tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40260252968877434632024-02-07T09:18:49.025-08:00Buffalo BooksBuffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-27655496431360340382014-04-16T12:21:00.003-07:002014-04-16T12:32:55.197-07:00<strong>Reflections on Writing <em>Postcard Views</em></strong><br />
<br />
Respected author, publisher and educator Joseph F. Bieron shared with us a behind-the-scenes look at the birth of his excellent book, <em>Postcard Views, A Walk Down Main Street Buffalo, New York, circa 1910:</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jdW1i_EUKJWjMHOImJu_76pV1HgeJgMgRhZ09ohnSrV53ylgr11rTwb9daGMzET6Bb_Sm2s6zzZfhwnwwZKJgQVHh6lJBWLiWc2J2scRYj9nWr1NvhZbbyfOG0-lpBce51GgO49LzmI/s1600/PostcardViewsCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jdW1i_EUKJWjMHOImJu_76pV1HgeJgMgRhZ09ohnSrV53ylgr11rTwb9daGMzET6Bb_Sm2s6zzZfhwnwwZKJgQVHh6lJBWLiWc2J2scRYj9nWr1NvhZbbyfOG0-lpBce51GgO49LzmI/s1600/PostcardViewsCover.jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></div>
</em><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was
extremely fortunate to have a long professional career as a college professor
teaching chemistry to talented students. A major part of this experience was
writing; lesson plans, research papers, grant proposals, public interest
science articles. Over the years, I came to enjoy writing as a way of learning
and recording interesting ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As a
youngster I also liked to collect and organize memorabilia, postage stamps,
foreign coins, commemorative cards of presidents, and baseball cards from packs
of bubble gum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I also
have had a life-long interest in history, especially local history. It was
probably only a matter of time when all these interests came together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>About
20 years ago, I acquired a collection of old postcards that featured scenes of
Buffalo and Western New York. I was doing research on another history project
when I took advantage of becoming the proud owner of 1200 postcards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After sorting and organizing the
postcards, it became clear that the exercise was a wonderful way of learning
the history of Buffalo, especially around the time period 1907-1914 which was
the high point of postcard circulation in the history of our nation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so an idea was born! A book that featured
historic postcards around a turn-of -the century time period would be an
enjoyable and effective way to highlight the history of Buffalo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Postcard
Views, A Walk Down Main Street Buffalo, New York, circa 1910</i>, is a book
that reproduces postcards and maps in color along with a narrative and
sidebars. It shows scenes of Main Street when Buffalo was one of the largest
and more vibrant cities in America. The time period also coincides when the
technology of printing postcards was an art form that made it extremely
popular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The premise was made that Main
Street was in large part representative of the city in general. Chapters in the
book begin at the Buffalo harbor and walk up Main Street to the edge of the
commercial district. Topics include transportation, business, shopping,
commerce and entertainment sectors. Maps and sidebars show details and describe
life style features.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The postcards serve as an excellent
framework for doing historical research. A single building can prompt research
on an entire commercial enterprise; banks, department stores, hotels, theatres
and markets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Main Street also provides an
opportunity for exploring a number of architectural landmarks. Not only are
these buildings on the Register of National Historic Landmarks like St. Paul’s
Cathedral and the Guaranty Building but there were also buildings that were
equally significant but torn down like the Erie County Savings Bank at Shelton
Square.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My postcard collection has grown to
over 1600 postcards that can be cataloged in over 30 different topics. I used
one section to partially illustrate a book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
History of Orchard</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Park</i>. A
collection of Crystal Beach and Erie Beach postcards highlight an oral
presentation about the beaches on the Canadian shore. Numerous examples of
postcards make up an illustrated presentation of the Olmsted Park system in
Buffalo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if you want to tell a story about Buffalo
around 1900, consider postcards for harbor scenes, schools, hospitals, parks,
suburban towns, Niagara Falls, architecture, Delaware Avenue, and sports
venues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From my experience, I can assure
you of one observation - postcards are more interesting than collecting stamps
or baseball cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-26054336791746207902013-11-17T07:28:00.001-08:002013-11-17T07:29:26.562-08:00A Delight for Buffalo Foodies: Local Recipes for Every Season
<br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A new book published by Buffalo Spree is a food
lover’s treasure-trove. Food for Four Seasons
showcases more than 80 recipes from 56 area restaurants. Spree food editor
Christa Glennie Seychew compiled this full-color tribute to culinary delights</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.
