Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway

—History & Historical Landmarks —

Originally named Buffum Mills, Colden was renamed after the post office was moved to the Buffum Inn in 1833. Colden residents have served their country in many conflicts from the American Revolution to the present time. In front of you is our beautiful Veteran's Wall dedicated to the Men and Women who served so we may enjoy our freedoms today. Follow the brick path, look over the creek and to the right you will see a white picket fence and back of the white plank building known as the Buffum Inn. This building was constructed in 1828 by Richard Buffum, who in 1810 was the town's first settler. The town's first inn also housed a post office and held many community meetings. To visit this building, head to your right from here, make a left at the main corners, and look for the third building down on the left. As you visit the Buffum Inn, note the Union Church across the road, built in 1859. In 1938 it became a Methodist Church. Buffum Inn. Turn around from this location and note the two wooden buildings across the street on Rt. 240. The one on the left was named the Colden Hotel, built in 1850 by John Hedges. Fine wines, liquors, hospitality and cigars were always on hand. The building on the right of the hotel began as a general sporting goods store and became the Valley Ski Haus in 1959.
The business started out with only 10 pairs of wooden Northland skis. Later this was the first shop in WNY to stock cross-country ski equipment. This building also housed a delicatessen and barber shop. Cazenovia Creek. As you are strolling to see Buffum Inn, take note of Cazenovia Creek. The elevation of the creek and the need for water for grist and saw mills played an important role in establishing a settlement here. Richard Buffum built the first Grist mill in 1814 and named this area Buffum Mills. A saw mill was built near the present building on the corner of Heath Rd. and Rt. 240. This building has been the home of a country style store for over 50 years. Draw your eyes up Heath Rd. and note the additional churches that reside on the hill. GlenwoodDrive south (to your left) down Rt. 240, enjoy the scenic hillside, and you will come to the Hamlet of Glenwood, approximately two miles from here. This hamlet was formed around 1835 when land was purchased from the Holland Land Company by Samuel B. Love and Benjamin Maltby, both from Colden, and Stephen Osborn from Newstead. Maltby built a saw mill and sold land to settlers, In 1840 small businesses soon developed including a tannery, a store and post office. Benjamin Matlby was the first postmaster. The church on the corner of Mill Street and Rt. 240 was formed in 1829 and was known as a
Congregational Society. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1860 and adopted as a Presbyterian Church in 1878. Glenwood Presbyterian Church. Continue traveling south down Rt. 240 and enjoy our Sun-Kissed hills. These provide for outdoor recreation including skiing and year round activities at Sprague Brook Park. The Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway is a 70 mile route encompassing five towns and three villages within Erie County, New York. For a listing of points of interest signs along the byway go to www.wnyssb.org

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Show me all markers in:  Colden, NY  |  Erie County  |  14033  |  New York  |  United States of America

The Town of Colden Honors Our Men & Women, a War Memorial
In Memory of Alfred M. Kalinowski
Buffum Inn
Buffum Homestead
Colden United Methodist Church
Pioneer Church
Birthplace of Ellen Beach Yaw
The Viet Nam War
Dedicated to the Honor
Boston, N.Y. War Honor Roll

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