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Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park facts for kids

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Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park
Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park Logo.jpg
U.S.S. Little Rock 6.jpg
Established July 4, 1979
Location Canalside, Buffalo, New York
Public transit access NFTA Metro Rail (Erie Canal Harbor)

The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park is a cool museum in Buffalo, New York. It sits right by the Buffalo River. This park is special because it's home to several real US Navy ships. These ships are no longer used by the Navy, but you can explore them!

You can tour the large cruiser USS Little Rock. There's also the destroyer USS The Sullivans. And don't forget the submarine USS Croaker! All three ships are open for you to discover.

History of the Naval Park

How the Park Started

Back in 1976, people in Buffalo wanted to create a naval park. They asked the United States Department of the Navy for a decommissioned ship. "Decommissioned" means the ship is no longer active in the Navy.

Work on the park began in 1977. It was first called "The Buffalo Naval and Servicemen's Park." The park officially opened on July 4, 1979.

Adding More Ships

When the park first opened, it had two main ships. These were the USS Little Rock and USS The Sullivans. In 1988, the submarine USS Croaker joined the display. The next year, in 1989, the Croaker was updated.

Even though they are museum pieces, the ships still belong to the US Navy. The Navy checks on them every year.

Changes Over Time

The park has changed a bit over the years. In 2003, the ships were moved to a new spot. This new location is near Pearl and Main streets. Now, the park is right next to Buffalo's Canalside. This area is a popular waterfront spot.

New buildings were added to the park. A new museum opened, and a restaurant called Liberty Hound started in 2012.

A special event happened in 2017. A brand new Navy ship, USS Little Rock (LCS-9), was officially put into service. This happened right next to its older namesake, USS Little Rock (CG-4). It was the first time a new Navy ship was commissioned next to a ship with the same name!

Cool Things to See at the Park

USS Boston Sub Sail
The sub sail of USS Boston on display

Besides the big ships, the park has many other cool things. You can see smaller vehicles, boats, and even aircraft.

Here are some of the displays:

  • A Gyrodyne X-Ron 1 Rotorcycle. This was a small, one-person helicopter. The US Marine Corps used it in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
  • An Army M41 Walker Bulldog tank.
  • A Marine Corps M-84 Armored personnel carrier. This is a vehicle that carries soldiers safely.
  • A UH-1 Huey helicopter. This type of helicopter was used in the Vietnam War.
  • An Air Force F-101 Voodoo jet. This jet was flown by the New York Air National Guard.
  • A Nasty-class Fast Patrol Boat (PTF). This was a fast boat used by the Navy in Vietnam.
  • A Navy FJ Fury (FJ-4) jet. This jet was similar to the Air Force's F-86 Sabre.
  • A USAAF P-39 Airacobra plane. This plane was made in Buffalo and used in World War II.
  • The sail and rudder from the submarine USS Boston. The "sail" is the tower-like part on top of a submarine.

The park is located in the Canalside area. It's close to the KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter. The park's hours change depending on the season. It is closed from December to March.