</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As part of our continuing effort
to give readers a behind-the-scenes peek at how regional books are born, we
asked Christa to share some insights.<o:p></o:p></span></em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGukL5kD4UnmmaOKXGicwB8ALrgZTD-VRtjI0PtkUjjWhaj2SJtAZ0V_gk7dP9wAVIk-dLm11ZDHe0TUQdjcImgeV5QECt-A2foCEbhcU29xT4qK-9rDMKqA_qkbGzXiP0qJzJHORetk/s1600/spree-foodcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGukL5kD4UnmmaOKXGicwB8ALrgZTD-VRtjI0PtkUjjWhaj2SJtAZ0V_gk7dP9wAVIk-dLm11ZDHe0TUQdjcImgeV5QECt-A2foCEbhcU29xT4qK-9rDMKqA_qkbGzXiP0qJzJHORetk/s320/spree-foodcover.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:
Why did you decide to compile Food for Four Seasons?<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffalo Spree</i> has been
covering various aspects of living in WNY for nearly 50 years, we’ve never
published a book before. Assembling a cookbook full of recipes that, together,
accurately reflect the variety of independent, locally owned restaurants we
have in our region seemed like an exciting and purposeful way in which to enter
the world of book publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Q:
How did you go about the gargantuan task of choosing recipes and local chefs
for inclusion in the book?</span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rather than handpicking chefs, we really wanted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Food for Four Seasons</i> to include recipes from all kinds of
restaurants, from soup and sandwich lunch joints to fine dining establishments,
from pubs to ethnic eateries. We really reached out to everyone. We used a
variety of methods for obtaining recipes—we sent multiple letters via snail
mail to every restaurant we could think of. I also called a lot of chefs
personally. Finally, for our more tech savvy chefs, we provided an online link
for uploading a digital recipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Q:
What were a couple of the most interesting facts or "nuggets" that
you </span></i></strong></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">unearthed that perhaps
surprised even you?<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because we allowed the chefs to submit any recipe they wanted, we ended
up with a book chock-full of their personal favorites. Chefs love to eat! So
the book includes an appreciable number of lamb dishes and quite a few recipes
calling for pork. Pork has come a long way in recent years, not only with the
bacon mania that seems to have taken American by storm, but also with the
appreciation of good, locally raised heritage breed pork—something many WNY
chefs are lucky to have access to. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As we were cataloging the recipes, another interesting trend that became
apparent is the use of eggs. Ten years ago, eggs were for baking or for
breakfast. Today eggs are used as a delicious and economical way to add protein
and flavor to all kinds of recipes. Warm poached eggs are a welcome addition to
a spring salad; gently fried they can elevate pizza, pasta, and a sandwich or
burger instantly. We received so many recipes that called for a poached egg
that we created a universal recipe for the process and included it in the back
of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:
Are there one or two recipes that stand out as personal favorites?</span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are so many recipes, and such a variance in the degree of
difficulty, that it is hard to choose. I think Elm Street Bakery’s healthy and
very appetizing quinoa salad is a miracle. It has just a few ingredients,
couldn’t be easier to make and, if seasoned properly, is utterly delicious. I
also love the dish that’s on the cover; it’s lamb with gnocchi, spring
vegetables, and mint pesto. It’s from chef Bruce Wieszala at Tabree. There are
a lot of steps, but it’s not difficult—I hope a lot of intermediate cooks give
it a shot. Finally, Own No Koksware (sic.) from Sun Restaurant is the most
delicious chicken soup you’ve ever had! We are so lucky to have a Burmese
restaurant here in Buffalo, and I’m so thrilled Kevin Lin chose to share the
recipe with us. It would be tough to find anything on his menu that a typical
diner wouldn’t find both comforting and tasty, and there’s the added bonus of
the sense of adventure one feels when discovering the flavor profiles of a new
cuisine. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>For more information on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Food for
Four Seasons</i>, visit our web site at </strong></span><a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>www.buffalobooks.com</strong></span></span></a><span><strong>. While you’re visiting the site, you
might want to check out another popular local cookbook. Buffalo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cooks With Janice Okun</i> serves up tasty
recipes and many fascinating tales about the region’s love affair with food.<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-75865847628933243732013-10-30T13:16:00.000-07:002013-10-30T13:16:10.710-07:00Buffalo's Sports Legacy....One Day at a Time
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There
has never been a book about our region’s twist-filled sports legacy quite like
Budd Bailey’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Today in Buffalo Sports
History: 366 Days of Milestones</i>. Savor the special moments – one day at a
time. In our effort to give readers a behind-the-scenes peek at the birth of
regional books, Budd has shared some insights with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Q. <em>Why
did you decide to write the book?<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A. I had
written a daily series on what had happened in Buffalo sports history for The
Buffalo News during the course of two years. I realized at the end of that
series that I had collected a great deal of information on the subject that did
not make the series. Based on the reaction the newspaper articles had received,
I knew it would be interesting to people. It was just a matter of finding the
right format. When publisher Brian Meyer suggested a book, I became quite
excited about the possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Q.<em> How
did you go about researching the topic?<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A. I
obviously started with the record books of the local teams – Bills, Sabres,
Braves, Bisons, Bandits, local colleges, etc. Then my imagination went to work.
