What is the legacy of the St. Lawrence Seaway?

 In a story like Sunday's feature on the past, present and future of the St. Lawrence
Seaway in Buffalo, it is difficult to pinpoint the Seaway's exact role in shaping the last
50 years of the city's history. How big of a role do you think it played? What would the city
look like if it was still a transshipment port? Does shipping have potential in Buffalo, or is
tourism and development the only future for Buffalo's once industry-laden waterfront? 

  In addition, here are some items that didn't make it into the print version.

  -  Bob Grande, the veteran grain scooper in the story, said he and his colleagues used
to "choke the dust" after work, in order to rid themselves of the grain dust that entered
their eyes, nose and mouth while scooping. To "choke the dust," he said, meant to head to
the Old First Ward pubs and have a couple of beers, and by a couple, he meant "more than
a couple." 
   - The Port of Buffalo was not always in its present location. Most of the "outer harbor,"
including the former grounds of the Pier Restaurant, constituted the old Port of Buffalo
until 1983, when it was bought  by Buffalo Crushed Stone, and moved down the lakeshore,
close to the old Bethlehem Steel grounds.

   - The environmental impact the Seaway has had on the Great Lakes has been studied.
Jennifer Nalbone, the campaign director of navigation and invasive species for the Great
Lakes United coalition, passed along these links describing those effects.

   http://www.glu.org/en/campaigns/invasives/50years/stories

   http://www.glu.org/sites/default/files/lodge_factsheet.pdf  

   Here is a press release from the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
on the significance of the last 50 years.

   http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/news/press-releases/pr20090331.html

   The Buffalo Industrial Heritage Committee, and the Lower Lakes Marine Historical
Society, provide a wealth of knowledge on the topic.

  http://industrialheritage-buffalo.com/

     http://www.llmhs.org/

        -Brian Hayden

Comments

[Bill]

I remember the Port of Buffalo really busy during the 1960's and 1970's. The port at the terminal off Furman blvd would be humming with big freighters all night long. It was actually an exciting operation to view as foreign sailors would watch Lonshoreman load and unload their freighters. Does anyone remember a tragic accident on the port involving a ship explosion in the 1960's? I know that the port continued on but some brave men lost their lives on the docks back then.