The 118-foot (36m) ''Edward M. Cotter'' is the oldest fireboat in the world still on active duty, and is inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark. Launched in 1900, the boat was originally named the ''William Grattan'' after Buffalo's fire commissioner at the time. After it suffered a devastating explosion in 1928 (flying sparks from a burning oil barge entered its fuel tank), it was rebuilt from the burned-out shell of its hull at a cost of nearly $100,000. With a maximum speed of about 15 miles per hour (24 km/h), the ''Cotter'' is currently the slowest piece of firefighting machinery the Buffalo Fire Department owns, but it's indispensable for its ability to reach places on the waterfront inaccessible to ordinary fire trucks, and it has ten times the water-pumping capacity of the average fire truck. Over the years, the ''Cotter'' has seen action such as going across the lake to Port Colborne in 1960 to help fight a fire at a grain elevator complex; helping keep afloat the '''Buffalo Naval and Military Park''''s ''USS Little Rock'' after it began taking on water in 1978, and towing the Polish ship ''Zawisza Czarny'' off of a sandbar when it came to Buffalo Harbor for a visit in 1983. During the quiet winter months, the ''Cotter'' serves double duty as an icebreaker on the Buffalo River; during the summer, it can frequently be seen at local waterfront festivals and boat shows, where tours are also offered.
Local
Eat and Drink
- Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant - Buffalo (1.2 miles) - Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant is Buffalo's premier location for great food and unparalleled se...
- merge - Buffalo (1.7 miles) - We cook all our meals from the finest ingredients... organic meats, local vegetables, vegan and vege...
- SATO - Buffalo (3.1 miles) - SATO evolved from a family tradition of ramen restaurants that began in Fukui, Japan (just north of ...
- Craving Restaurant - Buffalo (5.3 miles) - CRāVing is located in the heart of North Buffalo in Hertel’s shopping district, one block from th...
- The Eagle House Restaurant - Williamsville (9.0 miles) - Our tavern & bar sits in the heart of a historic Village, our building dates back to 1827. The Eagle...
See and Do
- Grand Lady Cruises Buffalo (0.2 miles) - Grand Lady Cruises is the Buffalo/Niagara Region's only Dinner Cruise vessel. Specializing in pr...
- Alleyway Theatre Buffalo (1.4 miles) - Alleyway Theatre is Buffalo’s Theatre With A Pulse! Since 1980, we’ve kept our commitment to deve...
- Buffalo Ski Club Colden (16.0 miles) - Buffalo Ski Club is located 30 minutes south of Buffalo Metropolitan area. BSC emphasizes on teachin...
- Motherland Connextions niagara falls ny (18.0 miles) - When you experience a Motherland Connextions Underground railroad Tour, you experience the history o...
- Bird Kingdom Niagara Falls (18.2 miles) - Imagine a journey in search of the legendary Lost Kingdom. Along the way encounter exotic birds, ani...
Shopping
- Vidler's 5 & 10 - East Aurora (15.2 miles) - Historic, nostalgic and just plain fun, we are the classic American "5 & 10" variety store t...
- The Made In America Store - Niagara Falls (17.7 miles) - The Made in America Store offers guaranteed 100% USA top quality products ranging from Toys, Clothin...
