UB Geographer Maps Out Buffalo Neighborhoods

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Tucked away on an upper floor of the University at Buffalo's Undergraduate Library in the Science and Engineering Library (SEL) Map Collection room, geographer Ernest L. Woodson helps people find links and clues to the past that often only old maps can reveal.

Woodson, an associate librarian in the SEL, is in charge of the University Libraries Map Collection, which he began developing in 1974 when it was made up of only 50,000 maps. Today, the prized collection includes more than 350,000 maps and aerial photos.

A recent addition to the SEL Web site -- an online Buffalo Neighborhoods Map located at

http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/sel/collections/maps/buffmap.html -- was inspired by Woodson's long-time passion for studying the geography, culture and history of city neighborhoods. The site includes a virtual version of the only map ever created that defines and identifies each of Buffalo's 30 distinct

neighborhoods.

"I've always been interested in neighborhoods. It is almost like a hobby...every time I would move to a new city, I would continually walk around and observe," explains Woodson.

Before settling in Buffalo, Colorado-born Woodson lived in the French Quarter of New Orleans, as well as in Seattle, Kansas City, Los Angeles and Newark, N.J.

"Of all the cities I have lived in, I think New Orleans is the most fascinating because it is so different from other American cities," he reveals. "But my true love is Paris."

However, Woodson admits to having a fascination with Buffalo. One thing he says interests him is trying to figure out why "residents are always defending Buffalo."

He believes the Buffalo Neighborhoods Map to be the first of its kind, since he has never seen or heard of a city map that indicates neighborhood boundaries, probably because they often are so loosely defined. He currently is working on the first neighborhoods map of Manhattan, which he hopes will be added to the SEL Web site by January 2000.

"Some people see them (neighborhoods) as a problem and a source of racism and conflict. I never approach it that way," explains Woodson. "I look for the positive qualities of each neighborhood."

The Buffalo Neighborhoods Map Web site contains a digital-image map of the city that clearly designates the boundaries of each neighborhood. Each neighborhood is linked to an individual page with a description, historical information and landmarks, and photos taken by Woodson.

He began the project by mapping out the easy neighborhoods such as Allentown and the Old First Ward -- the only two recognized political entities. Parks, cemeteries, highways and waterways, as well as Main Street, were used to help determine boundaries. Main Street, Woodson says, separates most of the neighborhoods in the city.

The Buffalo Neighborhoods Map project began two years ago after Woodson, who had been observing the inside of a church on Buffalo's Lower West Side, noticed that everything about the church was Italian -- from the names of the saints on the windows to the architecture. He wanted to find out why and when an area that had been Italian-American at one time had become an Hispanic neighborhood.

Woodson reveals that he is especially interested in the Italian-American culture, although he is of Spanish descent. "In New York City and Buffalo, Italian-Americans live in very concise neighborhoods. I am fascinated by everything about them: the food, language and geography." Coincidentally, he lives in an Italian neighborhood in North Buffalo.

"Geographers also are fascinated with names," says Woodson, who was surprised to learn that Buffalo's Kaisertown is a Polish neighborhood. "I wanted to find out why it was called Kaisertown, so I asked an elderly woman in the area, who told me that the whole area used to be German farms. After checking old maps, I saw that the street names had been changed from German names."

When defining and identifying neighborhoods, Woodson says it is important to be aware of what geographers refer to as "good markers." He adds that churches, city parks, names on stores, cars, porches and street names all tell something important about an area.

The Buffalo Neighborhoods Web site is a "work-in-progress," according to Woodson. He continues to walk around the city, talking to residents and capturing photos for the site that he feels best illustrate the distinct identity of each neighborhood.