I looked up people who were inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of
Fame. I’d be reminded some of some obscure fact or incident, and head for the
computer search.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sports
books were obviously helpful, and not just the ones that have been locally
produced. I was reading a book on baseball anti-trust law and discovered that
Hal Chase had sued to get out of his contract with the Chicago White Sox in
order to jump to the Buffalo team in the Federal League in 1914. It was the
first time a baseball player had ever used anti-trust grounds to try to win his
contractual freedom. That made it historically significant, and thus worth a
note in the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Q.<em> What
were a couple of the most interesting facts that you unearthed?<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A. It’s
tough to start with a couple. My favorites are the obscure but important
stories that came up. The reserve clause allowed baseball teams to maintain the
rights to its players forever, and thus was the most important part of the
relationship between owners and players for more than 85 years. The National
League added it to its bylaws during a meeting in Buffalo in 1879.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I didn’t
know that Henry Aaron was scouted by the Boston Braves while playing in a Negro
League game in Riverside Park in Buffalo, and was signed by the Braves a short
time later. I didn’t know that the Boston Red Sox were supposed to be in
Buffalo when the American League formed in 1900, but Ban Johnson opted to take
the franchise to Boston and run it himself. I didn’t know that Tonawanda had a
National Football League franchise … for one game, in the 1920s. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrLXsZpjtqrY44qvDXULKIFLDUAxIN0_6AuB8p0wBd1qo0fhf16QDRUC31BVISXgy7f_-QgSoOSs8egMxr_4wz721LlDqCXFawzFH11WPuVleXXG4SGe1KSqTiagAIMjVnybfv3Knssk/s1600/todaysportslargecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrLXsZpjtqrY44qvDXULKIFLDUAxIN0_6AuB8p0wBd1qo0fhf16QDRUC31BVISXgy7f_-QgSoOSs8egMxr_4wz721LlDqCXFawzFH11WPuVleXXG4SGe1KSqTiagAIMjVnybfv3Knssk/s320/todaysportslargecover.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Q. <em>What
has the reaction to the book been like?</em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A. When
most people see the title, they probably think this is simply a recap of the
famous moments in the area’s sports history. It is that, of course. But they
seem to be surprised about how every sport is covered, including such topics as
boxing, bowling, track and tennis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Here’s
an example of the reaction: Someone attended an exhibition baseball game in
1963 between the International League All-Stars and the New York Yankees in War
Memorial Stadium. He didn’t have many memories of the specifics, and thus was
delighted when I had an entry about the game – including the score and its
participants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-74273753165937963932013-08-10T09:41:00.002-07:002013-08-10T10:39:53.186-07:00The "Good Old Days" at Crystal BeachThe Cyclone. Laff in the Dark. The Wild Mouse. <br />
<br />
Who can forget all those wonderful memories at Crystal Beach?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNe6YTk62TivTURwHXW31EzwA4oVogZYfzx8GYEM-l5t9HcMzi-vy9A0zbu8glB8WTYNgwRr4Jqfh_1YkKfIBW69XCTMw0fNAuAwrhAm3PzWmUsi1XqLn3mUyjbl_xrb2QFbJq4gpte0/s1600/crystabeachrollercoasterfromGoodOld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNe6YTk62TivTURwHXW31EzwA4oVogZYfzx8GYEM-l5t9HcMzi-vy9A0zbu8glB8WTYNgwRr4Jqfh_1YkKfIBW69XCTMw0fNAuAwrhAm3PzWmUsi1XqLn3mUyjbl_xrb2QFbJq4gpte0/s1600/crystabeachrollercoasterfromGoodOld.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Author Erno Rossi captured the magic in his wildly-popular book <em>Crystal Beach: The Good Old Days.</em> <br />
<br />
In our continuing effort to give folks a behind-the-scenes peek at the evolution of some well-known regional books, we chat with Erno about his literary adventure.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <strong>Why did you decide to write Crystal Beach: The Good Old Days?</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was no book about Crystal Beach when I started the research
about The Park. This was unbelievable that millions of people had loved this
place and no one had shared this affection in a book.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>How did you go about researching your topic? </strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I advertised that my oral history about Crystal Beach Amusement
