June 19, 2016 Father’s Day
I want to wish my father, Ed Davis, a Happy Father’s Day. Love you very much.
The Moose Lodge fixed a free breakfast for all Dad’s. It was very nice. People we had met over the weekend were there and brought us new brochures of the area. After breakfast, we headed out to find the Made in America store in Elma, NY.Mark Andol started this store in 2010. They only sell products that are 100% made in America. How cool is that? You can read the history here.
We bought a new broom. Lipman. 100% American made. They even sold Jack Daniel’s T-shirts. Must be 100% made in America. That is cool.
Then off to Buffalo.
Coca-Cola Field, Home of the Buffalo Bisons.
That is City Hall. DANG!!
We drove right into downtown.
Such pretty flowers.
So we parked and walked over to what is called “Canalside”. 21-acre park on Lake Erie in Downtown Buffalo. It was a beautiful day and crowded with people.
October 26, 1825 The Erie Canal was opened. Governor Dewitt Clinton officially opened the canal. This was 8 years after he first broke ground on the 363 mile canal. Governor Clinton boarded a packet boat, the Seneca Chief, bound for New York City. He took along 2 wooded kegs filled with water from Lake Erie. The canal opened trade from the Great Lakes to the Eastern Seaboard and Europe. On November 4, the boats reached the end of the canal, at Albany. From there, steamboats escorted the Seneca Chief down the Hudson River to the New York City Harbor. In a triumphant ceremony, Governor Clinton poured the Lake Erie water into the Atlantic, wedding the Great Lakes to the ocean.
They offer boat tours and Pirate ship adventures.
Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park. This is the USS Little Rock, a Guided Missile Cruiser. She is the sole surviving member of that fleet.
The Spirit of Buffalo.
Large waterfront area for boats. This is the Buffalo River.
Large boardwalk area.
Lots and lots of kayaks. That is Times Beach Nature Preserve across the water.
This leads to the Niagara River which leads to Niagara Falls.
Buffalo is well known for their grain business. This photo was taken in 1868.
The original Frontier Elevator was constructed in 1886. In 1903, the Washburn-Crosby Co. built a brick flour mill next door, along with nine tile storage bins. Much expansion took place in 1908-09 with a new mill and concrete elevator. By 1913 it was the fourth largest elevating and milling company in the country. After WWI the milling industry became very unstable. In 1928 James Bell of Washburn-Crosby aligned a number of smaller milling companies to merge into the new General Mills. In 1941 a new mill for cereal & packaged goods was completed. When the plant opened it introduced “Cheerioats”, the country’s first ready-to-eat oat cereal. In 1945 the name was changed to “Cheerios” to settle a trademark dispute.
There are a number of little parks around downtown.
Very shallow pools for paddle boating.
First Niagara Center – Home of the NHL- Buffalo Sabres
The Liberty Building
Has 2 Statues of Liberty.
City Hall. Wow!
Public Art.
The 13th President 1850 -1853. The last president not to be affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic parties. He assumed the presidency after Zachary Taylor’s death.
Cool looking building.
All of these large buildings make the truck look really small. That is a large church with the clock tower in the distance.
Buffalo Harbor State Park. This place is huge.
We enjoyed Buffalo a lot more than I would have expected. It is off to Niagara Falls tomorrow. Cheers.