Buffalo Rising Online

May 15th 2007, 8:27am By Gabrielle Bouliane

Once a year, the Parkside Community Association offers Buffalonians the chance to enjoy an inside look into the mansions surrounding Delaware Park, many of which were created in the golden days of the Pan American Exposition and the industrial years following. This year’s tour, the ninth annual, features homes created from 1880 through 1930, including designs by prominent local architects E.B. Green and William Sydney Wicks. The Parkside area is adjacent to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park, the Buffalo Zoo, and the Main/Amherst Business District.

The entire neighborhood was actually designed as a planned mixed-use community by Olmsted, who gave it its meandering feel with no straight lines. As a result of this work and being Buffalo’s first suburb, the neighborhood has been placed under the federal designation of the National Historic Register.

The area contains superb examples of such diverse architectural styles as the American Four Square, Victorian, Queen Anne, Craftsman, and the Arts & Crafts bungalow. During the tour, Parkside homeowners will open their doors to provide a glimpse into the beautiful and distinct homes in this historic neighborhood. Knowledgeable docents will walk guests through eight of Buffalo’s most unique treasures in this quintessential example of Buffalo’s diverse architecture.

The tour is largely focused on the historical elements of the buildings, many of which have had period restoration. Others have been updated to a modern standard that is still in keeping with the style of the house. “We like to let people know that you can live in a Victorian house without being Victorian—or, if you want, you can keep it very Victorian,” says Candace Bell, Vice President and Coordinator of the Parkside Tour.

“Parkside residents consider themselves custodians of a really unique portion of Buffalo’s history,” Bell continued. “One of the reasons we started the home tour was to promote grassroots architectural tourism, and to tell people that we have such treasures in Buffalo.”

The tour also offers a great opportunity to see the exteriors of other buildings not included on the tour as you walk in between the homes. Among them are The Wicks Mansion across the street from the Darwin Martin house, and an original Sears Catalog home, from back when you could order an entire house from a catalog. The Darwin Martin Campus (now including the “missing structures), works closely with the Parkside Community Association and is also open for abbreviated tours during this time. Even if you’ve participated in the tour previously, Bell noted that this is an ongoing event, showcasing different homes every year—sometimes even showing a home in various stages of progress through a restoration. The tour starts at the Church of the Good Shepherd, on the corner of Jewett Parkway and Summit Avenue. Information, tickets, and maps will be available at the start of the tour. Proceeds benefit the continuing work of the Parkside Community Association. Photo Credit: Chuck LaChiusa, Buffalo as an Architectural Museum.

May 20, 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM, rain or shine $13 in advance, $15 the day of the tour, and $11 for PCA members. Advance tickets at PCA office, 2318 Main, or call 838.1240 No children under the age of twelve.