Park would love your feelings about it, good or bad. The emails have never
stopped arriving—92% of respondents loved the place.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eP9QGBAsGhPVhyxmfFm6wzzJcGfI_LCkzdT2tWexs00JDVhlfgMC5g7nYovn_KA9YtVgrcuVdoqfFGMQdejr_V5966Gq0QQ6ozK-p5VzuzBl1B8PRWdUMBLDpjEoRf47rFLF8sVyHuw/s1600/crystalbeachGoodOldDays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eP9QGBAsGhPVhyxmfFm6wzzJcGfI_LCkzdT2tWexs00JDVhlfgMC5g7nYovn_KA9YtVgrcuVdoqfFGMQdejr_V5966Gq0QQ6ozK-p5VzuzBl1B8PRWdUMBLDpjEoRf47rFLF8sVyHuw/s1600/crystalbeachGoodOldDays.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>What were a couple of the most interesting facts or
"nuggets" that you <br />
unearthed that perhaps surprised even the author?</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was amazed that the Harvard Trainer plane crashed into Lake Erie
when it buzzed the Crystal Beach Boat full of kids and adults. An accident that
killed only the pilot when it very nearly was a major disaster. There were
several thousand adults and kids on board the boat that day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was working at Crystal Beach Park on Memorial Day in 1956 when
fights broke out on board the Crystal Beach Boat on its way to Crystal Beach
Park. Then the brawls continued in the Park between Black gangs from Buffalo.
This ended the Crystal Beach boat’s life at this park. And these “Race Riots”
as the media described them were bad for business there. I saw gang fights not
Race Riots.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>What chapter of the book would you label your personal
favorite? Why?</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My favorite part of this book is the reaction to it that I receive
by email or on my website whitedeath.com on Facebook or by phone. Truly an out
pouring of love, affection and nostalgia for the Good Old Days.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-47487031455753079222013-07-13T05:03:00.000-07:002013-07-13T05:03:12.214-07:00A Closer Look at Knox Farm State ParkA new book focuses on a regional gem that was once a working farm and a private summer retreat. "Knox Farm State Park" offers fascinating insights into this special spot located in East Aurora.<br />
<br />
As part of our continuing effort to give readers a behind-the-scenes peek at how regional books are born, we chat with authors Gerald L. Halligan and Renee M. Oubre.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Q: Why did you decide to write the
book?</span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2TkAESrUKKNnuiUGLi84DRdOcimKxz7N-TatdSejciZlocL1sjwRLac6ZxAlHqqmySx_J-epv5UgK9OWuAxyqBQaalJe4RWrugRqzV1kJNDXkGOn1e9Bh2bt3MkasknW2IDtpsMPTdw/s1600/knoxfarmcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2TkAESrUKKNnuiUGLi84DRdOcimKxz7N-TatdSejciZlocL1sjwRLac6ZxAlHqqmySx_J-epv5UgK9OWuAxyqBQaalJe4RWrugRqzV1kJNDXkGOn1e9Bh2bt3MkasknW2IDtpsMPTdw/s320/knoxfarmcover.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Renee:</i> Knowing that Knox Farm was in
need of help and exposure, I suggested doing a video of Seymour walking Knox
Farm, telling about its history and his experiences there. Then I remembered
Gerry was looking for a book topic. Gerry and I met to discuss the project,
then we proposed it to Seymour who said, "Why not!"<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div style="background: white; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: currentColor; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gerald:</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Renee arranged for a meeting with Seymour Knox IV in January 2012. After
several conversations, I was privileged to receive a personal tour of the farm
by Seymour. During the several months following this first tour, I was
considering writing about the famous Buffalo business leaders who interacted
with the Knox family through the generations. But immediately following a
second tour of the farm with Seymour in September 2012, the inspiration came
that there should be a book written about the new Park. It was our intention
that the book could be used as a tool by the Friends of Knox Farm to raise
capital to support their efforts to preserve the Knox Farm.<br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q: How did you go about researching your
topic?</b><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Renee:</i> In our preliminary research,
we were astonished to find that there were no existing books written on the
accomplished Seymour H. Knox family. Being from East Aurora, I am familiar with
the history of the area and its residents. Gerry was intrepid in his research
efforts near and far. We traveled to Russell, NY, the birthplace of Seymour H.
