from the 1950s to the present who was inducted into Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2000.
Dan attended Timon H.S. in South Buffalo. Another life long South Buffalo resident, Bishop Timon High School graduate and fellow radio disc jockey is WGRF
WGRF
WGRF is a radio station in Buffalo, New York, USA. The station's on air branding is "97 Rock". The station mostly plays Classic rock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
97 Rock's Slick Tom Tiberi at slicktom.com.