Only knuckleheads—and the obstinately unenlightened—write off Buffalo, N.Y., as nothing more than a winter icebox and the birthplace of a certain sports-bar delicacy. In the late 19th century, the city emerged as a cultural beacon, spurred by industrial boom times and the construction of the Erie Canal. One of the first U.S. urban areas to adopt electric lighting—thanks to the hydroelectric power of neighboring Niagara Falls—it attracted big-name architects to build everything from office buildings to private homes. Start your edifice appreciation tour with a guided spin around downtown organized...
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