buffloe.com
Part of-Plan of the Niagara River Between the Lakes Ontario and Erie Bernard Ratzer Map 1764 (Clement Library, University of Michigan) an early map showing Bufflo (Buffalo, NY)
The mystery of the origin of the name of the City of Buffalo is more than 200 years old.
Many people assume the name comes from the American Bison which the city uses as a symbol.
The Buffalo Historical Museum recognizes a number of origin stories/theories that have been suggested over many years.
This abundance of stories shows that there is doubt to the suggestion that the city was named after the American Bison.
All the stories recognize that "Buffalo" was a name first given to the creek on the northeast shores of Lake Erie and that the city takes its name from said creek.
Of these stories, only one has significant evidence supporting it. This theory states that the creek was first named the Riviere du Bois Blanc by the French, but that the British after taking Fort Niagara and control of the area during the French and Indian War, corrupted the French pronunciation to Buffeloe, Buffalow, Bufflo and eventually Buffalo.
This website exists to share the evidence supporting the Bois Blanc theory and is outlined below and supported throughout these pages.
Evidence #1
A 1781 map by Pierre Pouchot the commandant of Fort Niagara until its surrender to the British in 1759 and a 1787 map by Michel Crevecoeur both show a waterway named Bois Blanc on the Niagara Frontier.
Copy of a portion of a Pierre Pouchot map originally found in his Memoirs published in 1781 (personal collection)
Part of Crevecoeur/Tardieu Map of 1787 (personal collection)
Evidence #2
The Native Americans had two names for Buffalo Creek during the colonial period.
The names are Toseoway and Tehoseroron and relate to the creek being surrounded by Basswood trees also known as Linden trees.
These trees were useful as fasteners for basketry and also the bark could be used as a covering for shelter.
The French Bois Blanc means white wood. The French used the term in naming places to signify that their were trees useful to refit their boats.
The Native American Toseoway and the French Bois Blanc mean the same thing.
In this way the British corruption of Bois Blanc to Buffalo unites the Native Americans, the French and the British in the naming of Buffalo.
1786 Stanwix Treaty-Detail (greatwarriorspath.blogspot.com)
Portion of a copy of Ellicott's 1804 map of Western New York (personal Collection)
Evidence #3
Besides Buffalo Creek there are two islands that carry the designation Bois Blanc from the French era up till the present.
Portion of 1755 D'Anville map which shows both of the French Bois Blanc Islands (personal collection)
The island in the map shown above is across from Detroit and the one below is found up in the Mackinac Straits.
Portion of D'Anville map showing Mackinac Straits (personal collection)
On the islands, the pronunciation of Bois Blanc corrupted by the British into Boblo or Bob Low and is used by the inhabitants and visitors to the islands. Boblo Island Amusement Park was a popular destination for many Detroiters traveling to Bois Blanc Island from its opening in 1898 up thru the 1990's.
Samuel M. Welch's Recollections of Buffalo 1891 shows the pronunciation of Bois Blanc Island
Boblo Island Amusement Park was a heavily used destination for many Detroiters traveling to Bois Blanc Island from the late 19th century up thru the 1990's.
Boblo souvenirs (personal collection)
Evidence #4
Early maps after the British takeover of Western NY show a variety of spellings for Buffalo. The first British map circa 1760/1761 also mentions that the creek is "known by" Buffalo Creek. This "known by" implies that the designation preceded the British. Since Native Americans called the creek Toseoway or Tehoseroron and the French called it Bois Blanc (but apparently sounding like Bob Low or Boblo).
George Demler military map and legend circa 1760/1761 is the first document labellng Buffeloe (Buffalo) Creek (Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center)
My name is Joe Van Remmen. If you have any questions or comments please connect with me through e-mail at joevan@live.com
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