Heritage n. — “any attribute or immaterial possession that is inherited from ancestors”
Rust Belt — “…By the 1980s, the Rust Belt became what the Dust Bowl had been to an earlier generation– a symbolic name for a devastating economic change.” — from Encyclopedia.com
Buffalo’s heritage is surely industrial in nature, and the catastrophic economic changes that shaped this area as plants shut down seem to be the crucible which has shaped the cultural resurgence of the area.
For decades these sites that once provided the paychecks and pensions to hard-working people of this region sat empty, abandoned and mouldering. But now, those same sites are contributing to the growth of the area in a surprising way: tourism.
From the Erie Canal terminus which is now the site of Canalside, to the Steel Plant Museum, various organizations have seized upon Buffalo’s legacy and highlight that selfsame heritage, educating people while entertaining them.
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. marks the second annual “Steelfest” at the Steel Plant Museum, part of the Heritage DiscoveRY Center at 100 Lee St. Marking the opening of their new exhibit “Women of Steel,” the festival also features local vendors and Lloyd taco truck, so you can sate both your historical and literal appetites. The Heritage DiscoveRY Center is also home to the Western New York Railway Historical Society, the Buffalo Lighthouse Association and the Buffalo Irish Geneaology Society.
From Buffalo’s molten past to its role in opening up shipping to the West, Canalside offers up “everyday summer fun” all weekend from lawn games to waterbike rentals, as well as being the launch point for Buffalo River History Tours. BRHT offers two cruises this weekend: the Buffalo River Tour daily at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 4:30 p.m., which covers the story of the Erie Canal, and; the Silo City Tour at 2:15 p.m. daily which transports participants to Silo City via the water to a tour reviewing how Buffalo was the largest grain port in the world for a century.
The prolific Explore Buffalo, “Inviting everyone to experience Buffalo’s great architecture, history, and neighborhoods,” celebrates Buffalo’s Industrial past this weekend in number of ways.
Bright and early Saturday morning, hit the waterways as part of the Elevator Alley Kayak Tour. This guided two-and-a-half hour kayak tour offers a perspective of the grain elevators that cannot be matched, and includes an overview of the history of the grain elevators.
Not into paddling? The 10 a.m. walking tour “Riverfront Renaissance” focuses on the redevelopment of the canal terminus as well as the history of waterfront industry in Buffalo.
Waterfront views of the grain elevators not unique enough for you? Then try Silo City: Vertical at 10 a.m. Sunday. Ominously “not recommended for those with a fear of heights,” this in-depth tour covers the history and internal mechanics of the grain elevators, culminating on the roof of the American and Perot grain elevator complexes.
And, for those of you, like me, who shake like a leaf at the mere thought of being that close to the stratosphere, there is also Silo City: Grounded at 1 p.m. Sunday. Feet firmly on the ground, you can tour the ground floors of a flour mill, two grain elevators and a malthouse, while learning about that industry’s role in Buffalo’s development.
Explore Buffalo’s numerous tours are available in many iterations, so check their calendar for repeats if you can’t get free this weekend. Also, if the climbing to the top of the silos thing is your jam, consider the Sunset Silo City: Vertical tours on Thursdays in June.
Helen Bach is a returned WNY expatriate, now a Buffalo resident. She has 3 adult-sized kids, 1 wiggle-sized dog and a scintillating career dramatically unrelated to journalism.
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