Blizzard of 2022 Collection Becomes Part of Buffalo’s History
Searchable Archive Now Available Online
More than 100 photos, videos, audio recordings and objects donated by the community following the Blizzard of 2022 are now safekept in the collection of The Buffalo History Museum.
The Museum launched its Blizzard of 2022 collecting initiative last January following the deadly blizzard that killed 47 in Erie County, left thousands without power, and immobilized the city for several days. Dozens of the submissions can now be viewed online at the Museum’s archival database. Many of the preserved images capture extraordinary moments from the storm, from pictures of the group stranded for two days inside the Walden Avenue Target, to photos of snowbanks taller than street signs and snowdrifts blocking doorways.
The collection will also include two object donations: a U.S. flag recently donated by County Executive Mark Poloncarz that flew over the county’s emergency operations center in Cheektowaga during the storm, and a candle made by a local candlemaker, Havenpoint Candle Co., inspired by the blizzard.
The Museum is continuing to collect photos, video and audio recordings, and written testimonials of the storm through an online submission form found at and will also consider objects related to the blizzard (email Michelle Harris, Senior Director of Collections, at mharris@buffalohistory.org with inquiries). This new collection will be available for research and reference, and may be used for future projects, exhibits, and programs at the Museum.
The Blizzard collection is part of the Museum’s broader effort to collect from the present day to create a historical record for future generations. Other contemporary collecting initiatives include the “Chronicling COVID-19” initiative; a collaborative community effort to create a historical record of the May 14th massacre; the “Newlywed Project,” which preserves mementos from LGBTQIA+ weddings; and a menu and cookbook collecting initiative.
“The Blizzard of 2022 left an indelible mark on our collective memory, and now future generations can grasp the significance of this extraordinary storm through the perspectives of those who endured it,” said Buffalo History Museum Executive Director Melissa Brown. “Safekeeping these experiences ensures that the importance of today’s events will not be lost to history.”
More information about the collecting initiative can be found at: www.buffalogistory.org/collecting.