Social media is amazing. I know most of us have a love-hate relationship with it, but it really is a remarkable tool to connect with all kinds of people.
While scrolling through my Twitter feed earlier today, someone retweeted a post by Zach Klein. Klein, from WikiPedia, “is an American entrepreneur and investor, and currently the CEO of DIY Co, the makers of JAM and DIY.org. He is best known for co-founding and designing Vimeo and creating the Cabin Porn phenomenon.” What interested me about his tweet was a Buffalo reference. After I clicked into the whole thread, I read that he has roots in East Buffalo. I’ve posted the thread here. I’ll let you discover the rest. It’s a really cool and interesting story with some great old photos and some great new ones.
Last year my aunt found a paper-wrapped bundle of negatives in her home in Buffalo, NY, which has been passed down since our relatives built it 100+ years ago. She sent me the package and @PhotoworksSF scanned them.
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
The images were astonishing. For the first time, we had pictures of our great great and great great great grandparents … as young parents and children … and what life was like for Polish immigrants pouring into Early Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/TaCbdY0XKK
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
What is now an urban neighborhood in East Buffalo was then their farmstead. pic.twitter.com/JwlOw6ERGN
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
There were glimpses of an undeveloped Lake Erie sea shore and Niagara Falls. pic.twitter.com/hUT8XJPa0p
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
One image in particular caught my eye. I had seen that violin before. pic.twitter.com/VrpIEzWnvp
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
On my last trip home to visit my family, I went up into the attic again and found it! pic.twitter.com/uYFihBAdwT
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
My college roommate’s dad is a luthier in North Carolina. He encouraged me to send it his way to have a look. Six months later, I received two pictures from his shop. It can play again. 😊 pic.twitter.com/YigZPqeNxd
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
Thank you to Aaron Morris, the wonderful luthier of Lexington, NC for restoring my great grandfather’s violin. My kids curse you for the hours of lessons I will bribe them to endure.
If you seek a custom guitar or violin, here’s more about Aaron: https://t.co/DC17fxtfR9
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 8, 2018
And it’s home again. pic.twitter.com/ihiK1IuWJy
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) August 10, 2018
