From the Archive

Black Rock Cycle Club

Buffalo was called a “Wheelman’s Paradise” back in the 1890’s when bikes were used as

the main source of transportation to get to work, other destinations or make deliveries. Earlier, bikes had to compete with horse and buggies with almost no asphalt pavement. As the City of Buffalo grew, paved streets were added and recreational biking became popular.

It was during this time that many bike clubs were formed.

The Black Rock Cycle Club was formed, and in- corporated on September 2, 1896. Other bicy- cle clubs were active at the same and included the Rambler’s Bicycle Club, The Press, the Parkside, the Imperial, and the Comrades to name a few. They made club runs to surround- ing towns on Sundays. Afterwards they would engage in a game of football or similar sport

then bike together back to Buffalo.

The BRCC clubhouse was originally located at Austin and Churchill Streets and moved to a new clubhouse at 1909 Niagara Street to in- crease their membership and it was easier to reach than the present one. . These are two Push Ball trophies won by the Black Rock CC

that we have in our collection.

Fragment of the Black Rock

The King Sewing Machine Company constructed an 8-acre manufacturing complex at 308 Crowley Avenue, with capital provided by Sears, Roebuck, & Co. in 1909. As their subsidiary, King introduced a number of low-cost machines based on Singer designs (Singer sold more sewing machines than any other producer in the United States}.

Domestic Sewing Machine Co. became Sears main supplier, their machines had qualities of being noiseless, rapid, light running, with beautiful gold filigree designs, winning a gold medal at the Pan American Exposition in 1901. The Black Rock Historical has in their collection two Domestic sewing machines.

The company has undergone many name changes, producing Colonial and Sylvania radios as early as the 1920’s. The buildings have seriously deteriorated and partial demolition is ongoing with future planning in the works.

Pratt & Lambert Paint Co.

The Pratt and Lambert Paint Company, maker of paint varnish, lacquer and varnishes was founded in Buffalo in 1849 at 73-97 Tonawanda St. From its headquarters the company grew to manufacture and distribute several hundred different products that included paints for autos,, railway stations, trains, bridges, airplanes, etc.

Outstanding was their Floor Varnish– NO. 61-the king of floor varnishes and Vitralite, the

long life white enamel. Little known is that Norman Rockwell, one of the country’s greatest American illustrators was commissioned to produce six paintings featuring “61 Floor Var-

nish.” They are currently in the collection of the AKG Museum right here in Buffalo.

This can of Pratt and Lambert’s “61” floor varnish in our collection dates back to the early 20^th century and made up only a small percentage of their multi-million sales which they enjoyed in the early 1900s. In a 1920 advertisement in American Magazine Pratt and Lam- bert proclaimed if you hit their varnished piece of sample wood with a hammer “you may dent the wood but the varnish wont crack.” It was this high level of quality which went into their products.

The company’s primary factory was located on Tonawanda Street here in Buffalo. Upon its completion in 1902 the facility covered five acers and ran from Tonawanda Street to Sca- jaquada Creek. Pratt and Lambert was purchased by Sherwin-Williams in 1996 and although they no longer manufacture products in Buffalo, they have had a great impact on the paint

industry as well as the industrial history of our city.