Buffalo’s Broderick Park Is Getting A New Name

Whether you realize it or not, Buffalo and Western New York have played a significant part in American history.

From becoming the very first electrified city in the late 1800s to the Erie Canal being a catalyst for growth in the Midwest decades earlier, Buffalo's contribution to America cannot be denied.

One set of historical events in Buffalo had a significant part in the fight for the freedom of American slaves before, during, and after the US Civil War.

Western New York played a major role in the Underground Railroad as a final stop before escaped slaves made it to Canada in search of freedom. Conductors on the Underground Railroad, such as the famed Harriet Tubman, led hundreds of people across the Niagara River into Ontario.

Broadrick Park in Buffalo, which is unofficially called the Foot of Ferry by many, was one of those spots that was the last stop before freedom. Whether people took the Black Rock Ferry across the river or attempted to make the 1/4 mile swim across, if you found yourself on Buffalo's west side, you were on freedom's doorstep.

Broderick Park Renamed Freedom Park To Honor Contribution To The Underground Railroad

People trying to figure out the best way to honor the historical significance of this park is now over, thanks to a new law passed by the Buffalo Common Council.

This renaming signifies a significant step towards honoring the Park’s legacy as a beacon of freedom. We acknowledge the importance of preserving history and are committed to recognizing the sacrifices made by those who sought freedom through this route.
-David A. Rivera, Niagara District Common Council Member and Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader

Broderick Park is now known as Freedom Park. Freedom Park seeks to truly recognize the contribution Buffalo has made to freedom and liberty in America.

Now, even though Broderick Park is no more, officials have also pledged to ensure that Broderick Park's namesake, Michael Broderick, and the Broderick family are also given an honorable way to recognize their contributions to Buffalo.