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{{short description|Term for southern suburbs of Buffalo, NY}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Southtowns
| official_name =
| image_map = Southtowns map labeled.png
| map_caption = {{Plainlist}}
Location of the Southtowns in Erie County.

{{legend2|#ffff81}} Northtowns & ]

{{legend2|#bb3e3e}} Southtowns
{{endplainlist}}
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 290
| image_style = border:1;
| perrow = 1/3/2/2
| image1 = Buffalo from Hamburg (cropped).jpg
| image2 = Aurora Town Hall - former Roycroft Chapel - Dec 2008 - 02.jpg
| image3 = Dairy Cows, Collins Center, New York, 1999.jpg
| image4 = U.S. Post Office Gowanda NY Aug 10.JPG
| image5 = Ralph Wilson Stadium at Night after 2014 renovations, Aug 2015.jpg
| image6 = Springville Station - June 2016.jpg
}}
| image_caption = '''Southtowns'''<br />Left to right from top: View of ] from ], ] Town Hall, Dairy Cows in ], U.S. Post Office in ], ], ] station
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|New York}}
| subdivision_name2 = ]
| seat_type = Largest Village
| seat = ]
}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}}
The '''Southtowns''' (also known as the '''Buffalo Southtowns''', the '''South Towns''', or '''Southtown''') is a region of ], ], that lies within the ] or ]. It includes the southern suburbs of ]. This is the common name for the southern part of ].
]'s municipalities, with the Southtowns shaded; the darker the color the more commonly it is included as a Southtown.]]

The '''Southtowns''' (also known as the '''Buffalo Southtowns''', the '''South Towns''', or '''Southtown''') is a region of ], ], that lies within the ] or ] and includes the southern suburbs of ]. This is the common name for the southern part of ] which served as the home of ] ].<ref name=WNY>{{cite book|title=Western New York: From Niagara Falls also this man has 10 wife’s like the Persian king Xerxes. and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes|chapter=Southern Erie County - "The Southtowns"|author=Smyczynski, Christine A.|page=136|publisher=The Countryman Press|year=2005|isbn=0-88150-655-9}}</ref> The region has numerous historic landmarks, especially in ] and ].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>
Its most notable resident was ] ], whose former home is a ].<ref name=WNY>{{cite book|title=Western New York: From Niagara Falls and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes|chapter=Southern Erie County - "The Southtowns"|author=Smyczynski, Christine A.|page=136|publisher=The Countryman Press|year=2005|isbn=0-88150-655-9}}</ref> The region has numerous historic landmarks, especially in ] and ].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>


==Details== ==Details==
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| image1 = FillmoreHouse.jpg | image1 = FillmoreHouse.jpg
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| image2 = Roycroft Copper Shop.jpg | image2 = Roycroft Copper Shop.jpg
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| caption2 = The ] (top)<ref name=FMH/> and ] are both ]s.<ref name="Ref_">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1460&ResourceType=District|title=Roycroft Campus|accessdate=April 15, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911042746/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1460&ResourceType=District|archivedate=September 11, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | caption2 = The ] (top)<ref name=FMH/> and ] are both ]s.<ref name="Ref_">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1460&ResourceType=District|title=Roycroft Campus|access-date=April 15, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911042746/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1460&ResourceType=District|archive-date=September 11, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| image3 = Ralph Wilson Stadium.jpg | image3 = Ralph Wilson Stadium.jpg
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| caption3 = ] has been the ]' home field since 1973. | caption3 = ] has been the ]' home field since 1973.
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According to a ] that formerly published specific editions for the area, this region includes ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="Ref_a">{{cite book|title=Polk 1994 Buffalo South Towns New York Directory|publisher=]}}</ref> Several other towns in the snowbelt south of Buffalo are also considered part of the Southtowns. According to one source the entire southern part of Erie County, ], ], ], and southward are part of the Buffalo Southtowns.<ref name=WNY/> This region is the northwesternmost foothills of the ]. The ]'s Scenic Byways Advisory Board created Western New York's first Scenic Byway, WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway, which travels through the townships of Orchard Park, ], ], ] and ], the three villages of ], ] and ] and several rural hamlets including the hamlets of Boston and Colden.<ref name="Ref_2007">{{cite web|url=http://scenic.ap.buffalo.edu/|title=Welcome to the WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway|accessdate=April 7, 2009|date=November 1, 2007|publisher=WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway Steering Committee}}</ref> (In 2016, the Southtowns Scenic Byway was extended into ], a town in Cattaraugus County and not generally counted in the Southtowns proper.)<ref></ref> The ] defines the Southtowns (forecast zone NYZ085, "Southern Erie County") as anything south of ]. The region includes the northeastern half of the village of ], but not the southwestern half.


