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R VERR CK TIMES

Vol. 5 No. 15 Thursday, June 12, 2025 Covering the Northwest Corner of Buffalo

Lafayette triumphantly returns to Buffalo – again

By Amber Healy off the yoke of British tyranny, rep-
t was a joyous celebration befit- resented by His Majesty King
ting the homecoming of a hero, George, III, and the great sacrifices
Ia brave man who led many in paid by many loyal Americans, men
battle and stood as a beacon of light and women,” Porter said in welcom-
during a tumultuous time. ing his guests.
With shouts of “huzzah!” and Porter also offered a heartfelt
whoops of delight, General Gilbert thanks to Red Jacket, admitting the
du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette American operations might not have
was feted by prestigious members been successful if not for the help of
of Buffalo and Black Rock society him and his people, allies against a
Saturday morning, a celebratory common foe.
breakfast welcoming a dear friend He was not quite so kindhearted
back to revel in the region’s suc- in introducing Forward, saying:
cesses and advancements since his “Friends, I would like to say it gives
last visit here in the midst of the me great pleasure to introduce our
fearful War of 1812. Prominent next speaker. I cannot use those
businessman Peter Buell Porter gra- words; I will merely state that I
General Lafayette was por-
ciously welcomed all comers to his present to you, the chairman of the
home in Black Rock for the occa- trayed by Michael Halbert and Board of Trustees for the Village of
sion, even extending a hand of tepid Oliver Forward was played by Buffalo.”
friendship to Oliver Forward of the Jonathan White. Forward, with a flourish, greeted
Village of Buffalo. Lafayette, saying it was a “tremen-
In this case, it was the auditori- France and the United States (peri- dous, tremendous thrill” to take the
um at the Buffalo History Museum, od-accurate to 1825), General canal up from the village of Buffalo
hosting a re-enactment of the much- Lafayette was presented to the en- to Black Rock, a dig at Porter for his
discussed and celebrated return of thusiastic and standing-room only failed efforts to secure the water-
General Lafayette in June 1825, crowd in Porter’s home, greeted by way’s terminus in the older, more
shortly after the opening of the Erie the host, Forward, Captain Row- established community despite his
Canal, with a cast of characters land Cotton and Red Jacket, also many great attempts.
playing the prominent roles of the known as Sa-go-ye-wa-tha, on be- “On behalf of the citizens of the Breakfast with Lafayette was held at the Buffalo Historical
day. half of the Seneca Nation. village of Buffalo and in this vicini- Museum. Photos by Amber Healy
Accompanied by a string trio “We think back some 50 years ty, I have the honor of welcoming
playing the national anthems of to our revolution, when we threw you alone, and of tendering you that
regard which has been again and
again reiterated from the center to
the remotest extremities of the
room,” Forward said, his back
turned to Porter and facing only
Lafayette. “This regard we are un-
able to testify to you amidst the
splendor and magnificence of a state
or national emporium, but to you we
are aware it will not be less accept-
able if it is presented in the unim-
posing form of republican
simplicity.”
General Lafayette (Michael Halbert), Oliver Forward (Jonathan
Porter, taking command of the
room from his nemesis, then intro- White), Red Jacket (Alan George) and Peter Porter (Tom Schob-
duced Lafayette, calling him "a man ert).
who is beloved in the hearts of all
liberty-loving Americans, a man
who left his native land to cross the
ocean to give us assistance in our
darkest hour, our hour of greatest
need, a man who shares the same
principles that we share, a man who
became a close confident of our
great commanding general, General
George Washington… a man who

Continued on page 6

2025 Mayoral
Candidate Forum
More parking coming to Amherst Street Friday, June 13 MCKINLEY HORTICULTURE STUDENTS DO IT AGAIN! This

By Amber Healy 6:30 PM spring you may have noticed the Plant Sale sign on Elmwood
few more parking spots have opened on Amherst Street, North Avenue at McKinley High School. The greenhouse, run by
ADistrict Council Member Joe Golombek confirms. American Legion teachers Ron Callea, Nick Barbara and Julie Hughes, and planted
by McKinley High students is once again producing thousands
Now that Our Lady of Black Rock Catholic school has closed, it has Post 1041
freed up the ability to use a handful of spaces in front of Assumption of beautiful flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees. It is near the
Church for general parking, Golombek said. 533 Amherst St. tail end of the season for the public who's invited in during
For many years, the spaces in front of the church were limited to school Have questions for the school hours to purchase plants for their gardens and landscap-
bus use, but the city is “now in the process of changing the parking and candidates? Send them ing. The students not only grow the plants but staff the green-
making it more available for residents and patrons of Amherst Street,” he house getting valuable experience in facing the public. They
says. The spots are on the south side of Amherst, directly in front of the also transplant their starts, annually doing hanging baskets and
church, between Germain and Peter streets. planters at Joe's Service Center and participate in events like
“I worked with Father Richard [Jedrzejewski] when he was the pastor Plantasia, the History Museum's Cherry Blossom Festival, Sca-
there to make it so the buses could park there, so we limited the parking, jaquada Clean-up, and Grant Amherst Business Association tree
with the understanding that if there was ever no school there, the parking plantings. Mark Kubiniec of Joe’s Service Center stated: “The
would be given back to the community,” Golombek says.
students are very enthusiastic about the environmental work
He expects the change to add up to a dozen spots to the street parking
they're doing and really love it. It's very heartening to see
available on Amherst but it was not immediately known when the city
students embrace their work and make it their passion.”
would send a team to paint the lines to identify the spaces.