Buffalo is the second largest city in the US state of New York. The region was explored several times in the 17th century, and over time a fort was built here. However, it took until the end of the 18th century before a small trading post was established on the site where Joseph Ellicott founded Buffalo in 1801.

At first the town was called New Amsterdam, but it was called Buffalo after the river Buffalo Creek, and it soon became the town’s official name. In 1810, there were 1,500 inhabitants in Buffalo, a number that increased continuously throughout the 19th century, not least due to industrialization and Buffalo’s strategic location for trade and transport. Industry and transportation boomed, and in 1901 the city hosted The Pan-American Exposition.

During a visit to the Exposition, President William McKinley was fatally wounded by gunfire, and Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as the new president in Buffalo. From 1,500 inhabitants in 1810, the city had grown to 425,000 inhabitants in 100 years, and although the growth lasted for a few more decades, Buffalo was hit hard by industrial decline in the last half of the 20th century.

Today, Buffalo is a city with a beautiful location and many sights and attractions. The city’s downtown is close to the shore of Lake Erie, and you can start a stroll at Niagara Square, which forms the center of Buffalo. The square was part of the early city plans for the village of Buffalo Village, but in the first half of the 20th century the village character was replaced by large buildings that transformed Niagara Square into the city’s administrative center.

On the west side of Niagara Square stands Buffalo City Hall, a 121-meter-high art deco town hall, which was completed in 1931. The town hall replaced the nearby County and City Hall, which was built 1871-1875 as a combined town hall and courthouse. In front of Buffalo City Hall is the obelisk McKinley Monument, which was dedicated in memory of President William McKinley in 1907, since the president had been fatally wounded by gunfire at the Pan-American Exposition in the city in 1901.

There are quite a few skyscrapers in Buffalo from different architectural eras. The Guaranty Building from 1896 is a good example of an early skyscraper at 51 meters in height. From the same year, the beautifully decorated Ellicott Square Building stands in the city’s streets. The Electric Tower is a slightly newer beaux-arts-inspired high-rise from 1912. A little east of downtown you can see the Buffalo Central Terminal, an art deco train station that was in operation from 1929 to 1979.

In the northern part of Buffalo is the city’s university campus and Delaware Park, and it is a place with several interesting museums such as The Buffalo History Museum, which tells the story of the city and its development. The museum is set in the New York pavilion from The Pan-American Exhibition. Nearby, you can visit the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, which is a museum of contemporary and modern art, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center. You can also take a walk in Delaware Park, where there are several statues.

With the city’s location at the mouth of the Buffalo River in Lake Erie, it is an obvious idea to go for a walk along the river and the lakeshore. At the mouth of the river, you can see the Buffalo Main Light in Lighthouse Point Park. The lighthouse was active between 1833 and 1914, and from the park there is a fine view of Lake Erie. You can also visit the Erie Basin Marina and the many parks that line the water. If you want to see it all from a distance, you can go along the Peace Bridge, from where you can see the city’s skyline.