Buffalo. Where the old meets the new.

Today, a short trip down the beautiful Buffalo Lake walkway gives people a chance to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the water, the flowers and plants, and the downtown shops. People who know a little local history can also imagine what life would have been like in early settlement days.

In 1856, inhabitants of the beautiful little village of Winnebago, named for earlier settlers, cleared out a section of the big woods and came together to incorporate the town in which they lived. The 100 residents decided to name their new town Buffalo, as a tribute to the nearby lake.

Some people think both the town and the lake got their name from the big brown animals that roam the prairies. Actually, they are both named for the buffalo fish, a carp-like fish found abundantly in Buffalo Lake in the 1800s. Today, few buffalo swim the waters, but their legacy lives on.

During the past 150 years, Buffalo has experienced enormous growth and development. Located in the middle of the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, this city of 13,000 offers both residents and guests a perfect mixture of modern conveniences and small town life. Although much has changed, Buffalo has retained its quaint feel and charm of the past.

The perfect mixture of old and new, Buffalo is truly a Minnesota treasure.

Related Web Sites

City of Buffalo
Buffalo Chamber of Commerce

Footnote: historical information courtesy of Buffalo; From Trading Post to Star City written by Marcia Paulsen, 1987.