Southtowns

The Southtowns is a region in Western New York, United States. It is part of the snowbelt and ski country, and includes the southern suburbs of Buffalo, New York. People often call this area the Buffalo Southtowns, the South Towns, or simply Southtown.

One of the most famous people from this area was United States President Millard Fillmore. His old home there is very special and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The Southtowns also has many other important historic places, especially in the towns of Springville and East Aurora.

Details

The Fillmore House and Roycroft are both National Historic Landmarks.

Highmark Stadium, where the Buffalo Bills play, is a popular place. It has been their home since 1973.

The Southtowns include Aurora, Blasdell, East Aurora, Elma, Hamburg, and Orchard Park. Other towns south of Buffalo are also part of the Southtowns. The southern part of Erie County, like West Seneca, Elma, and Marilla, is included. This area is the northwesternmost foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The New York State Department of Transportation made a scenic byway called the WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway that goes through many towns. The National Weather Service says the Southtowns are all the area south of U.S. Route 20A. It also includes part of the village of Gowanda.

The Buffalo area has a "Northtown" region north of the city. Some people divide the Buffalo suburbs into the Southtowns and the Northtowns.

Ski country and the Niagara Frontier pass through the Southtowns. The area is bordered by Cattaraugus Creek and Cattaraugus County to the south, Chautauqua County to the southwest, Wyoming County to the east, and Lake Erie to the west.

The Southtowns are mostly rural, especially near Cattaraugus Creek. The northern Southtowns, around Orchard Park and Hamburg, feel more like suburbs.

Attractions

East Aurora, home of Fisher-Price, is called "Toy Town, U.S.A." Attractions in the Southtowns include the Toy Town Museum, Elbert Hubbard-Roycroft Museum, National Historic Landmark Millard Fillmore House, the Frank Lloyd Wright home, and the Graycliff Estate. Frommer's also mentions the Kazoo Museum in Eden.

The National Register of Historic Places includes many places in the Southtowns.

Other popular spots are Highmark Stadium, home of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills, Chestnut Ridge Park, and Buffalo Raceway. The Erie County Fair has been held every year in Hamburg since 1868.

Millard Fillmore and Jack Kemp are linked to the Southtowns.

Media

One broadcast station is licensed to the Southtowns: MeTV affiliate WBBZ-TV in Springville. The station is based in Clarence. Full-service AM radio station WSPQ was based in Springville but closed in 2017. WNYB, a religious station based in Jamestown, had its studios in Orchard Park until it stopped local shows.

Several Buffalo-licensed stations use the area's higher terrain for their towers, such as the WIVB tower in Colden.

The Buffalo News is the main daily newspaper. Many Southtowns weeklies closed in 2016, but Neighbor-to-Neighbor News in East Aurora brought back several of them.

People

United States President Millard Fillmore lived in East Aurora.

The 1996 vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp represented Hamburg and nearby areas in the United States House of Representatives.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul graduated from Hamburg High School and was a Hamburg town board member.

Current political leaders include state assemblyman David DiPietro, state assemblyman Jonathan Rivera, state senator Patrick Gallivan, and representative Nick Langworthy.