Knox to visit the historian there and to see the trio of Tiffany windows he
dedicated to his mother and donated to the town school.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q: What were a couple of the most interesting
or surprising facts that you <br />
unearthed?<br />
</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gerald:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Frankly, there were many. I was personally
impressed with the history of Seymour Knox I. His childhood in Russell, New
York, the collaboration with his cousin F. W.Woolworth in the early years of
the Five & Dime industry and the deep love for his parents and community in
his creation of Tiffany Stained Glass windows .These are preserved to this day
in the local high school in this western Adirondack community. I had never
heard of Russell NY before our first conversation with Seymour Knox IV.<br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Renee:</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Seymour H. Knox virtually saved the Mambrino King lineage
with his purchase of the stock from the Hamlin Farm sale.<br />
Helen Knox had the Shipman gardens plowed under two years before her death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: currentColor; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: currentColor; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Q: What chapter would you consider your personal favorite
and why?</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gerald:</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> This is difficult. However, the chapter on the
Shipman gardens in which I did the research at Cornell University is probably
the most significant for me. It was through reading the correspondence between
Ellen Biddle Shipman and Seymour Jr. & Helen Knox about the development of
the gardens gave great insight into creativity of these fine people. In
addition, Mr. Knox Jr. was an excellent writer. In reading his personal books
in the Rare Book Collection in the Buffalo & Erie County Central Library,
Mr. Knox helped us gain a sense of his love of his family, his horses and
personal interests related to Knox Farm. I am truly grateful to have been given
the opportunity to have been involved in this collaborative project to support
this new New York State Park.<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Renee:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
love the images with the Knox children and grandchildren at the farm. They are
sweet images of idyllic childhood days.<br />
Next, I adore the images of the animals - playful, smiling dogs in the Rolls
Royce and the beautiful horses in the pastures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: currentColor; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-1546310223003615612013-06-07T04:07:00.001-07:002013-06-07T04:07:25.554-07:00Looking Back on a Century of Screams<em>For generations, summers in Western New York were highlighted by visits to Crystal Beach.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>As part of our continuing effort to share with readers insights into the origins of our growing line of regional books, we chat with author William E. Kae about "Crystal Beach Park: A Century of Screams."</em><br />
<em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnEHzV-cikeR9kSBKe0BWz1wJCvozRrYMFNj00TzRctQYm_wHaxxppz8t63CW45ecmVdbtyi3D-JkWEg11KhkQlnflBdUk2K0ExhcWfX8NZkVzJToMsVwEbYcH7Ycz8gR9xVGKRXksb0/s1600/CrystalScreamscover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnEHzV-cikeR9kSBKe0BWz1wJCvozRrYMFNj00TzRctQYm_wHaxxppz8t63CW45ecmVdbtyi3D-JkWEg11KhkQlnflBdUk2K0ExhcWfX8NZkVzJToMsVwEbYcH7Ycz8gR9xVGKRXksb0/s320/CrystalScreamscover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</em><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: Why did you decide to
write Crystal Beach Park – A Century of Screams?<br />
A:</span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I
didn’t intend to write any books. I was living in Tampa, Florida during the
1990s and I was passing through a town called Crystal Beach on the Gulf Coast
just north of St. Petersburg. For the hell of it, I stopped in at their small
library to find out of there was any information about the town c started or
got its name. Turned out it was also founded by John Rebstock who founded
Crystal Beach, Ontario. On subsequent vacations back to Buffalo I began combing
through 1880s newspapers on microfilm at the Buffalo and Erie County Public
Library to learn more about Rebstock and the early years of Crystal Beach Park
just to satisfy my own curiosity. Then it just snowballed.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q: How did you go about researching your
topic (make you sure mention any interesting avenues that you pursued).</b> <br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A:</b> First, I began combing through
newspapers on microfilm, then census records. Once I realized that I was
amassing so much information I began considering writing a book. There was just
too much information for a comprehensive history on Crystal Beach in one
volume, so it became three volumes… Steamers of the Crystal Beach Line, Crystal
Beach Live, and Crystal Beach Park - – Century of Screams. <br />
<br />
Since each book is on a different aspect of Crystal Beach History, the research
was complicated and ranged from searching through archival records of Great
