Buffalo was once the City of Light — the first city with electricity — fully powered by Nikola Tesla’s new AC turbines with renewable energy from Niagara Falls. Yet, 120 years later, the city is plagued with poverty, poor education, and a history of corruption. Buffalo, New York, went from a thriving metropolis to the armpit of the world. The city’s history is complicated, as so many are, the decline in American manufacturing hit the city hard, but a lack of action to change with the times ultimately dragged the city down. But recent developments have shifted the focus from what went wrong, to making things better.
1901 World's Fair
Source: Charles Dudley Arnold
History
Buffalo and similar American cities grew during the Industrial Revolution, back when manufacturing steel, storing grain, and other blue-collar industries were abundant. Post WW2, more and more manufacturing shifted to the East, making such cities less attractive. Rather than continuing to live in a lackluster city pockmarked by abandoned buildings, people fled to the suburbs. Bolstered by the American dream of a big house and the open road, slowly but surely Buffalo expanded, and diluted. No more trams, no more urban centers, no more community.
To understand the downfall of Buffalo, you must first understand its rise. Buffalo is a geographic enigma: standing on the border of Canada and straddling two Great Lakes, Buffalo was a key location for the Iroquois Confederacy, and French fur traders before the 1800s, as well as a key location in the War of 1812. In 1825, the Erie Canal was completed and Buffalo linked the Great Lakes, and by extension, the Midwest and its agriculture to the cities of the East Coast. This was crucial for the development of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, as these cities could now feed their ever-growing populations with relative ease, no longer having to ship goods through the Gulf of Mexico, making trade far more streamlined, and far less dangerous. Around that time, Buffalo received a large influx of European immigrants moving for jobs in the booming industrial sector, when steel and grain dominated the domestic market. Until the mid-1900’s this remained true, when production inevitably shifted to Asian markets, and trucks and trains made the Erie Canal obsolete.
Around this time, Nikola Tesla discovered AC power, allowing energy to be sent further away from where it was produced. He secured the contract to build the hydroelectric turbines in Niagara Falls, just five minutes away, the falls provided Buffalo with booming industry, easy access to fresh water, and now, an abundance of electric power. This made Buffalo the first city to truly harness electricity, earning it the nickname "The City of Light." In the early 1900s, Buffalo was a city for blue-collar workers and artists. It wanted to protect that identity and implemented many policies to keep large businesses away. For a long time, these protectionist measures kept Buffalo strong, but in the new information age, they have killed the city.
Niagara Falls Turbines
(Source: Niagara Parks)
Decline
The 1960s were the true downfall of Buffalo, other cities, such as New York and Chicago had strong financial and education districts, setting themselves up well for the future. Chicago endured similar struggles from deindustrialization, but kept their innovators and maintained their grandeur by diversifying their economy. Chicago was initially a large trade city, similar to Buffalo, linking the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes, and was also home to various industries, particularly in agriculture. But instead of focusing on industry, the city focused on its trade sector. Encouraging railroads to pass through, and working to keep many of its residents. Buffalo, on the other hand, encouraged residents to move out of the city. Raising property taxes, getting rid of public transport, and destroying its waterfront. They made the city nearly unbearable. Downtown used to be filled with theaters, restaurants,and people having fun, and now, it’s a ghost town, save for the homeless sleeping on warm vents.
Data from US Census
The population of Erie County, the county that Buffalo resides in has risen steadily, as is consistent with most other American cities, and in the city, there is a clear drop in population following 1950, why? There are many reasons, but 1950 was the year Buffalo removed its trams. By doing so, the city became difficult to traverse, and unattractive for visitors. By extension, this made large companies look away from Buffalo, as most well-qualified employees would prefer locations such as Chicago or New York City where they can live more comfortably, and enjoy the amenities a walkable city has. This is the case in almost all American Cities. Choosing cars over public transport pushes people out of the city, and into suburbs. Over time, this again pushes companies away from the city and reduces the available jobs for those living in the suburbs, compounding the problem for the entire area.
1935 Tram Map
1986 Tram Map
Source: Tundria
This, with the anti-corporate policies of Buffalo in the 1970s further exacerbated the issue of an unattractive city. Although other cities in the US cannot relate to Buffalo with the anti-corporate policies, they can with the unattractiveness of their urban center. On lake Erie, just down Route i90 Cleveland Ohio experienced a similar decline, removing its tram system just before 1950, the city’s population went from over 800,000 in 1940, to just below 400,000 in 2020.
Broadway Avenue Before and After Trams
There is a plethora of other factors that contribute to the decline of both cities, but liveability is a huge factor. American cities have continuously focused on industry and protecting their “identity” instead of using lessons from Europe to preserve their Grandeur. Ignoring the wants and needs of citizens and favoring big projects for immediate employment, as opposed to long-term development with consistent employment. Another egregious error on Buffalo's behalf was the introduction of the sky-way, aka an ugly highway built on the waterfront, commonly the wealthiest and most important part of any city. For years people have been trying to remove it, but automobile lobbyists and those still stuck in the past continue to oppose it.
Buffalo Skyway
Source: Buffalo News
The American dream of having a big house, shiny new car, and disposable income worked, for a time. Now, it has become unsustainable for the environment, and people’s lives. People want less commuting time and want to spend more time with their families, walking and biking around. New York City has kept its public transport, and expanded its biking accessibility for this exact reason, and just because other cities are smaller, doesn’t mean they can’t make the same improvements.
Future
How can such a decline be reversed, and what factors may inhibit the necessary development? Historically, cold temperatures and arguably terrible weather made Buffalo extremely unattractive, and difficult to justify cycling infrastructure. However, climate change is starting to change this.
Data from weather.gov
Although extreme weather is still prevalent, and annual snowfall has increased, the temperature has risen significantly, making buffalo far more bearable than it once was. This lengthening of the summer, and shrinking of the winter, has allowed for some rather nice developments. For example, new bike lanes in certain parts of the city. (The civil engineer responsible lobbied for 20 years!!! chill guy, likes IPA's)
As well as reclaiming the city's waterfront from cars, and creating parks that anyone can enjoy.
Buffalo Harbor State Park
Source: NY Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
As for its economy, the city has also taken huge strides in diversifying outside of manufacturing. While there are still many car plants and fabricators in the area, such as the Tesla plant, the city has also developed a strong reputation in medical care and research. The city’s artists have also felt the renewal with many new and engaging art museums, such as the Albright Knox Art Gallery.
Although re-development is expensive and takes time, it is clear what small American cities need to focus on. Embrassing pedestrians and cyclists, and getting rid of cars. New York City, Portland Oregon, and even Los Angeles feel the pressure and are doing something about it. It is time for the US to reevaluate what the American dream is. The freedom to choose whether you want to drive or take a train, the freedom to comfortably walk in a lively downtown, and the freedom to work where you want to work. Both for themselves and the environment American cities need to change their approach and learn from Europe and other parts of the world. The US is big, and a very different place, but that doesn’t mean it can’t adopt policies and ideas from around the world for its own success in the ever-changing future. If Buffalo can right its wrongs, anywhere can.
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