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Here are seven must-see items from the Bills’ past to remind you of our team’s extraordinary 64-year journey, and to inspire you for our upcoming playoff run.

Championship Pennant, 1964-1965

Whenever anyone tells you that The Buffalo Bills never won a championship, bring them here to set the record straight. This pennant highlights the Bills’ two championship wins in 1964 and 1965 within the American Football League, which would later merge into the NFL.

Van Miller’s Fur Coat

Buffalo’s longtime sports broadcasters hold a special place in our collective memory. One such legend was Van Miller, who was the voice of the Buffalo Bills for 37 years. Miller was known for his unique wardrobe and often wore this full-length fur coat in the broadcast booth to shield himself from the elements.

Jack Kemp’s campaign football

When Bob Dole selected his running mate in the 1996 presidential election, he turned to Jack Kemp, the former Buffalo Bills quarterback and Congressman who led the team to back-to-back AFL championships in 1964 and 1965. Kemp’s former football career helped inspire this “Dole/Kemp ’96  Touchdown!” campaign football in 1996.

Joe DeLamielleure’s Soda Can

They don’t make soda cans like this anymore. In 1977, RC Cola distributed cans featuring players from a given region’s baseball and football teams. The collectible cans included a photo, statistics, and trivia. In Buffalo, RC selected DeLamielleure, the legendary offensive linesman drafted by the team several years earlier.

Bruce Smith’s Pants, Jersey and Jacket

Perhaps no Bills era is better represented inside the Bills exhibit than the late 80s/early 90s team who fought their way to the Super Bowl four consecutive times. You can see jerseys, gloves, cleats and much more from the slate of legendary players who became household names across America. Defensive end Bruce smith has his jersey, pants, and a commemorative pennant on display.

Jim Kelly’s  Commemorative Cigar 

Any shortlist of the greatest Bills of all time always includes Jim Kelly. The quarterback steered the Bills through its extraordinary playoff run in the early 1990s. Kelly capped off his career following the 1996 season, and this commemorative cigar on display (in front of the cleats he also wore) is from a roast in honor of his retirement.

Ralph Wilson’s Hall of Fame Jacket

No Buffalo sports exhibit would be complete without a tribute to the man who brought the Bills to Buffalo. Ralph Wilson, one of the founding owners of the American Football League, founded the Bills in 1960 and was inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame in 2009. Every moment from the last 64 years of the Bills traces its origins to Wilson’s decision to site a team here.

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Did you know the first Congressional representative to introduce equal pay legislation was a Buffalonian? 

This #GivingTuesday we’re sharing the story of a Buffalo trailblazer – Winfred C. Stanley.

Image from the personal collection of Winifred Stanley’s niece.

In 1944, Miss Winifred Stanley advocated for equal pay for equal work. As a lawyer, she recognized the value of women’s work, and appreciated their unprecedented ability to mobilize to support the United States war effort. Winifred knew women’s roles were changing and saw the need to protect the strides being made. When introducing the legislation, she commented:

“It has often been remarked that this is a ‘man’s world.’ The war and its far-reaching effects have provided the answer. “It’s ‘our world,’ and this battered old universe needs and will need the best brains and ability of both men and women.”

Campaign Poster featuring Winifred Stanley in our History Makers II exhibit.

You can experience a piece of Winifred’s incredible story in our History Makers II exhibit, where you’ll see a 1942 campaign poster featuring “Representative at Large Winifred C. Stanley” on display. Our exhibits and programs are built on stories of Buffalonians experiencing the ordinary and the extraordinary. When you support The Buffalo History Museum, you bring to life the moments that shape our region’s history, and you become woven into our story. 

Winifred was a pioneer whose resilience was remarkable. As one of the only female congressional representatives, she constantly faced discrimination due to her sex. Her equal pay legislation was not passed during her tenure in Congress but is widely thought to have inspired the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

Winifred continued to forge ahead after her term in Congress. She returned to her legal profession, working as counsel for the New York State Employees’ Retirement System and eventually became a New York State assistant attorney general. According to her niece Susan, when Winifred saw injustice, “she went out and did something about it.”

Many stories, like Winifred’s, become forgotten over time. Remnants of each story await your discovery in every artifact The Buffalo History Museum collects. Your support ensures our stories are preserved for future generations to discover. 

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Click on the link found below each of the following images to find the corresponding listing in our picture store, where you’ll see the shopping cart “buy now” icon. There, you’ll discover a variety of ways to turn your favorite historic image of Buffalo into a memorable gift, from puzzles and blankets to mugs, wall art, greeting cards, mousepads and refrigerator magnets. Here are a few of our favorite images that can serve as inspiration for your next holiday gift! To search our entire digital photo collection, visit our picture store.

Buffalo Will See It Through – High Resolution Scans – The Buffalo History Museum (smugmug.com) 

This Liberty Loan Drive poster dating from World War II could make for the perfect mug, refrigerator magnet, or coaster. Purchase Photo

Buffalo Harbor with caption – Harbor & Waterfront – The Buffalo History Museum (smugmug.com)

This illustration of the Buffalo Harbor, looking north towards Main Street in 1855, can be printed on a cozy fleece blanket. Purchase Photo

Peace Bridge – Transportation – The Buffalo History Museum (smugmug.com)

Many of our images in our collection capture unique, extraordinary moments in our city’s history. This image of The Peace Bridge, dating from 1926, can even be converted into a 252-piece puzzle. Purchase Photo

Ice Skating in Delaware Park – Parks & Nature – The Buffalo History Museum (smugmug.com) 

We love this image in our collection that shows crowds of ice skaters enjoying Delaware Park on December 26, 1925. It can be turned into a piece of wall art – the perfect picture to hang in your office, business or home. Purchase Photo

War Memorial Stadium – Sports, Leisure & Arts – The Buffalo History Museum (smugmug.com)

This aerial image of War Memorial Stadium, which served as the former home of the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Bisons, is one of the most popular photos in our collection. It can be turned into a variety of keepsakes, or a print to hang or mount on your wall. Purchase Photo

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