When William J. Conners "won" a bet in his youth, he lost a thumb but gained a nickname; and a reputation. Through hard work and foresight, "Fingy" molded himself from a First Ward tough to one of the most successful men in Buffalo and beyond.

New York Yankee legend Joe McCarthy may have gained his fame in the Bronx but he made his home near Buffalo. The Master and his wisdom are remembered.

After joining the British Navy at age 12 and eventually rising to Captain, Frederick Marryat became a prolific writer, befriending the likes of Charles Dickens and helping to pioneer the sea story genre. Read his impressions of Buffalo in 1837.

Before the Bills and Sabres thrilled Western New Yorkers, midget auto racing was the biggest draw in town for sports fans.

Down a dusty road in Livingston County, the Ryan family farmhouse was a place where precious memories were made. This tale of the 1930s is recounted through the eyes of a little girl.

Riverlawn, the 350-acre estate of the Spaulding and Sidway families, was incorporated into the Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island.

The Albright-Knox lost more than some pieces of art when it decided to sell part of its "permanent" collection.

Thomas LeClear's 1853 Buffalo Newsboy is an epitome of 19th century American genre art.