Archive - WNY Heritage

Before grape juice dominated the grape market, growers in Western New York and Northeast Pennsylvania produced thousands of acres worth of table grapes for a nationwide market. Related industries such as shipping and manufacturing of supplies were also fruitful for the people of the Chautauqua-Erie Grape Belt.

Rural Richardson: The Farm at the Buffalo State Hospital

H.H. Richardson's towers get the publicity but the land now used by Buffalo State College was much more than a psychiatric ward. The author remembers her childhood growing up on the farm that served the Buffalo State Hospital in the 1920s and 30s.

Saving Buffalo Bill: Discovery of the Jamestown Buffalo Bill Billboard

Art preservationist Laura Schell recounts the painstaking restoration of a long-forgotten billboard, covered for a century and now brought back to life.

Another Look: Harry Yates Edgewood Farm

Harry Yates' massive barn in Orchard Park is threatened by development.

Cheese History in Western New York

For the first half of the 20th century, Cuba, NY, was the cheese capital of the world – the heart of Western New York's booming cheese-making industry. WNY's history of cheese production continues to this day.

A Father's Legacy

Down a dusty road in Livingston County, the Ryan family farmhouse was a place where precious memories were made. This tale of the 1930s is recounted through the eyes of a little girl.

Last Look: The Wollenberg Elevator

The Wollenberg Elevator, which was destroyed by arson in 2006, was the last of the wooden grain elevators in Buffalo.

When Mexico Came to Buffalo: Miguel Lerdo de Tejada and his Orquesta Tipica

The Pan-American Exposition's "Streets of Mexico," on the Midway, was one of the fair's largest exhibits and biggest draws.

Western New York Heritage

The Archive