Lakes Maritime institutions, patent office records, archives of ride
manufacturers, interviews with surviving members of the musicians that
entertained at the park, amusement industry trade journals… its endless.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q: What were a couple of the most
interesting facts or "nuggets" that you unearthed that surprised you?</b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A:</b> I was expecting to find
information about the religious retreat that is considered to be the start of
Crystal Beach in 1888. But there was nothing about this retreat or any activity
on Point Abino Bay until Crystal Beach opened in 1890. All the elements of the
1888-1889 retreat perpetuated as the start of Crystal Beach are in fact
elements of the Crystal Beach International Assembly that began five years
after Crystal Beach was established.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q: What chapter/section of the book
would you label your personal favorite? Why? </b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A:</b> I do not have a particular
favorite chapter, however, I think I found development of the sites plans that
illustrate how the park physically evolved with the positioning of the rides
interesting. In a transcendental way, they capture the century of Crystal Beach
Park history</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">without words.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>Check out "Crystal Beach Park: A Century of Screams" at </em><a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/"><em>www.buffalobooks.com</em></a> .</span></span></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-25591498259595826472013-05-25T04:58:00.001-07:002013-05-25T04:58:37.421-07:00The Birth of "Buffalo Treasures"Every so often, one of our regional authors will share insights about the "birth" of a book. The author will reveal how a specific book was conceived, discuss research adventures and perhaps highlight a favorite chapter.<br />
<br />
East Aurora resident Jan Sheridan kicks off this occasional blog series. Jan has written several books, including <em>National Landmarks of Western New York</em> and <em>Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo and Western New York. </em>Her first book was <em>Buffalo Treasures: Downtown Walking Guide & Driving Tour of Frank Lloyd Wright Homes. </em>Jan shares some thoughts about this popular book.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8Tgf2fPvCZDcHweNLh1d0gApQKpBbs5-sU5X_Q2LPNR2X40-sE4OTVdufjgk6aUAtijIy94n2AZpcT8GXgUbD8Pj6DOSnyjnkKd92vu6b2gvdahgJHAi0PcG-dZ0FQvg9wrRtWYhPvk/s1600/BfoTreasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8Tgf2fPvCZDcHweNLh1d0gApQKpBbs5-sU5X_Q2LPNR2X40-sE4OTVdufjgk6aUAtijIy94n2AZpcT8GXgUbD8Pj6DOSnyjnkKd92vu6b2gvdahgJHAi0PcG-dZ0FQvg9wrRtWYhPvk/s320/BfoTreasures.jpg" width="172" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What spurred you to
write <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffalo Treasures?<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
Writing the book came in stages. I was teaching Art
Appreciation at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Erie</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Community College</st1:placetype></st1:place> and
decided to take the students on field trips to appreciate <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:city>’s outstanding architecture. I found
only one book on the subject so I started researching the background of each
building. I contacted architectural historian Austin Fox and ended up
contributing 14 entries to one of his books. When I told Brian about my
research into downtown Buffalo architecture, we decided to write a book about
it.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How did you go about
researching your topic?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
The libraries and archives at the Albright Knox Gallery and
the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society proved to be the best sources of
information about the buildings and their architects. I took all the photos
myself.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What were some of
your favorite nuggets that were unearthed during your research mission?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
I was surprised to find more than 25 significant
architectural sites in downtown <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:city>
which can be seen in a short 2 hour walking tour. The variety of interesting
buildings also fascinated me – from restaurants to churches and buildings
redesigned to serve new purposes.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Is there a section in
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffalo Treasures</i> that ranks as your
favorite?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
I am a visual person so those buildings with artistic design
qualities are my favorites. In this case, they would be the City Hall, the <st1:place w:st="on">Calumet</st1:place>, the Old Post Office/ ECC campus and many more.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Can you share a few
significant milestone dates that are highlighted in your book? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>In the 1880,s the entire interior of St. Paul’s
Episcopal Cathedral blew up in a gas explosion.<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>In 1825 the French General Lafayette made a
