Buffalo is the second largest city in the state of New York, with the harbor at Buffalo one of the largest shipping ports in the east - a port created by the outflowing waters of the Buffalo River which was most likely the river Sidon of Nephite times. 

     While western New York has numerous waterways, the Buffalo River matches the Book of Mormon’s description of the Sidon River perfectly, both of which have their heads in the southeast corner of the land, and both of which flow northward—a not so common occurrence. Moreover, with various references in the Book of Mormon to places near the head of the river, we must look for a waterway which begins as a creek, just as Buffalo River does. In fact, in the Bible Encyclopedia we learn that many of the streams in Palestine commonly referred to as rivers would be called brooks in other countries. It maintains that “the commonest Hebrew word for brook is Nachal, which is also used for river and for valley.” Thus, it is no surprise to learn that the Hebrews who first colonized Zarahemla named their chief waterway a river, especially since it ultimately swells into a full blown river just before it empties into Lake Erie.

     The head of Buffalo Creek begins in a wetland in the far southeastern corner of Erie County where it flows first north through deep forestation, then westward through more fertile country on its long winding route out to Lake Erie. The entire river is a well traveled canoe trial today, although the larger port at the mouth of Buffalo River has become a major shipping port for northeastern Lake Erie.

     Because the river was called Sidon by the Mulekites, who were the first to occupy Zarahemla and settle along Buffalo Creek, we might wonder if they named it after the port of Sidon along the ancient Mediterranean Sea where they may have secured passage to the New world. The Hebrew word for Sidon, or tsidon, means fishing, or fishery, which was an important industry in the ancient city of Sidon. Fishing was apparently an important industry in Zarahemla as well, for six ancient sites along the old course of Buffalo Creek have been classified as fisheries, with evidence that they were used by the Jaredites as well. Thus, there may have been more than one reason they named the river “Sidon.”

  Some might reasonably expect the river Sidon to be much greater in size than the scriptures imply. But, the Sidon was never mentioned any further north than Zarahemla. Moreover, we might remember that during one of the skirmishes between the Nephites and Lamanites, the combined armies of the Lamanites and Amlicites fell upon the Nephites while they were still crossing the river.

     And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.

    Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them. . . .

   And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon. (Alma 2:27-35.)

   So many Lamanites a fell in battle that their bodies had to be thrown into the river and swept out to sea before the Nephites could cross and join the battle. One could hardly imagine such a scenario taking place had the river been as wide as the Mississippi, which is one to seven miles wide.

     The head of  Buuffalo creek is in a vast wetland. The surrounding wildlerness is where the Lamanites fought the armies of Mormon and Lehi near the small city of Manit, not more than a days march south froom the city of Zarahemla.  Moroni planted half his army on one side of the Sidon, and directed Lehi and his men to hide themselves on the west side in hopes of encircling the Lamanites and slaying them once they began to cross. (See Alma 43:31-33.) Such a strategy would have been impossible to implement had the banks of the Sidon been miles apart. Nor could a battle have commence in the river itself.

   The waters off Lake Erie modify the climate which was particularly advantageous in growing fruit. However, grains were their main crop. In the year 1850, for instance, 3,250,000 bushels of wheat were exported. In the year 1860 - 18,500,000 bushels of wheat were exported, with corn exported in the amount of 7,300,000 bushels. So much grain was shipped, that by 1825 Buffalo Harbor was considered the greatest storehouse of grain in the world.