A Native American Art Deco Wonder – Buffalo City Hall

Buffalo, New York was already a busy trading post when the Erie Canal opened in 1825. The canal brought newfound prosperity to all the upstate New York cities (Albany, Syracuse, Rochester) but Buffalo benefited most due to it’s proximity to Niagara Falls. Not only did the falls provide unlimited energy; they also gave the railroad business a boost, carrying cargo around the falls. In time, Buffalo became a place of great wealth and some mansions from the period can still be seen.

By 1910, Buffalo was the tenth most populous city in the US, just behind Detroit. But from there on, other places grew faster, and Canada’s Welland Canal, and ultimately the St. Lawrence Seaway, led to a long decline. Interestingly, Buffalo, like Detroit, is seeing a bit of a revival from young people seeking an affordable cost of living. If you can deal with the weather, both places offer amazing natural beauty. (And tons of Art Deco. (Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in case you’re not an Art Deco purist).

Back to our story. In the late 1920s, Buffalo needed a new City Hall. A BIG City Hall, and from 1929-1931 they built the fourth largest City Hall in America, an unusual mix of classic revival, native American iconography and of course, Art Deco.

I should mention, Buffalo City Hall isn’t quite the preeminent display of “native American Art Deco”. That would the Nebraska State Capitol at Lincoln, an even more enormous place that showcases the work of Art Deco giants Hildreth Meiere and Lee Lawrie. But for shear Art Deco shock and awe, Buffalo City Hall comes pretty close. And for Buffalo City Hall another Art Deco giant, Rene Chambellan was at work. Chambellan’s coworkers may have been less well-known, but hey put on one hell of a show, as you’ll see.

Ground was broken for Buffalo City Hall in 1929. The building was competed in 1931. The architects were the little known and short lived firm Dietel, Wade & Jones. Both Albert Stewart and Rene Chambellan are listed as sculptors but it’s pretty easy to tell who did what. Stewart was responsible for the giant friezes on the building’s exterior; very much a traditionalist. No doubt the modernistic and very Art Deco depictions on the inside of the building came from Chambellan. The murals were painted by William de Leftwich Dodge. The building’s beauriful woodwork was produced by local craftsmen the Lippich Brothers.

City Hall’s artwork is arranged in a most interesting way. From the front, an enormous frieze illustrates Buffalo’s future.

While the rear entrance details the city’s past.

I think the back of the building is more interesting and It’s the one that people doing business in the building will see since it faces the parking lot. Some highlights from around back:

Fruitage?

Also around the back of the building is a metal door, perhaps a service entrance, that gives a preview of animals with Iroquois names, which are part of the ornament inside.

A closer look at the door above but in case you can’t make these out, that’s a Anowaza on the left, and a Tsianito on the right.

Are the building’s sides decorated too? Indeed they are. One one end is Grover Cleveland, and other, Millard Fillmore, mayor, New York State governor, eventually the 13th president and, if the statue is to be believed, a rather handsome fellow.

A corner detail high above Millard Fillmore.

Around the front, passing through the columns, above the entrance doors we find hardy pioneers; a woman harvesting, a man hunting, a woman weaving a basket and a man building a log cabin. (There is much more detail so I’ll provide a link at the end to a complete description).

Now, let’s go inside.

Wow. It’s quite dark but that just adds to the drama, no? I’ve warmed up the color a little.

This is an Indian chief’s bonnet, laid flat.

There are four statues, Virtue, Diligence, Service and Fidelity.

“Service”

And then there are the murals.

“Frontiers Unfettered By Any Frowning Fortress” Pretty upbeat for the Great Depression.

“Talents Diversified – Find Vent In Myriad Forms”

Beneath the two main murals are wonderful Art Deco Indians.

There also details that, due to the stone used and the low lighting, are really difficult to make out. Look closely and you’ll see this Art Deco fireman.

There are four hallways, each with a mural. So this post doesn’t go on forever, I’ll pick my favorite.

Not visible in the photo above, a mosaic band surrounding the mural:

A really nice utility grille.

Let’s take the elevator up to the observation deck (free!)

You weren’t expecting ordinary elevators, right? A closer look at the doors:

Not a lot of Art Deco on the observation deck but it is a fine view, all the way to Canada.

Great view of the Liberty Building. As far as I know, no other city has two Statues of Liberty.

I think most people end their visit to City Hall here. But if you’re interested in Art Deco, that woud be a BIG mistake. Monday through Friday, tours are given (free) and if no official business is scheduled, your guide will take you to the jewel of Buffalo’s Art Deco, the Common Council Chamber.

Oh my.

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Couldn’t stop taking photos of this.

I took the tour twice and nobody seemed to know who the glass artist was, except that it “wasn’t anybody famous”. What is known, and a point of pride is that Pluto made it into this glorious piece, just under the wire.

You can go down to the chamber floor and look backwards which is pretty great also.