There are still two more
chances to enjoy the Summer Twilight Tours at the Frank Lloyd Wright designed
home on the lake, Graycliff. Friday, August 3rd and 10th are
the final days for the tour, which begins at 6 pm and goes until 8:30 pm. Tickets
are $40 each and free for Graycliff Leadership Circle members. For ticket
information and reservations call 716-947-9217 or email graycliff@verizon.net.
The following comes from the
Graycliff Conservancy: The cares of the work-a-day world will drift away as you
experience the tranquility of a Summer Twilight at Graycliff. Frank Lloyd
Wright imbued his design of Graycliff with what he called “repose”: the
simplicity and calm of splendid architecture set amidst verdant acres of
grounds on the brim of the lake. Graycliff’s rich history and architectural
splendor, set against the serenity of Lake Erie, can be yours for a summer
twilight. Listen to the sounds of the water lapping against the shore, the cool
breeze rustling the tall old trees, the birds calling each to each. Enjoy a leisurely-guided
tour, and relax with a glass of wine, coupled with a selection of cheeses and
summer fruits as the rest of the world fades away into the twilight.
Set high on a cliff with
sweeping views over Lake Erie, Graycliff stands as an architectural jewel
awaiting your discovery. Built between 1926 and 1931, the Graycliff Estate was
designed by the renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright for Isabelle R.
Martin and her husband, Larkin Company executive Darwin D. Martin. Graycliff
served as the Martin summer home from 1927 to the mid-1940s.
A complex of three buildings
set amidst more than eight acres of rolling lawns and gardens also designed by
Wright, Graycliff is a scenic and simple 20 minute drive south of downtown
Buffalo in the town of Derby. A New York State Landmark, and listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, the Graycliff Estate is a vital element
of the community-wide initiative to advance cultural tourism. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Graycliff
for Isabelle Martin, and it was she who had the most influence over the design.
Isabelle Martin’s failing vision led her to direct Wright to create structures
full of sunlight and air. Wright fulfilled her wishes magnificently.