Ep52: Anthony Greco - Buffalo History Museum, the Stories Buffalo Doesn’t Know About Itself, and Why the Past Keeps Rhyming

In this episode of Angles with John Richmond, John sits down with Anthony Greco, Director of Exhibits at the Buffalo History Museum and host of the Buffalo History Museum podcast. Anthony has spent nearly 20 years going down rabbit holes in old newspapers, building exhibits, and telling the stories of a city that most of its own residents only think they know. From the chaos of mid-1800s Canalside to the assassination of a president, from the real story of the McKinley Curse to the first airplane factory in the United States sitting on Elmwood Avenue, Anthony is the kind of guide you didn’t know you needed. The conversation covers the full sweep of Buffalo’s history: what the city was actually like at the height of its power as the 8th largest city in America, how Bethlehem Steel made and then hollowed out entire communities, why the city stagnated just long enough to preserve its architectural legacy instead of tearing it down, and what the Erie Canal story looks like when you include the indigenous people whose land it ran through. Anthony talks about how the museum approaches difficult history, why co-curation with community partners matters, and what it takes to put together an exhibit that costs $350 a square foot and tells a story that actually lands. He also goes deep on the Buffalo History Museum podcast - started during Covid on a cheap Audio-Technica mic, now listened to in over 100 countries - covering everything from Houdini’s 13 visits to Buffalo to the unsolved 1903 murder of an envelope company owner whose wife and her lover drove into a quarry and died right when it happened. Plus Prohibition-era gangs, the Pan-American Exposition, Love Canal, the Goo Goo Dolls, and why the museum has mummies. If you have ever driven past a building and wondered what happened there, or if you think you know Buffalo history but you’ve never heard of Glen Curtiss, Ned Christie, or the Christian Homestead Association map, this episode will change how you see your own city.Enjoying the episode?Subscribe, leave a review, and share Angles with John Richmond with a friend.🎧 New episodes every week.Visit www.richmondvona.com/angles-podcast/ for more📱 Follow us on Instagram:@anglesjohnrichmond@johnrichmondlaw@richmondvona🎥 Follow us on TikTok:@richmondvona@johnrichmondesq📺 Watch on YouTube: @angleswithjohnrichmondFollow us on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576886611238Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by the guest and host are their own and do not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Angles Podcast does not endorse any specific health claims, products, services, or treatments mentioned in this episode. Listeners should consult qualified professionals for advice tailored to their individual circumstances.