This oft-quoted billboard was posted near Buffalo City Hall in September 1977, and is looked upon as Buffalo’s darkest moment, reading, “Will the last worker out of Western New York please turn out the light?” The bitter and deadly Blizzard of ’77 cemented Buffalo’s place in the punchlines of Johnny Carson and funny people everywhere. By … Continue reading Buffalo’s most infamous billboard: Will the last worker out of WNY turn out the light?
Many Buffalonians know that Grover Cleveland was mayor of Buffalo before moving on to become governor of New York and president of the United States. Other than that, we don’t have much to say about the man who lived here for 27 years practicing law and serving as sheriff and mayor. There are a few … Continue reading The Buffalo You Should Know: Grover Cleveland was here
In some cynical Western New York circles, when the announced crowd seems to be a bit higher than the actual attendance figure, someone is bound to ask, “Did Mike Billoni do the counting?” Buffalo News archives It’s probably not what talk show host Larry King was talking over with Bisons Skipper Rocky Bridges in the … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’80s: Now pitching for the Bisons, Larry King (and Mike Billoni)
In the year of the big blizzard, the iconic Buffalo News tavern and music critic Dale Anderson counted 17 bars on Seneca Street between Elk Street and the city line. Buffalo Stories archives/Steve Cichon collection He visited or at least talked about 10 different gin mills along Seneca Street and Abbott Road, including four within a block … Continue reading What It Looked Like Wednesday: Three nights of drinking in South Buffalo, 1977
Buffalo’s love of Swiss Chalet can be seen with a stroll through the parking lot of the Canadian rotisserie chicken chain’s restaurant in Niagara Falls, Ont. At any given moment, half of the license plates in the parking lot read “NEW YORK” across the top. Buffalo News archives After great success with three restaurants in … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’70s: Swiss Chalet downtown
Flanked by State Sen. James D. Griffin, Erie County Democratic Chairman Joseph Crangle and County Legislator Dennis T. Gorski, Rep. Thaddeus Dulski made his final of eight victory speeches upon being elected to the House of Representatives for his eighth and final term in 1972. Buffalo News archives A UB-trained accountant, Dulski worked for the … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’70s: Surrounded by top Democrats, Dulski gives his final victory speech
Steve Cichon has spent 25 years as a journalist, author, and historian collecting and sharing Buffalo’s great stories, and writes about the great things that make Buffalo special. The storyteller has written five books, worn bow ties since the 80s, and spent 20 years working in Buffalo radio and TV. He’s an Adjunct Communications Professor at … Continue reading Talks, Seminars, & Workshops: The Buffalo Stories Roadshow
After a pilot program in the Delaware, Fillmore and Masten districts, Mayor James Griffin announced each of Buffalo’s 130,000 households would start receiving blue recycle bins 25 years ago this week. Initially the city was collecting just cardboard and newspaper, with the hope of adding glass, metal and plastic soon. Businesses and apartment complexes were … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’90s: Starting a citywide recycling program
In a sign of the times, News reporter Gene Warner anonymously quoted professionals in Buffalo’s gay community. Names weren’t included, it can be assumed, for fear of reprisal and retribution. In 1980’s Buffalo, there was little outward gay pride. As Warner writes, “In Buffalo … where a ‘gay protest’ could be defined as an argument … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’80s: Arguing gay rights in Buffalo
By Steve Cichon | steve@buffalostories.com | @stevebuffalo BUFFALO, NY – It was the benchmark storm by which we measure all storms in Western New York. In killing 29 of our Western New York neighbors and cutting us off from the world (and heat, and food) for a week, this storm also gave Buffalo a greater … Continue reading Buffalo’s Blizzard of ’77: Newspaper, radio & TV broadcasts bring the storm back to life…