speech at what is now called Lafayette Square.<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>In 1896 the largest office building in the world
was constructed in Ellicott Square.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-39889260966166415522013-04-14T06:53:00.001-07:002013-04-14T07:19:01.719-07:00"The Enduring Irishness of Buffalo's First Ward"<span style="font-family: "Brown-Regular+QRCPXY","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Timothy
Bohen, author of "Against the Grain: The History of Buffalo's First
Ward," wrote a fascinating piece for the March edition of the Irish Echo.
We thought some folks might enjoy reading an excerpt from this article:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">During
the 1840s and '50s, numerous Irish-American enclaves in North America arose as
a result of the Great Famine in Ireland. Some of these Irish settlements are
well known such as the Bowery and Five Points in New York City, Canaryville and
Bridgeport in Chicago, and Southie in both Boston and South Philadelphia.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">But
one of the longest enduring and most historically significant is a community
called the First Ward, located in Buffalo, New York. </span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">The
First Ward was a political entity along the banks of Buffalo's bustling
waterfront. A small group of Irish settled in this marshy land after working </span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">on
the construction of the Erie Canal in 1825, and by 1841 there was a large
enough Irish neighborhood to form St. Patrick's Parish just north of the First </span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ward.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Around
the turn of the twentieth century, many middle-class Irish would migrate from
the Ward to a neighborhood called South Buffalo - the home of the<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">late
NBC host Tim Russert and Chicago Blackhawk's hockey star Patrick Kane. </span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">But a
sizable Irish contingent remained in the Ward for generations. Many Irish came
to Buffalo to work in the burgeoning grain transshipment industry after J</span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">oseph
Dart invented the world's first steam-powered grain elevator in 1842. By 1850,
the Irish dominated the political leadership of the First Ward, </span><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">and
were able to take charge of their destiny.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Professor
William Jenkins from York University in Toronto claims that the First Ward is
one of the longest enduring blue-collar Irish neighborhoods in North<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">America.
There are two reasons for this durability. First, the Irish controlled an
entire political ward and were thus able to exchange their votes for an
outsized<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">proportion
of civil servant and government jobs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Over
time this enabled many residents to move into the middle class, so the benefits
of remaining in this community were high. Second, the Irish in this<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">neighborhood
were physically cut off from their fellow Buffalonians. Railroad tracks,
canals, towering grain elevators, the Buffalo River, and Lake Erie<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">were
the barriers that kept them isolated in place and spirit.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">The
Ward's physical isolation was one of the major reasons it endured while other
communities in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia integrated more<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">quickly
with non-Irish residents. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">The
First Ward's contribution to the history of Buffalo, New York and our nation is
noteworthy. In politics and government, First Warders made significant<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">contributions.
The most famous was General William "Wild Bill" Donovan. Donovan,
raised in the Ward, led the 1st Battalion of the famed 69th Irish brigade in<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">World
War I and later becameits regimental commander. In 1919, Colonel "Wild
Bill" earned a hero's welcome in New York City upon returning from his
victories on the battlefields in France and became one of America's most
decorated soldiers. He is the only soldier to have earned the Medal of Honor,
the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the
National Security Medal.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">In
the early 1940s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt tapped Donovan to create the
Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA, and he is known
as the "Father of American Intelligence."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Other
prominent First Ward politicians include John C. Sheehan and his brother
William "Blue-Eyed Billy" Sheehan. John, the comptroller for the city
of<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Buffalo,
left his hometown for New York City after he was caught embezzling city funds.
