The Buffalo History Museum

Waterway of Change

Visit Us at Canalside

This exhibit invites visitors to explore the transformative story of the Erie Canal. It begins with the traditional homeland of the Haudenosaunee and the canal’s opening in 1825, tracing how it helped turn Buffalo into a bustling port and shipping hub by the late 19th century.

It also highlights the diverse perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, Black individuals, women, and immigrant communities affected by the canal’s development, offering a richer understanding of its cultural and historical significance.

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09/30/2026

Buffalo 101: How History Shaped the Queen City – Session 1

10/01/2026

WHO WERE (AND ARE) THE ROYCROFTERS?

10/02/2026

History Meets the Huddle: Behind the Scenes Tour of the World’s Largest Buffalo Bills Collection

10/03/2026

Pan-American Walking Tour

10/07/2026

Happy Hour History: A Different Path to Justice – The Work of Connie and Arthur Eve

10/13/2026

Memory Cafe

10/14/2026

Buffalo 101: How History Shaped the Queen City – Session 2

10/15/2026

2026 Red Jacket Awards

10/16/2026

M&T Third Friday

10/16/2026

Junior History Buffs October

Shop Uniquely Buffalo Gifts

Museum Shop

Find a variety of gifts in-person at our Museum Shop as well as a selection of gifts in our online store.

Picture Store

Browse our extensive photo collection and decorate your home or office with classic Buffalo images.

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On This Day In Buffalo

Saturday, September 26

St. Mary's Institute for the Instruction of Deaf-Mutes incorporated, 1853

Sternberg grain elevator destroyed by fire, 1883

Fire destroys 10 blocks in the Canal district, 1853

Shirley Chisholm announces her candidacy for president, 1971

Sunday, September 27

Sternberg Elevator destroyed by fire, 1883

St. Luke's cornerstone laid, 1908

60 smallpox cases counted in Buffalo, 1888

Cornerstone laid for Deaconess Hospital, 1959

Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo, NY, USA

Monday, September 28

Palace Burlesk closes, 1977

National Good Neighbor Day

Forest Lawn Cemetery dedicated, 1866

Senator John F. Kennedy makes campaign stop, 1960

Niagara Falls, NY, USA

Tuesday, September 29

Cornerstone laid for St. John Kanty Lyceum, 1930

St John Kanty Church, 101 Swinburne St, Buffalo, NY 14212, USA

Architect H.H. Richardson born, 1838

James Parish, Louisiana

National Coffee Break Day

Birth of John D. Larkin, 1845

Buffalo, NY

Wednesday, September 30

Buffalo Historical Society building dedicated, 1902

1 Museum Court

Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls born, 1964

Love Canal removed from Superfund National Priorities List, 2004

Niagara Falls, NY, USA

Community Foundation established, 1919

AAM Accredited Museum Badge