The American Red Cross will be opening the doors to its headquarters here in Buffalo for a couple dates. It’s not often that we get a sneak peak inside an architectural beauty the likes of the Clement Mansion, designed by E.B. Green (commissioned by the family of Marine National Bank President Stephen M. Clement and completed in 1913.) Eventually the mansion was donated by Mr. Clement’s widow, Carolyn Tripp Clement, to the Red Cross in 1941, and then was completely restored in 1999.
We’ve all passed by these beauties on Delaware’s Millionaire Row, wondering what the insides looked like. Fortunately, every so often a window to the world of Buffalo’s formerly rich and famous opens up, allowing for an up close and personal viewing into the lives of the people who built Buffalo. “Everyone at the Red Cross knows how lucky we are to be able to come to work at the Clement Mansion every day,” said Nancy Blaschak, Regional CEO. “We are looking forward to not only sharing the history of this beautiful building, but also how our staff and volunteers are using the Mansion today to help our Western New York neighbors.”
Here are all of the details of the upcoming tours:
Family historian and architect Peter W. Clement, the great-grandson of Stephen M. Clement and Carolyn Tripp Clement, will share stories about the family and their home at 10am on Saturday, September 21. Mr. Clement’s lecture will be followed by a guided tour of the Mansion.
Behind the Scenes Cocktail Tours, including cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres, will be offered from 6pm-8pm on Saturday, September 21 for $45/person. Reservations are requested for both the Peter W. Clement lecture and the Behind the Scenes Cocktail Tours by calling (716) 878-2396.
In addition, the Clement Mansion will be open to the public for guided tours between noon-4pm on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22. The tours, which will be led by specially-trained volunteer docents, will start every 20 minutes for a suggested donation of $5.