Peek Inside The Scajaquada Creek Tunnel Drain In Western New York

Whether you realize it or not, Western New York is an interesting place to live and work. With an extensive and amazing history that has many connections to the larger American history, the 716 has a lot of hidden gems in its background that will keep you fascinated.

One of the things that has fascinated me for years is the Scajaquada Creek. From the creek's role in the War of 1812 to how the creek helped shape the look of Buffalo today, there are so many things to learn.

What Is The Scajaquada Creek?

Sitting at around 13 miles in length, the stream has a nearly 30 square-mile watershed and runs through 3 municipalities in Western New York. The creek starts in Lancaster and runs through Depew and Cheektowaga before cutting across the entire city of Buffalo, where it drains into the Niagara River.

According to the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, the name Scajaquada comes from the name of a Native American man, Philip Conjockety, or Kenjockety, who was known as the last survivor of the Neutral Nation that lived in the area surrounding Black Rock.

The creek played key role in the development of Buffalo over the years, including being part of the Pan American Exposition and Fredrick Law Olmsted's grand plan for Buffalo's park system.

However, it wasn't until the 1920s when changes to the Scajaquada Creek were made that helped Buffalo and Cheektowaga look like they do today.

Wait, The Scajaquada Creek Is Buried Under East Buffalo?

According to an article published in 1923 by The American City Magazine, the early 1920s saw the creek turn into a public nuisance as people in Cheektowaga, Depew, and Lancaster essentially used the creek as a public sewer. The people of Buffalo thought the only way to make the east side of Buffalo more livable was to bury the creek as it cut across the city.

Nearly 4 miles of the creek are buried and run under the streets and homes of Buffalonians before it comes above ground again in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

In the 100 years since the culvert was built, its condition has worsened, essentially crippling the creek as millions of gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater flow into the creek every year. Efforts by groups like the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and others have been working for years to try and restore the condition of the creek.

Take A Look Inside The Scajaquada Creek Tunnel Drain

Since I was young and learned that the creek was underground in Buffalo, I have always wondered what it looked like down there. It seems that Buffalo-based photographer Mark James wondered the same thing, and, as an urban explorer, he decided to take his camera and walk the entire 3.7-mile Scajaquada Creek Tunnel Drain. To say that I am intrigued by some of the pictures he took would be an understatement. Take a look at some of the photos that were captured:

The information shared here is meant for entertainment and educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should you enter this tunnel drain. Doing so risks bodily harm and/or arrest and prosecution for trespassing. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to investigate the inside of these tunnels without proper knowledge, experience, and legal authorization.