Depending on what you want to do in Buffalo, it can take anywhere from a day to a week to see everything. I found some great architectural sights, amazing food, and opportunities to relax and watch the world go by during my 3 days in town. My main purpose this time was to see my beloved Toronto Blue Jays play an entire weekend series at their home away from home, Sahlen Field. But as a lover of travel and cool sites, I didnt let that take up all my time. Heres my of the best (and not so best) things I enjoyed in the area.
As dedicated readers of my blog will know, Im a sucker for Art Deco architecture. If you love it as much as I do, then you need to visit Buffalo. Their City Hall is absolutely stunning. I was not prepared in the slightest, the first time I laid eyes on it back in 2016. I was driving back from Toronto, and when I got to Buffalo, I turned the corner and there, in the middle of all this urban sprawl, was a monument to behold. It dwarfs everything. Despite
its age (built in 1930), the Buffalo City Hall is still the tallest building in the area. Im surprised I didnt cause a wreck with all my gawking back then. I couldnt find a place to park, so I vowed that the next time I was in town, Id make a point of visiting this cathedral to my favorite architectural style.
And so here we are, in July 2021, and I paid my respects in person. This time, I walked from the baseball field over to the downtown area, which was less than 15 minutes. I saw a couple of fellows taking pictures of a church along the way, so I stopped and enjoyed their view. One of them, seeing my Blue Jays shirt, asked if I was going to the game later. I said yes, and he said that they were going, as well. Connections. Then I kept walking. Past another governmental building from the Victorian period, and then around another block.
The height of Buffalo City Hall makes it hard to miss, even from several blocks away. You can see the top of it over all the other buildings, so it makes for a good orientation
point, if you ever get lost. Once I turned the corner, my attention was rapt. This being a Sunday morning, I was able to walk into the middle of the street, from two blocks away, and take pictures of the entire building. No traffic was around, and I can only remember seeing three pedestrians until I got to the back side of the building and stumbled across a church congregation exiting from their services.
From a photography perspective, this building is difficult to capture in all its glory. Too close, and you miss the sheer scope of the building. Too far, and you cant see anything except the outlines. After trying to capture the whole thing (thanks to my phone cameras lens), I giddily crossed the streets to get a (literal) feel for the details.
I dont know why, but I always to touch these old buildings. Its like they can tell a story that I otherwise wouldnt be able to know. What secrets do you hold, old building? What have you seen in your life? They never answer back, but its still a calming experience for me.
Hall is spectacular. The columns, the friezes above the doorways, even the ceiling of the portico, they all feel like Ive stepped back in time. At each corner of the building, you can find statues of famous statesmen from the area, such as Grover Cleveland and Millard Fillmore (presidents of the USA). Each window has busts of entities, in Art Deco style, with homages to various agricultural products of the area. The whole building just looks like something youd see in Metropolis of the from the early days. Its a fun nostalgic trip.
I went to the other side of the building, where I saw the church letting out. My intention was to stay on my side of the street, so as not to get in the way of the congregants. But then I saw a glorious fire station that screamed Art Deco. Id have to cross the street to get to it, but thankfully, it was on the opposite side of this perpendicular street from the church (which was from the nineteenth century).
