Historic Town of Buffalo

Historic Town of Buffalo. . , Chartered in 1837, the town of Buffalo predates the formation of Putnam County in 1848. Possibly named after the nearby Big Buffalo Creek, the town was from its beginnings inextricably tied to river trade and to agriculture. In its early days, many of the town’s inhabitants earned a living as captains and crewmen aboard river vessels that plied the length of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers. Using this water route, area farmers and craftsmen shipped their produce and wares to markets in other states. The town center, located in front of you, contains the historic heart of this West Virginia community. , Buffalo Presbyterian Church. In the 1840s, Presbyterians in Buffalo petitioned the denomination’s governing body in Greenbrier, WV, for permission to form a congregation and to erect a church. Approval came in 1856, with a dedication held for a newly built church in 1857. , Buffalo Academy. Built in 1849, the Buffalo Academy offered a liberal education that was unrivaled in the region. Occupied by Union and Confederate armies, the Academy closed permanently after the Civil War. Into the early twentieth century, the building served as a public school. , Buffalo Bank. The Buffalo Bank was founded in 1919 by several area residents, including Thomas C. Atkeson of state agricultural fame. The present structure, built in 1929, remained in operation until 1963, when it permanently closed its doors. , Buffalo Methodist Church. Formed in 1833, the Buffalo Methodist congregation in 1848 constructed a new church building behind the Buffalo Academy. After this structure burned during the Civil War, the congregation built the present building in 1870.