Unpacked by AFAR · Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Edward Howard, a docent and tour guide, explains that Buffalo's Liberty Building features two statues reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty. One statue faces east towards the developed United States, while the other faces west towards the developing portion of the country, symbolizing Buffalo's pivotal role in national development.
“If you were walking down Main Street in downtown Buffalo, New York, and you happened to look up, you might do a double take because there at the top of a tall historic building are what look like not one, but two statues of Liberty.”
“The western statue looks to the west to the developing portion of the country.”
“The idea of the Liberty Building, with its statues facing east and west, recognizes Buffalo's pivotal position in the development of our country, and so that is unique building in Buffalo, there's nothing like it anywhere else in the United States.”