Stop out after work and join us downtown at the Market Arcade for a free Happy Hour reception on Friday, December 21 , 5:00-8:00pm, to celebrate the opening of "Peculiar Buffalo: Historical Photography 1900-2012," a collection of local photographs curated by Alexandria Le Caer, extended from the North Buffalo location at 1416 Hertel Ave (which opens Wednesday, December 19th, 6:00-9:00pm).

Each exhibition features works related to the surrounding community. As usual, refreshments and dessert by Camille will be served.

The exhibitions feature images of a more peculiar variety that people don’t normally get to see in reference to Buffalo’s history. From storm-related floods, people taming buffalos in efforts to save the species, a stolen car crash, and products of the racy Ginther photography studio, to personal and colorized photographs and postcards, this assortment seeks to bring a broader understanding of our past, physically and psychologically. Through humor, style, expressions, and the progressive notions of our Buffalonian ancestors, we find relationships to our current society and see the evolution of how Buffalo has become such a cool place to live.

A special merci to local Historian, Jim Mendola, for access to his extensive collection and knowledge, which make up the bulk of this exhibition. A gracious thank you to the following people and organizations whose collaboration also made this exhibition possible: North Park Theater, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, The North Buffalo Organization, Buffalo Canvas, Black Rock Historical Society, Buffalo History Museum, Buffalore, Sloan’s Antiques, Lauren Becker of Flat Hat Exhibits, for her parallel interests and shared expertise, and Caitlin Moriarty for her love of maps and comprehension of architectural history and the intent of constructed spaces versus their actual use.