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Society for Industrial Archeology
53rd Annual Conference
29 May – 1 June 2025
Buffalo, New York

Join the Society for Industrial Archeology for a once-in-a-generation conference in Buffalo, New York. This will be SIA’s second visit to Buffalo, the first coming at the 21st Annual Conference in 1992.

The Erie Canal, one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels, breathed new life into Buffalo in 1825 (following the town’s burning by the British in 1812), setting the stage for the growth of an industrial powerhouse. In the span of about 50 years, the small settlement of fewer than 1,000 residents transformed itself into a city of more than 134,000 people and one of the country’s leading business and manufacturing hubs. Grain, steel, aviation, electric power, and even luxury automobiles helped Buffalo become the eighth largest city in the U.S. by 1900. The City of Light, as Buffalo was dubbed during the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, encapsulated the “American Dream.” A place where hard work, innovation, and invention transformed a small trading post into one of the nation’s most influential cities.

The Buffalo planning committee is excited to share that process tours on Thursday and Friday will explore these industries, past and present. Some tours will focus on the engineering infrastructure along the Niagara River and ship canals of South Buffalo. The historic industrial landscape features landmark bridges spanning a transshipment network of waterways, and areas where steel factories and grain elevators still stand, such as Silo City. Other tours will visit areas north of the city where hydroelectric plants powered industries at the iconic Niagara Falls and at Lockport along the shipping canal. Buffalo remains an active industrial city, so tours will also visit contemporary places of production, like Hadley Exhibits and Buffalo Pressed Steel. We are excited to show just some of the city’s industry, transportation heritage, and industrial archeology during an unforgettable SIA conference!

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

• Museum Community Meet-up and Pre-Conference Event

THURSDAY, MAY 29

• Pre-conference tours*
• Evening Reception at Conference Hotel

FRIDAY, MAY 30

• Choose one of four all-day bus tours
• Dinner on your own

SATURDAY, MAY 31

• Full day of research presentations & exhibits
• Annual Business Meeting & Luncheon
• SIA Banquet*
• Iron & Steel Heritage Forum Planning Activities

SUNDAY, JUNE 1

• Post-conference tours*
• Iron & Steel Heritage Forum Planning Activities

*Additional fees apply

 CONFERENCE HOTEL

Hyatt Regency Buffalo / Hotel and Conference Center
Two Fountain Plaza
Buffalo, NY 14202

Please see bottom of page for details about extended call for papers.

Caption for photo at top: Electric power lines in vicinity of west billet yard, 32″ mill view looking southeast – Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Lackawanna Plant, Route 5 on Lake Erie, Buffalo, Erie County, NY.  (HAER Photo)