Archive - WNY Heritage

Another Look: The Historic Colored Musicians Club: Forming the Next Chapter of a National Treasure

After more than a century as a social club and organization, the most charming brick on the Broadway block is getting a facelift.

Endnotes: Willert Park Courts

Recently named by the National Trust for Historical Preservation as one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2019," Willert Park Courts is in danger of being razed, along with many unique sculptures throughout the complex.

20th Anniversary Flashback, Part II: Architecture,...

Our look back over the past 20 years of Western New York Heritage magazine continues with a survey of some of the many architecture-related stories that have graced our pages.

Pictorial

509 Michigan Street

View of 509 Michigan Street, Buffalo, ca. 1996.

Grace Celia Taylor and the Jesse Ketchum Medal: A Triumphant Scholar of the Gilded Age

The prestigious Jesse Ketchum Medal has been awarded to the top scholars in the Buffalo Public Schools since 1873, but it wasn't until 1884 that Grace Celia Taylor became the first African American recipient.

An Uncrowned Hero: The Untold Story of James Benjamin Parker

The man who attempted to subdue President McKinley's assassin enjoyed both fame and obscurity as a result of his efforts at Buffalo's Pan American Exposition.

Frederick Douglass: Ten Days of a Fugitive Slave in Buffalo

In the summer of 1843, Frederick Douglass spent ten days in Buffalo that would help define him as a leading voice of the abolitionist cause.

John E. Brent: Buffalo’s First African American Architect

John E. Brent’s architectural contributions to Buffalo and the surrounding areas often went uncredited because of his race. Today historians are working on tracking down Brent’s projects and giving him the recognition he deserves.

Western New York Heritage

The Archive