The area's first permanent settlement was established in 1758, when Daniel Joncaire, a French explorer, organized an outpost at the mouth of what is today the Buffalo River. After passing through the hands of the French, the Seneca Indians and the British, the United States took control of the area in the mid-1790s. The city survived a thorough burning by the British during the War of 1812 and became an important commercial center thanks to the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and later, the railroad. Today, Buffalo remains an important port of entry to the Great Lakes. Important people and events in the city's history include U.S. Presidents Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland, both native sons.
Buffalo is home to the work of several other architects of note.
Frank Lloyd Wright built five houses in the area and the master landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed the city's massive Delaware Park. Fans of Art Deco must take in the 1929 masterwork, the Buffalo City Hall. Buffalo's population now stands at 328,123, while the total population of Erie County is 968,532. Climate Buffalo in July is extraordinarily pleasant. A wide variety of choices is available to anyone looking for something special in Buffalo.