History of the Upper West Side

Reprinted with permission as a public service by the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier, now the Preservation Buffalo Niagara

Houses of Worship: A Guide to the Religious Architecture of Buffalo, New York
By James Napora
Table of Contents

The Lower West Side
MAP

Encompassing the area from behind City Hall to Porter Avenue, the Lower West side has long been recognized for its Italian heritage. But long before their arrival here, the area served a pointedly different purpose.

Hemmed in by the Erie Canal on the West, the land immediately adjacent to the canal functioned in capacities related to the canal and shipping. Along the canal slips were cut inland to serve the water related industries such as boat makers and riggers. Numerous other industries competed for space on the lands immediately adjacent to the docks including several cotton and wool textile mills and a paint factory.

During the mid 1850s, residential development of the area began to occur. Unusual in the city, both rich and poor lived together in the area. Amongst the modest frame and brick cottages of the workers stood the larger, more imposing homes of the merchants and factory owners.

Efner/Trenton district: One of the most interesting areas in the Lower West Side can be found north of Virginia Street and west of Busti. Reduced to an area of two city blocks by well intended urban renewal efforts, the Efner/Trenton district is a reminder of the living conditions of dock workers in the 1870s and 1880s. Two blocks of small cottages line both sides of the streets providing the last visual link to the appearance of the area during its canal years. The street is named for Elijah D. Efner, a former president of Buffalo Savings Bank, whose estate, Elmstone, originally included land in the vicinity of present day Seventh Street.

Although Italians began to arrive in the United States beginning in 1848, two years later only seven of them resided in Buffalo. By 1882, many began to arrive in the city and by the early 1890s a sizable community began to take shape. Increasing in numbers, by the turn of the century over 13,000 Italians resided in the city creating what would become the third largest immigrant group here.

Sicilian immigrants: The Sicilians settled on the Lower West side. Forced from their homeland by high taxes and continued crop failure, they arrived here seeking improved living standards. Initially, they did not find life here easy. Living amongst the cramped, dirty quarters of the Lower West Side, their numbers grew to the point that the area contained one of the highest population densities in the city. It was not unusual to find three generations of the same family residing in one two family home. Additionally, not all of them could find work. Conditioned by the agrarian lifestyle of their homeland, many sought 'employment in the fields south of the city. But the nature of that type of work left many of them unemployed for long periods of time. Others labored on the nearby docks while still others worked on constructing the infrastructure of the county.

Throughout the good and the bad, they always remained united.The family proved to be their most important bond. Just as the Polish had done before them, they set up a network of communication with the homeland enabling family members and eventually the majority of the population of their original villages to immigrate here.

As a result, they established a highly developed social network here. They organized many societies to remind them of their rich history as well as provide for the needs of their people here. By 1922, fifty benevolent societies existed in the city. Many of them, including the Madre Addolorata Society at Holy Cross Church, were founded by immigrants who banded together once again on a parish level. Organized in response to the dire poverty they encountered upon arriving here, members of such societies contributed to a fund and thus ensured that upon their deaths, they would receive a proper burial.

The most important outlet the Italians had however, was the church. Devoutly Roman Catholic in their convictions, their first house of worship, St. Anthony's, was organized with assistance from the homeland. It was here that the immigrant population of the Lower West Side met for spiritual fulfillment. The parishioners also established the first Italian language school in the United States.

Dr. Charles R. Borzilleri: One of the most honored members of the Little Italy community was Dr. Charles R. Borzilleri. An immigrant from Valle D'Olmo in Sicily, he was a graduate from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine. Attuned to the needs of the Italian community, he was instrumental in organizing Columbus Hospital as a community hospital in 1906. Primary to his objectives was to provide proper health care to the Italians. Here they were certain to be understood and would receive a diet suitable to their tastes.

To this day, the Lower West Side remains one of the city's most ethnically diverse areas. The remaining Italian population is now enhanced by a highly organized Hispanic population. The area's ethnic mix also includes Chinese, Vietnamese and Native American members.