Buffalo South Entrance South Side NY
Harbour Lights #369

Buffalo’s complex harbor system has many lights. Commerce continued to grow in Buffalo’s Harbor, making the need for more lights urgent.

In the early years of the 20th Century, Buffalo and its suburbs became the world’s leading lumber port, grain milling and storage center. To flank the new south entrance two lights were built; a manned station (south side) and an oddly shaped metal structure (north side) later known as the 'bottle light'.

With a $45,000. appropriation by the United States Congress, work began on the foundation. Though slated to be completed by December 31, 1902, the Buffalo South Entrance South Side Light was delayed by the contractors’ inability to acquire iron needed to complete the beacon and the fog signal house. The construction site was sealed and secured for the long winter ahead. In the spring when work resumed, both shoddy workmanship and defective building materials would delay completion of the project until late in 1903.

On September 15, 1903, both the south side and north sidelights were exhibited for the first time. In May 1904, construction of the fog signal building began and by July the four walls were up waiting for the arch-shaped roof that would complete the structure. On November 12,1904, a fog siren powered by twin thirteen horsepower engines and compressed air was ready!

The Buffalo South Entrance South Side has a tower with a red brown cylindrical base, conical, white mid-section and a black lantern room. The lantern room has glass panes, in a diamond configuration, equipped with a fourth Order Fresnel Lens.
In 1935, the Buffalo South Entrance South Side Light was automated and now is inactive. In its place a modern, easy to maintain post light, marking the end of an era.