Historic churches of Buffalo's East Side

The United States has always been a nation of immigrants, but at no time in its history was that more true than in the 19th century, when millions upon millions of folks hailing from all over Europe—"the tired, the poor, the huddled masses", in the famous words of Emma Lazarus—sailed across the ocean in search of a better life.

With plenty of easily available jobs in factories, on the railroads, and at the harbor, Buffalo was a major destination for these newcomers—and the East Side of the city was one of its most vibrant immigrant neighborhoods. The East Side was home to a patchwork of different nationalities, but above all folks from Germany and Poland. In many ways, the East Side of those days bore more resemblance to Europe than the rest of the United States: traditional food, music and culture were everywhere, English was oftentimes relegated to second-language status, and the same as in the old country, the tallest and most magnificent building in any given neighborhood was invariably the parish church. These were palatial buildings the equal of any in their parishioners' native lands, towering symbols of the pride and prosperity they had sought and finally achieved in their new home.

The descendants of these immigrants have almost all left the old neighborhoods, but many of their churches live on as the East Side's contribution to the rich architectural cornucopia Buffalo celebrates today. On this driving tour, you'll see the most magnificent of these buildings, discover their unique architectural features, and learn about the history of the communities that worshiped there.