According to a ] that formerly published specific editions for the area, this region includes ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="Ref_a">{{cite book|title=Polk 1994 Buffalo South Towns New York Directory|publisher=]}}</ref> Several other towns in the snowbelt south of Buffalo are also considered part of the Southtowns. According to one source the entire southern part of Erie County, ], ], ], and southward are part of the Buffalo Southtowns.<ref name=WNY/> This region is the northwesternmost foothills of the ]. The ]'s Scenic Byways Advisory Board created Western New York's first Scenic Byway, WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway, which travels through the townships of Orchard Park, ], ], ] and ], the three villages of ], ] and ] and several rural hamlets including the hamlets of Boston and Colden.<ref name="Ref_2007">{{cite web|url=http://scenic.ap.buffalo.edu/|title=Welcome to the WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway|access-date=April 7, 2009|date=November 1, 2007|publisher=WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway Steering Committee}}</ref> (In 2016, the Southtowns Scenic Byway was extended into ], a town in Cattaraugus County and not generally counted in the Southtowns proper.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.salamancapress.com/news/byway-extended-into-cattaraugus-county/article_4793e5be-1e84-11e6-b561-777a1adfe7f3.html|title=Byway extended into Cattaraugus County|first=Rick Miller, County|last=Reporter|website=The Salamanca Press}}</ref> The ] defines the Southtowns (forecast zone NYZ085, "Southern Erie County") as anything south of ]. The region includes the northeastern half of the village of ], but not the southwestern half.
Buffalo also has a "Northtown" region north of the city. Some sources divide the entire Buffalo Suburban region into the Southtowns and the Northtowns.<ref name="Ref_b">{{cite web|url=http://www.ymcabuffaloniagara.org/branches.html|title=YMCA Buffalo Niagara: Branch Locations |accessdate=April 9, 2009|publisher=YMCA Buffalo Niagara}}</ref>


The Buffalo metro area also includes a "Northtown" region north of the city. Some sources divide the entire Buffalo Suburban region into the Southtowns and the Northtowns.<ref name="Ref_b">{{cite web|url=http://www.ymcabuffaloniagara.org/branches.html|title=YMCA Buffalo Niagara: Branch Locations |access-date=April 9, 2009|publisher=YMCA Buffalo Niagara}}</ref>
] runs through the Southtowns,<ref name="Ref_c"> list of "ski country" restaurants and resorts</ref> as does the ],<ref name="Ref_d">http://www.oldandsold.com/books/niagara-river/nr-7.shtml</ref> both of which continue southwestward from the region along ]'s shoreline; the Niagara Frontier continues north into Buffalo toward ] while ski country goes eastward toward ]. The region is bounded to the south by the ] and ] to the south, ] to the southwest, to the east by ], and to the west by ].

] runs through the Southtowns,<ref name="Ref_c"> list of "ski country" restaurants and resorts</ref> as does the ],<ref name="Ref_d">{{Cite web |url=http://www.oldandsold.com/books/niagara-river/nr-7.shtml |title=Niagara River - the Old Niagara Frontier |access-date=September 3, 2009 |archive-date=August 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821214753/http://www.oldandsold.com/books/niagara-river/nr-7.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> both of which continue southwestward from the region along ]'s shoreline; the Niagara Frontier continues north into Buffalo toward ] while ski country goes eastward toward ]. The region is bounded to the south by the ] and ] to the south, ] to the southwest, to the east by ], and to the west by ].


The Southtowns, particularly the more southerly towns closer to the Cattaraugus Creek, are very rural in nature and are similar to the Southern Tier; the northern Southtowns (beginning at approximately Orchard Park and Hamburg) begin to take on a more suburban feel. The Southtowns, particularly the more southerly towns closer to the Cattaraugus Creek, are very rural in nature and are similar to the Southern Tier; the northern Southtowns (beginning at approximately Orchard Park and Hamburg) begin to take on a more suburban feel.