After arriving in New York, he worked for Tammany<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Hall
and eventually became Police Commissioner of New York City. Later, John grabbed
the all powerful title of Tammany Hall boss after Richard<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Crocker
stepped aside. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">John's
younger brother "Blue-Eyed Billy" was the Speaker of the New York
State Assembly, New York's youngest lieutenant governor, and in 1904 an
influence in U.S. presidential politics when he maneuvered to get his friend
Alton B. Parker picked as the Democratic nominee to run against Teddy
Roosevelt. Sheehan was also the choice to be a U.S. senator from New York in
1911 until a young New York state legislator named Franklin Delano Roosevelt
stopped his inevitable nomination. Despite the setback, Billy Sheehan went on
to use his political connections to become a millionaire lawyer in New York
City.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"> * * *
*<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">"Against
the Grain" also showcases other First Ward characters, including Fingy
Conners and Jimmy Griffin. Check it out at </span><a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/"><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="color: blue;">www.buffalobooks.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Brown-Light+AOBBYP","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-31387472286966174232013-03-17T06:02:00.000-07:002013-03-17T06:13:17.742-07:00Some "Griffinisms" for St. Patrick's DayOn this St. Patrick's Day, it's fitting that we post a few of our favorite "Griffinisms." These memorable quotes came from the late Jimmy Griffin, the man whose 16-year stint as Buffalo mayor broke an all-time record for the city.<br />
<br />
Hundreds of these quotes are included in: "The World According to Griffin: The End of an Era," available at <a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/">www.buffalobooks.com</a><br />
<br />
[During a City Hall news conference in 1992:] "The only difference between a puppy and Brian Meyer is that a puppy stops whining after six weeks."<br />
<br />
"The Buffalo News does not celebrate Christmas because they can't find three wise men in the building." [Author's note: This quote was much more humorous to me back in the days when I was competing against the newspaper. It seemed less humorous after I went to work the News!]<br />
<br />
[On the Green Lighnting sculpture that briefly graced the Elm-Oak Arterial:] "It's a cheap bunch of junk that some kid put up."<br />
<br />
"I'm not usually a guy who goes around telling people what to do..."<br />
<br />
[On former Buffalo School Board members:] "They've been spending like drunken sailors, and now the chickens have come home to roost."<br />
<br />
AND OF COURSE..... "Stay inside, grab a six-pack and watch a good football game."<br />
<br />Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4026025296887743463.post-66794336037235407792013-03-14T11:56:00.002-07:002013-03-14T11:56:50.981-07:00Buffalo Books moves into the blogosphereA regional publishing odyssey that began 29 years ago takes an exciting turn today as Western New York Wares Inc. moves into the blogosphere. <br />
<br />
Since 1984, our company has been involved in either publishing and/or distributing more than 175 books that focus on the people, places and events that have shaped the Buffalo region's history. We've been overwhelmed by the positive response. Over the past three decades, we've moved about 323,000 copies of books, videos and games about Western New York into stores, homes, schools and libraries around the world.<br />
<br />
We've been fortunate to have forged partnerships with some of the region's most creative, knowledgeable and "connected" authors. <br />
<br />
Our goal in creating this new blog is to harness yet another tool for showcasing Western New York history, promoting our growing line of regional books and fostering dialogue between our authors and readers.<br />
<br />
We are going to begin this new adventure in a deliberative way. In the early stages, our goal will be to post a couple entries per month from authors that highlight certain aspects of life in the Buffalo Niagara region. We're a tiny enterprise and we already have many proverbial "irons in the fire" that consume quite a bit of time. For example, check out our Facebook page and "like" us at Books on Buffalo. Our web site (<a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/">www.buffalobooks.com</a>) showcase all of our books.<br />
<br />
But this blog will allow us to do some things that are more difficult to launch on our other Internet platforms. <br />
<br />
We're delighted to be making our blogosphere debut, and we look forward to getting lots of feedback!<br />
<br />
Brian Meyer<br />
Founder and publisher<br />
Western New York Wares Inc. <a href="http://www.buffalobooks.com/">www.buffalobooks.com</a> Buffalo Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16792559917723020714noreply@blogger.com0