Happy 185th Birthday

Coit House, Virginia Street

As Buffalo celebrates its 185th birthday, we thought it only fitting to visit one of the city's historic homes. This one, technically, predates the city. Still got it. Considered by many to be the oldest house in Buffalo, the Coit House, on Virginia Street, was born from the ashes of the fire set by the British in the Battle of Buffalo. Washington and Buffalo were destroyed by the British in the War of 1812. The Burning of Buffalo actually occurred in December of 1813. The Coit House, as it exists today, was built in 1815, with the Incorporation of the City of Buffalo taking place only 17 years later, on April 20th of 1832.

http://history.buffalonet.org/1832.html

http://buffaloah.com/a/va/414/fryer.html

Sunday Sanctuary

A View of the Japanese Garden - Mirror Lake

The sole occupant of the string of tiny islands in Mirror Lake is a white crane. The scene could be that of  a Buddhist meditative sanctuary, but it is just off the Scajaquada Expressway and Elmwood Avenue. Tucked in behind the Historical Society and Nottingham Terrace, you will find the Japanese Garden, quiet, understated and tranquil as it was intended to be. The walkway that passes through the garden, shadows the creek taking you from the lake at Delaware Park across the former Parkway, now the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198 ), along Nottingham Terrace to the Garden, and all the way to Niagara Street. The garden is based on the design of a garden in our sister city of Kanazawa, Japan and installed by skilled Japanese artisans. The garden fits seamlessly into the Olmsted design, which itself was influenced by that country's nature-based architecture. The ancient quality of the garden does not belie its 1970s construction, and that is a good thing. In 2012 it was dedicated as an International Peace Garden commemorating our post War of 1812 peace, exemplified by the longest unprotected border in the world, that between the U.S. and Canada.

http://www.ipgf.org/gardens/go.asp?siteid=buffaloja1812
http://buffaloah.com/a/notting/25/jap/jap.html