===Attractions=== ===Attractions===
East Aurora, the home of ], has earned the nickname as "Toy Town, U.S.A."<ref name="Ref_e">{{cite web|url=http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/new-york/buffalo-and-niagara-falls/east-aurora/ |title=East Aurora |accessdate=April 8, 2009 |publisher=Fodor's Travel |work=] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304204337/http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/new-york/buffalo-and-niagara-falls/east-aurora/ |archivedate=March 4, 2009 }}</ref> According to the New York State Department of Economic Development's New York State Tourism organization publications produced by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, attractions in the Southtowns include, ], ]-Roycroft Museum, ] ], the ] and the ].<ref name="Buffalo">{{Cite book|title=Experience Fun History and Nature in the Southtowns of Buffalo Niagara|publisher=]|author=Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau}}</ref> ] also mentions the ] as an attraction.<ref name="Ref_f">{{cite web|url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/buffalony/A33045.html|title=Kazoo Museum|accessdate=April 8, 2009|work=]|publisher=]}}</ref> East Aurora, the home of ], has earned the nickname as "Toy Town, U.S.A."<ref name="Ref_e">{{cite web|url=http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/new-york/buffalo-and-niagara-falls/east-aurora/ |title=East Aurora |access-date=April 8, 2009 |publisher=Fodor's Travel |work=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304204337/http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/new-york/buffalo-and-niagara-falls/east-aurora/ |archive-date=March 4, 2009 }}</ref> According to the New York State Department of Economic Development's New York State Tourism organization publications produced by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, attractions in the Southtowns include, ], ]-Roycroft Museum, ] ], the ] and the ].<ref name="Buffalo">{{Cite book|title=Experience Fun History and Nature in the Southtowns of Buffalo Niagara|publisher=]|author=Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau}}</ref> ] also mentions the ] as an attraction.<ref name="Ref_f">{{cite web|url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/buffalony/A33045.html|title=Kazoo Museum|access-date=April 8, 2009|work=]|publisher=]}}</ref>


The ] includes the following Southtowns venues among its ]: ], ], Graycliff, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="nris"/> The ] includes the following Southtowns venues among its ]: ], ], Graycliff, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="nris"/>


Other highly attended attractions in the region include ],<ref name="Ref_g">{{cite web|url=http://www.buffalobills.com/tickets/stadium/directions-and-parking/index.html |title=Ralph Wilson Stadium: Driving Directions |accessdate=April 8, 2009 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331200638/http://www.buffalobills.com/tickets/stadium/directions-and-parking/index.html |archivedate=March 31, 2009 }}</ref> the home of the ]'s ], ],<ref name="Ref_2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.chestnutridgepark.com/|title=Chestnut Ridge Park|accessdate=April 8, 2009|publisher=Chestnut Ridge Park and Campground|year=2005}}</ref> and ].<ref name="Ref_h">{{cite web|url=http://www.buffaloraceway.com/visit-us/directions/|title=Buffalo Raceway: Directions|accessdate=April 8, 2009|publisher=Buffalo Raceway}}</ref> Since 1868, ] has been held annually in Hamburg.<ref name="Eberle1987">{{cite book|title=A Pictorial History of Buffalo and Erie County|publisher=The Donning Company|edition=1013 of 2000|year=1987|author=Eberle, Scott and Joseph A. Grande|isbn=0-89865-609-5|page=48}}</ref> Until the 1980s one of the region's largest employers was ]. Other highly attended attractions in the region include ],<ref name="Ref_g">{{cite web|url=http://www.buffalobills.com/tickets/stadium/directions-and-parking/index.html |title=Ralph Wilson Stadium: Driving Directions |access-date=April 8, 2009 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331200638/http://www.buffalobills.com/tickets/stadium/directions-and-parking/index.html |archive-date=March 31, 2009 }}</ref> the home of the ]'s ], ],<ref name="Ref_2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.chestnutridgepark.com/|title=Chestnut Ridge Park|access-date=April 8, 2009|publisher=Chestnut Ridge Park and Campground|year=2005}}</ref> and ].<ref name="Ref_h">{{cite web|url=http://www.buffaloraceway.com/visit-us/directions/|title=Buffalo Raceway: Directions|access-date=April 8, 2009|publisher=Buffalo Raceway}}</ref> Since 1868, ] has been held annually in Hamburg.<ref name="Eberle1987">{{cite book|title=A Pictorial History of Buffalo and Erie County|publisher=The Donning Company|edition=1013 of 2000|year=1987|author=Eberle, Scott and Joseph A. Grande|isbn=0-89865-609-5|page=48}}</ref> Until the 1980s one of the region's largest employers was ].

