President J. Conrad Seneca speaks at the ceremony.

WEST SENECA – Seneca Nation leaders gathered with local officials and neighbors Friday to commemorate the importance of the Buffalo Creek Treaty of 1842, which forever shaped the history of both the Seneca Nation and Western New York.

The treaty restored Seneca possession of the Nation’s Cattaraugus and Allegany territories after an earlier, manipulated treaty attempted to stake claim to all Seneca lands and relocate the Seneca people to present day Kansas. The annual event took place at the Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center in West Seneca, which stands in the vicinity of where the historic agreement between the Seneca Nation and the United States was signed.

“It is important that people – Seneca and non-Seneca alike – understand and are reminded of the importance of the 1842 Buffalo Creek Treaty, what it stands for, what it protects, and what it guarantees,” said Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca. “Without this treaty, and the unshakable resilience of our ancestors who fought for it, the Seneca Nation and Western New York would be far different and far less vibrant today. It is because of this treaty that we are still here on our ancestral homelands, where we continue to impact and influence our entire region and build a strong future for our next seven generations.”

The Seneca Nation has made countless contributions to the history, culture, and economy of Western New York, and today stands as one of the region’s most significant economic engines. Between its gaming enterprises, other businesses and government operations, the Seneca Nation provides an economic impact to Western New York of nearly $2 Billion annually, providing thousands of direct jobs and supporting thousands of others through business relationships with a wide network of vendors, suppliers and contractors locally and across New York State.

The Buffalo Creek Treaty of 1842 further affirmed that the Seneca Nation will never be subject to taxation on Indian-owned lands. Article 9 of the Treaty clearly states that the United States agrees to “protect such lands of the Senecas within the state of New York as may from time to time remain in their possession from all taxes, and assessments for roads, highways and other purpose until such lands shall be sold and conveyed by said Indians and possession thereof shall be relinquished by them.”

Today, the Seneca Nation consists of several distinct territories, including: the Allegany Territory, 31,095 acres along Ohi:yo’ (the Allegheny River), including the city of Salamanca; the Cattaraugus Territory, 22,011 acres of land along Cattaraugus Creek near Lake Erie; the Oil Spring Territory, one square mile in Cuba, New York; ancestral land on Skillen Street in Buffalo, site of the Buffalo Creek Community Center; Todiakton, approximately 39 acres of land in the Town of Mendon; 50 acres of land in downtown Niagara Falls, where Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is located, and nine acres in downtown Buffalo, where Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is located. Late last year, the Nation also acquired 207 acres of ancestral homeland on Grand Island.

“Nearly 200 years after the government tried to completely remove the Seneca people from our homelands, our Nation is strong and growing,” President Seneca added. “With each step forward, we are protecting our sovereignty and improving not just the quality of life for our people, but also the economic strength and vitality of Western New York. That is why we return to Buffalo Creek every year in order to recognize how our ancestors fought to make this possible.”