Black Rock Historical Society

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Black Rock Historical Society The Black Rock Historical Society was established in 2011 to preserve and the heritage and culture of the historic communities of northwest Buffalo.

Thank you to our donors, sponsors and grantors including:

- New York State

- Erie County: Erie County Legislator Lisa Chimera

- City of Buffalo: North District Councilmember Joe Golombek and the Northwest Buffalo Community Center

- Erie County Industrial Development Agency

- Paul & Helen Ellis Charitable Trust

- Arts Services Inc.

- The Baird Foundation

- Fatta Foundation

- Pomeroy Foundation for NYS History

- West Side Youth Development Coalition

And a special thank you to the RiverRock Times for publishing our event notices and original articles.

A great evening with Historian/Author Tom Schobert and the saga of Jonathan Hubbard Forsyth, Avon, NY native and Defende...
10/16/2026

A great evening with Historian/Author Tom Schobert and the saga of Jonathan Hubbard Forsyth, Avon, NY native and Defender of the Alamo.

10/13/2026

There will be a Riverside Park Community Meeting on October 22. Check out the attached flyer for more info!

10/12/2026

Neighborhood Stories 🏘️ Black Rock wasn't always part of Buffalo. For decades it was its own rival town right next door, and it almost won the fight that made Buffalo famous.

Settlement here began around 1795 with a ferry crossing the Niagara River to Fort Erie, and the area's first industry was shipbuilding along the water. In the 1820s, Black Rock competed directly with Buffalo to become the western terminus of the new Erie Canal. Buffalo won out, mostly because it had the bigger natural harbor, and that one decision shaped everything that came after for both communities. ⚓

Black Rock got its name from a huge outcropping of black limestone along the river, blasted away in the early 1820s to make room for the canal. The town incorporated on its own in 1839, then was finally annexed into the City of Buffalo in 1853, becoming just another neighborhood in the city it once tried to beat.

If you grew up in Black Rock, what's the story locals still tell about the old rivalry with Buffalo?

Today, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day and honor the people whose lives, cultures, and traditions have been formativ...
10/12/2026

Today, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day and honor the people whose lives, cultures, and traditions have been formative to the history and heritage of Northwest Buffalo.

We recognize the enduring contributions of Indigenous peoples to our community and reflect on the stories, traditions, and connections to this land that continue to shape Buffalo today.

Address

436 Amherst Street
Buffalo, NY
14207

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 3pm
Friday 11am - 3pm

Telephone

+17163313055

Website

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