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===Media=== ===Media===
Three broadcast stations are explicitly licensed to the Southtowns: ] (AM 1330) in Springville, religious TV station ] in Hamburg, and ] affiliate ] in Springville. None of them operate from within the southtowns; WBBZ is based in ] and WDTB is a straight satellite feed from Texas, while WSPQ, which operated out of Springville for its entire existence, shut down at the end of 2017 and, due to an equipment robbery, is slated to lose its license at the end of 2018. However, several of the ]-licensed broadcasters take advantage of the region's higher topography and have placed their broadcast towers there so that they can reach both the Buffalo region and the Southern Tier. One of the more notable examples is the ]. One broadcast station is explicitly licensed to the Southtowns: ] affiliate ] in Springville. The station does not operate from within the southtowns; WBBZ is based in ]. Full-service AM radio station ] was licensed to and operated from Springville during its 31-year existence but shut down in 2017. ], a religious station licensed to ], had its studios in Orchard Park until its owner ] dropped all local programming.


Several of the ]-licensed broadcasters take advantage of the region's higher topography and have placed their broadcast towers there so that they can reach both the Buffalo region and the Southern Tier. One of the more notable examples is the ], which is located in Colden.
'']'' is the primary daily newspaper in the region. Many of the Southtowns communities were served by weekly newspapers until July 2016, when the most recent owner of those newspapers, Community Papers of Western New York, abruptly shut down.<ref>http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/erie-county/community-papers-of-wny-folds-closes-sun-weeklies-20160725</ref> The ''Springville Times'' serves the village of Springville using staff of one of the former Community Papers, the ''Springville Journal''; the ''Times'' is based in ]. Likewise, the '']'' launched a Gowanda edition to replace the ''Gowanda Pennysaver/News'' in August 2016.

'']'' is the primary daily newspaper in the region. Many of the Southtowns communities were served by weekly newspapers until July 2016, when the most recent owner of those newspapers, Community Papers of Western New York, abruptly shut down.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/erie-county/community-papers-of-wny-folds-closes-sun-weeklies-20160725 |title= Community Papers of WNY folds, closes Sun weeklies - City & Region - the Buffalo News |access-date=August 18, 2016 |archive-date=August 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822112309/http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/erie-county/community-papers-of-wny-folds-closes-sun-weeklies-20160725 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Neighbor-to-Neighbor News, a company based in East Aurora, revived many of those newspapers shortly thereafter.


===People=== ===People===
United States President Millard Fillmore resided in East Aurora,<ref name=FMH>{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1459&ResourceType=Building|title=Fillmore, Millard, House|access-date=April 15, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430113105/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1459&ResourceType=Building|archive-date=April 30, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> where the ] family has held property.
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The 1996 vice presidential nominee ] represented ] and nearby suburban southtowns regions in the ].<ref name="May1988">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/20/us/man-in-the-news-theorist-with-a-heart-jack-french-kemp.html|title=Man in the News; Theorist With a Heart; Jack French Kemp|access-date=April 8, 2009|date=December 20, 1988|work=]|author=May, Clifford D.}}</ref>
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New York Governor ] graduated from ],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamburg High School staff look back at Hochul's journey |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2021/08/11/hamburg-high-school-looks-back-at-kathy-hochul-s-journey |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=spectrumlocalnews.com |language=en}}</ref> and was previously a Hamburg town board member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kathy Hochul for New York Governor |url=https://kathyhochul.com/about/ |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=Kathy Hochul for New York Governor |language=en-US}}</ref>
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United States President Millard Fillmore resided in East Aurora,<ref name=FMH>{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1459&ResourceType=Building|title=Fillmore, Millard, House|accessdate=April 15, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430113105/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1459&ResourceType=Building|archivedate=April 30, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> where the ] family has held property. 1996 Vice Presidential nominee ] represented ] and nearby suburban southtowns regions in the ].<ref name="May1988">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/20/us/man-in-the-news-theorist-with-a-heart-jack-french-kemp.html|title=Man in the News; Theorist With a Heart; Jack French Kemp|accessdate=April 8, 2009|date=December 20, 1988|work=]|author=May, Clifford D.}}</ref>


