6 Facts About Buffalo, New York

According to the 2020 census, Buffalo is the 76th largest city in the United States, with a population of more than 278,000 residents. Buffalo, which was founded in 1801, is also the seat of Erie County.

Here are six fun Buffalo, New York facts.

1. 1. Buffalo was home to the very first Winter Classic for the NHL. (source) Since it first occurred in 2008, the NHL’s Winter Classic has become one of the most popular sporting events annually in the United States, and the first game in the series was played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills. In this game, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in a shootout in front of the 71,217 hockey fans in attendance.

2. 2. Buffalo is the second most populous city in New York State. (source) Behind New York City, Buffalo is even more populous than the State’s capital city of Albany. In Buffalo, there are close to one million people in the metropolitan area itself, but only around 261,000 within the city center.

3. 3. You can be fined $25.00 for flirting in public on Buffalo streets. (source) Per state laws, flirting in public on the streets of Buffalo can result in a fine. For the singles of Buffalo, it’s a good thing that dating apps like Tinder now exist.

4. 4. Buffalo has more than 1,000 restaurants. (source) When it comes to food, Buffalo is known for way more than just buffalo wings. With over 1,000 restaurants within the city, Buffalo is surprisingly more of a foodie town than one would think.

5. 5. Buffalo is home to two professional sports teams. (source) The Buffalo Bills of the National Football League and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League are the two major sports franchises that represent Western New York. The Buffalo Bills have been a staple in the area since 1960, while the Buffalo Sabres first hit the ice for the NHL’s 1970 season.

6. 6. Two United States Presidents were originally from Buffalo, and another was assassinated there. (source) Former United States Presidents Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland were both from Buffalo, New York. Not only that, but William McKinkley was assassinated there in September of 1901.

Buffalo has quite the storied history, having been founded more than 200 years ago. Do you have any other fun facts to share about the second largest city in New York State?

Featured image photo credit: Dekema, 2021. Originally found on Wikimedia.org. Image was resized and cropped. Creative Commons 4.0.