History of Salamanca

Salamanca is the only city east of the Mississippi located almost wholly within the Allegany Indian Reservation. The beginnings and growth of Salamanca are closely linked to nature, logging and the Railroad.

History of the Railroad

Salamanca was on the main line of the Erie Railroad and the first non-Indian buildings were related to the operation of the railroad. According to an 1866 book entitled "Over the Atlantic and Great Western Railway", Salamanca began to grow rapidly in 1863 when the Atlantic and Great Western Railway joined the Erie at Salamanca. When the connection was initially made, three small wooden buildings were built at the junction; an Erie freight house and a depot and freight house for the A&GW. By 1866, the Erie had built brick shops, sheds and other buildings about a mile to the east of the junction. The A&GW had begun construction on an 11-stall roundhouse, a 250'x100' car shop, a blacksmith's shop, a fitting shop, a through freight house, a local freight house, and an enclosed water tank. As the years progressed, Salamanca emerged as a major city on the Erie Railroad. It boasted two roundhouses and a large yard.

The Erie Railroad had three passenger stations in Salamanca. The first was built about a mile west of the current Salamanca at the junction with the Atlantic & Great Western Railway. From the description of it, it was little more than a small wooden shack. When Salamanca grew rapidly in the mid 1860s, the company moved east and built a complex of shops, freight houses just west of Main Street in Salamanca. In 1872 the company built a substantial passenger depot, know as "The Windsplitter" for its shape, just west of Main Street. This station lasted until 1904 when a third station was built

For more details on the history of Salamanca, please email the Salamanca Historical Society, or visit the website of the Salamanca Rail Museum.

History of the Seneca Nation of Indians

The Seneca Nation Allegany Territory is situated in the valley of the beautiful Allegany Mountains. The Allegany River flows through the Territory. It is a scenic area in all seasons.

The Seneca Nation is one of the original Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. This union was created to unite the Haudenosaunee, or “People of the Longhouse”. Comprised of chiefs from the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida and Mohawk, the Confederacy operated under an unwritten code of conduct known as the Great Law of Peace. This union was later joined by the Tuscarora in 1712, thus becoming the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. When the founding fathers of the United States Constitution adopted their Constitution, they followed the tenets of the Iroquois Confederacy Constitution, recognizing its superior organizational structure.

Before the arrival of Columbus in 1492, the Senecas occupied and roamed in what is now known as the northeast area of the United States. Over the years, however, as more and more Europeans arrived, settling in the new “America,” the Senecas were deprived of their lands. Years later, this led to the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 signed by an emissary of then President George Washington and the Chiefs of the original Nations, designating certain lands in New York State to each of the Six Nations. The Seneca Nation has title to the Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Oil Spring Territories.

Future of Salamanca

Excerpts from the Downtown Strategic Plan, prepared by Peter J. Smith and Associates, April 2006

Main Street Redevelopment – Main Street is proposed to be redeveloped from “building face to building face” from Broad Street to the rail bridge. Improvements include specialty pavers delineating sidewalks, gathering areas, plazas and pedestrian road crossings. A band of complimentary accent paving provides separation from the street edge/on-street parking and serves to gather and organize street furniture, fixtures and street tree planting. Intersections could include “bump outs” to contain street parking and shorten the crossing distance at intersections. Improvements to the rail bridge are required to enhance pedestrian comfort and safety and better integrate the rail museum into downtown. Improvements required include repairs to the concrete abutments, refinishing of structural steel work, new pedestrian paving, new railings and improved lighting. North of the rail bridge and museum, improvements required to Main Street include new road surfacing, curbing, sidewalks, street tree planting and lighting.

The revitalization of downtown Salamanca is dependant on translating the City’s unique and distinguished qualities into physical form. The concept is rooted in celebrating the City’s rich social, cultural and natural heritage. The downtown is envisioned to be a center for the performing and fine arts, and a place to be entertained and educated. It is a place where artists, sculptors, craftsmen, musicians and actors can apply their trade. It is a place where one can comfortably walk and experience Salamanca’s past. It is a retail destination where both residents and visitors can shop for everyday goods as well as specialty items. The downtown is envisioned as a place for civic celebrations and public recreation. Through high quality design, the downtown is envisioned to be attractive, appealing and memorable.

 As it returns to its roots to look to its future, downtown Salamanca establishes itself as a modern city with pride in its exceptional historic qualities. Salamanca reinforces its hospitality through its system of streets, trails, access and celebration of the river that runs through it, providing linkages and access through the City, Town and Region.

Goal #1: The downtown business district is the heart of the community. Downtown should be preserved and enhanced as a focal point of the community and positioned to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by its location.

Goal #2: The historic downtown is composed of traditional, multi-story buildings. Rehabilitation, preservation, adaptive reuse and sensitive infill development reinforce the traditional downtown building stock and increase buildings’ usefulness, with improved pedestrian and vehicular access.