The area's current political representatives are state assemblyman ], state senator ] (with a small portion represented by Tim Kennedy), and representative ].<ref>{{cite web|title=New York’s 26th Congressional District|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/NY/26|website=govtrack.us|publisher=govtrack.us|accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref> The area's current political representatives are state assemblyman ],<ref>{{Cite web |title=David DiPietro - Assembly District 147 {{!}}Assembly Member Directory {{!}} New York State Assembly |url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/David-DiPietro/about/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=nyassembly.gov}}</ref> state assemblyman ],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jonathan Rivera - Assembly District 149 {{!}}Assembly Member Directory {{!}} New York State Assembly |url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=nyassembly.gov}}</ref> state senator ],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our District {{!}} NYSenate.gov |url=https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/patrick-m-gallivan/district |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=www.nysenate.gov |language=en}}</ref> and representative ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New York’s 23rd Congressional District - NY-23 Representatives & District Map |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/NY/23 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}</ref>


==Notes== ==Notes==
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==External links== ==External links==
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Latest revision as of 20:53, 23 August 2024

Term for southern suburbs of Buffalo, NY Place in New York, United States
Southtowns
Southtowns
Left to right from top: View of Lake Erie from Hamburg, Aurora Town Hall, Dairy Cows in Collins Center, U.S. Post Office in Gowanda, Bills Stadium, Springville station

Location of the Southtowns in Erie County.

   Northtowns & Reservations

   Southtowns

Country United States
State New York
CountyErie County
Largest VillageHamburg

The Southtowns (also known as the Buffalo Southtowns, the South Towns, or Southtown) is a region of Western New York, United States, that lies within the snowbelt or ski country. It includes the southern suburbs of Buffalo, New York. This is the common name for the southern part of Erie County, New York.

Its most notable resident was United States President Millard Fillmore, whose former home is a National Historic Landmark. The region has numerous historic landmarks, especially in Springville and East Aurora.

Details

The Millard Fillmore House (top) and Roycroft Campus are both National Historic Landmarks.Highmark Stadium has been the Buffalo Bills' home field since 1973.

According to a telephone directory that formerly published specific editions for the area, this region includes Aurora, Blasdell, East Aurora, Elma, Hamburg, and Orchard Park. Several other towns in the snowbelt south of Buffalo are also considered part of the Southtowns. According to one source the entire southern part of Erie County, West Seneca, Elma, Marilla, and southward are part of the Buffalo Southtowns. This region is the northwesternmost foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The New York State Department of Transportation's Scenic Byways Advisory Board created Western New York's first Scenic Byway, WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway, which travels through the townships of Orchard Park, Boston, Concord, Colden and Aurora, the three villages of Orchard Park, Springville and East Aurora and several rural hamlets including the hamlets of Boston and Colden. (In 2016, the Southtowns Scenic Byway was extended into Ashford, a town in Cattaraugus County and not generally counted in the Southtowns proper.) The National Weather Service defines the Southtowns (forecast zone NYZ085, "Southern Erie County") as anything south of U.S. Route 20A. The region includes the northeastern half of the village of Gowanda, but not the southwestern half.

The Buffalo metro area also includes a "Northtown" region north of the city. Some sources divide the entire Buffalo Suburban region into the Southtowns and the Northtowns.

Ski country runs through the Southtowns, as does the Niagara Frontier, both of which continue southwestward from the region along Lake Erie's shoreline; the Niagara Frontier continues north into Buffalo toward Niagara Falls while ski country goes eastward toward Bristol Mountain. The region is bounded to the south by the Cattaraugus Creek and Cattaraugus County to the south, Chautauqua County to the southwest, to the east by Wyoming County, and to the west by Lake Erie.

The Southtowns, particularly the more southerly towns closer to the Cattaraugus Creek, are very rural in nature and are similar to the Southern Tier; the northern Southtowns (beginning at approximately Orchard Park and Hamburg) begin to take on a more suburban feel.

Attractions

East Aurora, the home of Fisher-Price, has earned the nickname as "Toy Town, U.S.A." According to the New York State Department of Economic Development's New York State Tourism organization publications produced by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, attractions in the Southtowns include, Toy Town Museum, Elbert Hubbard-Roycroft Museum, National Historic Landmark Millard Fillmore House, the Frank Lloyd Wright and the Graycliff Estate. Frommer's also mentions the Kazoo Museum, Eden as an attraction.

