Western New York Heritage

Perry Boulevard - 1930s

Perry Boulevard, looking south toward downtown Buffalo. Bridge abutments at left remain from the Porter Avenue bridge over the Erie Canal (State Barge Canal). When this portion of the canal was filled in after 1937, it was renamed Perry Boulevard. Farther along the roadway toward the city on the left side was the newly-constructed Lakeview Housing Project.

This portion of the canal, up to Porter Avenue, was filled in because of the Project's proximity and the belief that the watered but unused canal posed a health hazard to residents of the new public housing. (The canal from Porter Avenue north was not filled in until 1957 when the Thruway was constructed along the canal bed and the name 'Perry Boulevard' disappeared from history.)

Note: the bridge abutments remain visible in 2003 and are being used to support the Porter Avenue bridge over the Thruway.