Kaisertown, U.S.A.
History
The land on which Kaisertown is located constituted one of the final vestiges of Native American occupation and ownership in the Buffalo area.
Once part of the Buffalo Creek Reservation, the Seneca Indians originally lived in a village at a bend in Buffalo Creek, in the vicinity of South Ogden Street. On January 15, 1838, the Senecas deeded the land to Thomas L. Ogden, who later transferred ownership of it to the Clinton and Ogden Land Company. It was subsequently divided and sold to farmers and developers of the neighborhood.
This area was established as a German-American area during the last century and is now a Polish-American neighborhood. When St. Casmir Catholic Church was built in 1928, it became the heart of this Polish-American neighborhood and remains so today.
Recreation
Stachowski Park stretches from Clinton Street to the Buffalo River, and residents enjoy softball, baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, tennis, swimming, walking, and running. The park is a popular spot to find your neighbors walking their dogs, enjoying a picnic lunch, or just relaxing.
The Peter Machnica Community Center, 1755 Clinton Street, is home to a variety of recreational activities until 10:00 p.m. weekdays, while the Autumnwood Senior Center, 1800 Clinton Street, offers senior citizens lunches, outings, recreation, and great company.
Education: Houghton Academy Public School # 69
Recently, the school had a substantial renovation of the building's interior, with upgrades to its lighting, space conditioning, and technology systems. The academy has changed from a middle school to pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.
The school is named after Frederick M. Houghton, who pioneered Western New York archaeology. The son of an English couple, Houghton was born on a small farm in Kaisertown in 1869. He pioneered teaching English as a second language (ESL). He wrote two textbooks and established a revolutionary program which was adopted as national standards in the US and Canada. Principal of five public schools and director of immigrant education for the Buffalo Board of Education, he also developed the first cooperative arrangement between a school and the Buffalo Museum of Science, an arrangement which has been copied throughout the United States. Houghton's love of nature lead him to establish a native wildflower preserve in the Zoar Valley near Springville, New York.
Housing
Kaisertown is one of the best values in Western New York for real estate. Lovejoy District Council member Rich Fontana indicated home sales in Kaisertown have been strong and brisk during the past year with average home sales in the 70k’s and 80k’s for an updated single family home, with a number of properties having sold for 100K.
Moving forward…
Like many neighborhoods in Buffalo, Kaisertown has experienced its challenges. The Kaisertown Coalition is a volunteer organization dedicated to preserving our community and working cohesively to address issues affecting our area. Recently, the Kaisertown Coalition, with the assistance of many Clinton Street businesses and elected officials, obtained new street banners. The new banners are a symbol of what can be accomplished when we work together. The Coalition meets the second Thursday* of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Autumnwood Senior Center or Peter Machnica Center. Please join us!
*editorial note: as of Spring 2009 meetings are on the second Monday of each month. Please check our calendar for upcoming meeting dates, times and locations!
Originally published in the 2008-2009 edition of the Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce Business Directory & Community Guide
