Buffalo, New York And Why Is The Team Called The Bills?

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Buffalo, New York

August 17, 2024

Buffalo is the county seat of Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River on the Canada–United States border. With a population of 278,349 according to the 2020 census, Buffalo is the second-most populous city in New York state and the 81st-most populous city in the U.S. Buffalo and the city of Niagara Falls together make up the two-county Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 1.2 million in 2020, making it the 49th-largest metro area in the U.S.

Before the 17th century, the region was inhabited by nomadic Paleo-Indians who were succeeded by the Neutral, Erie, and Iroquoisnations. In the early 17th century, the French began to explore the region. In the 18th century, Iroquois land surrounding Buffalo Creekwas ceded through the Holland Land Purchase, and a small village was established at its headwaters. In 1825, after its harbor was improved, Buffalo was selected as the terminus of the Erie Canal, which led to its incorporation in 1832. The canal stimulated its growth as the primary inland port between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Transshipment made Buffalo the world's largest grain port of that era. After the coming of railroads greatly reduced the canal's importance, the city became the second-largest railway hub (after Chicago). During the mid-19th century, Buffalo transitioned to manufacturing, which came to be dominated by steel production. Later, deindustrialization and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway saw the city's economy decline and diversify. It developed its service industries, such as health care, retail, tourism, logistics, and education, while retaining some manufacturing. In 2019, the gross domestic product of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls MSA was $53 billion (~$62.3 billion in 2023).

The village of Buffalo was named for Buffalo Creek.

The city's cultural landmarks include the oldest urban parks system in the United States, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the Buffalo History Museum, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Shea's Performing Arts Center, the Buffalo Museum of Science, and several annual festivals. Its educational institutions include the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State University, Canisius University, and D'Youville University. Buffalo is also known for its winter weather, Buffalo wings, and three major-league sports teams: the National Football League's Buffalo Bills, the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and the National Lacrosse League's Buffalo Bandits.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Puerto Rican migrants arrived en masse, also seeking industrial jobs, settling on the East Side and moving westward. In the 21st century, Buffalo is classified as a majority minority city, with a plurality of residents who are Black and Latino.

The Economy

The Erie Canal was the impetus for Buffalo's economic growth as a transshipment hub for grain and other agricultural products headed east from the Midwest. Later, manufacturing of steel and automotive parts became central to the city's economy.[128] When these industries downsized in the region, Buffalo's economy became service-based. Its primary sectors include health care, business services (banking, accounting, and insurance), retail, tourism and logistics, especially with Canada.[128] Despite the loss of large-scale manufacturing, some manufacturing of metals, chemicals, machinery, food products, and electronics remains in the region.[129] Advanced manufacturing has increased, with an emphasis on research and development (R&D) and automation.[129] In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis valued the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls MSA at $53 billion (~$62.3 billion in 2023).

The civic sector is a major source of employment in the Buffalo area, and includes public, non-profit, healthcare and educational institutions.[131] New York State, with over 19,000 employees, is the region's largest employer.[132] In the private sector, top employers include the Kaleida Health and Catholic Health hospital networks and M&T Bank, the sole Fortune 500 company headquartered in the city.[133] Most have been the top employers in the region for several decades.[134] Buffalo is home to the headquarters of Rich Products, Delaware North and New Era Cap Company; the aerospace manufacturer Moog Inc. and toy maker Fisher-Price are based in nearby East Aurora. National Fuel Gas and Life Storage are headquartered in Williamsville, New York.

Buffalo weathered the Great Recession of 2006–09 well in comparison with other U.S. cities, exemplified by increased home prices during this time.[135] The region's economy began to improve in the early 2010s, adding over 25,000 jobs from 2009 to 2017.[129] With state aid, Tesla, Inc.'s Giga New York plant opened in South Buffalo in 2017.[136] The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, however, increased the local unemployment rate to 7.5 percent by December 2020.[137] The local unemployment rate had been 4.2 percent in 2019,[138] higher than the national average of 3.5 percent.

Why Are They Called The Bills?

The Buffalo Bills' name comes from the famous Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody. In 1947, the Bills' owner, James Breuil, held a contest to rename his All-America Football Conference (AAFC) team, which had previously been called the Bisons. The winning entry was "Bills," submitted by James F. Dyson, who compared the team to a band of "Buffalo Bills". The name was chosen over other suggestions, including Bullets, Nickels, and Blue Devils, and helped that Breuil also owned Frontier Oil Company, which wanted to embrace a frontier theme for its Buffalo holdings.