E&B Holmes Machinery Co. at 50 Chicago St. was supposedly Buffalo's oldest business which operated with the same location and name. The company was started by Western New York's first and only saw millers, Edward and Britain Holmes, in 1852. They specialized in the design of machines that made wooden barrels. Before these machines were made, all wooden barrels were made by hand. At some time during the early 2000s the company went out of business, leaving the Chicago shops. Today, the rear of the building has collapsed leaving its timbers to rot and bricks to crumble. This historic, canal era building is destined to be another "demolition by neglect" story in the City of Buffalo.