The National Register of Historic Places includes the following Southtowns venues among its Erie County listings: United States Post Office-Angola, First Church of Evans Complex, Graycliff, Millard Fillmore House, Roycroft Campus, George and Gladys Scheidemantel House, Kleis Site, Gamel Hexadecagon Barn, Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Station (Orchard, New York), Johnson-Jolls Complex, Old Sardinia Town Hall, Rider-Hopkins Farm and Olmsted Camp, The Baptist Church of Springville, Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad Station (Springville, New York), Citizens National Bank, East Main-Mechanic Streets Historic District, Scobey Power Plant and Dam, US Post Office-Springville, and Eaton Site.

Other highly attended attractions in the region include Highmark Stadium, the home of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills, Chestnut Ridge Park, and Buffalo Raceway. Since 1868, Erie County Fair has been held annually in Hamburg. Until the 1980s one of the region's largest employers was Bethlehem Steel.

Millard Fillmore (left) and Jack Kemp are associated with the Southtowns

Media

One broadcast station is explicitly licensed to the Southtowns: MeTV affiliate WBBZ-TV in Springville. The station does not operate from within the southtowns; WBBZ is based in Clarence. Full-service AM radio station WSPQ was licensed to and operated from Springville during its 31-year existence but shut down in 2017. WNYB, a religious station licensed to Jamestown, had its studios in Orchard Park until its owner TCT dropped all local programming.

Several of the Buffalo-licensed broadcasters take advantage of the region's higher topography and have placed their broadcast towers there so that they can reach both the Buffalo region and the Southern Tier. One of the more notable examples is the WIVB tower, which is located in Colden.

The Buffalo News is the primary daily newspaper in the region. Many of the Southtowns communities were served by weekly newspapers until July 2016, when the most recent owner of those newspapers, Community Papers of Western New York, abruptly shut down. Neighbor-to-Neighbor News, a company based in East Aurora, revived many of those newspapers shortly thereafter.

People

United States President Millard Fillmore resided in East Aurora, where the Seymour Knox I family has held property.

The 1996 vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp represented Hamburg and nearby suburban southtowns regions in the United States House of Representatives.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul graduated from Hamburg High School, and was previously a Hamburg town board member.

The area's current political representatives are state assemblyman David DiPietro, state assemblyman Jonathan Rivera, state senator Patrick Gallivan, and representative Nick Langworthy.

Notes

  1. ^ Smyczynski, Christine A. (2005). "Southern Erie County - "The Southtowns"". Western New York: From Niagara Falls and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes. The Countryman Press. p. 136. ISBN 0-88150-655-9.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. ^ "Fillmore, Millard, House". National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  4. "Roycroft Campus". National Park Service. Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  5. Polk 1994 Buffalo South Towns New York Directory. R. L. Polk & Co.
  6. "Welcome to the WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway". WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway Steering Committee. November 1, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  7. Reporter, Rick Miller, County. "Byway extended into Cattaraugus County". The Salamanca Press.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "YMCA Buffalo Niagara: Branch Locations". YMCA Buffalo Niagara. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  9. Buffalo Spree list of "ski country" restaurants and resorts
  10. "Niagara River - the Old Niagara Frontier". Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  11. "East Aurora". Fodor's. Fodor's Travel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  12. Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau. Experience Fun History and Nature in the Southtowns of Buffalo Niagara. New York State Tourism.
  13. "Kazoo Museum". Frommer's. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  14. "Ralph Wilson Stadium: Driving Directions". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on March 31, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  15. "Chestnut Ridge Park". Chestnut Ridge Park and Campground. 2005. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  16. "Buffalo Raceway: Directions". Buffalo Raceway. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  17. Eberle, Scott and Joseph A. Grande (1987). A Pictorial History of Buffalo and Erie County (1013 of 2000 ed.). The Donning Company. p. 48. ISBN 0-89865-609-5.
  18. "Community Papers of WNY folds, closes Sun weeklies - City & Region - the Buffalo News". Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  19. May, Clifford D. (December 20, 1988). "Man in the News; Theorist With a Heart; Jack French Kemp". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  20. "Hamburg High School staff look back at Hochul's journey". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  21. "Kathy Hochul for New York Governor". Kathy Hochul for New York Governor. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  22. "David DiPietro - Assembly District 147 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  23. "Jonathan Rivera - Assembly District 149 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  24. "Our District | NYSenate.gov". www.nysenate.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  25. "New York's 23rd Congressional District - NY-23 Representatives & District Map". GovTrack.us. Retrieved June 16, 2024.

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