Survive, Remember, Thrive: Armenian Traditions in Western New York

In the early and mid-twentieth century, Niagara Falls (NY) became a home to many resettled survivors of the Armenian Genocide (1915) and their descendants: either through direct settlement or migration from other regions of the US in connection to the then-economic boom of the city.  

The East Falls Street neighborhood in Niagara Falls in particular became the major hub for the local Armenian community in Western New York, solidified through the building of two churches and a community center in the mid-20th century: St. Sarkis Armenian Church, the Armenian Community Center, and St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church.

While the community has fallen from its peak population in the mid-20th century, Armenian cultural heritage continues to be practiced locally by descendants within the historic community—and also by new immigrants to the Buffalo-Niagara region from Armenia.