Linwood Avenue is, hands down, one of the most beautiful collective architectural treasures that we possess as a city. Take a walk down Linwood, any day of the year, rain, shine, or snow, and you will find yourself surrounded by diverse world class homes that rival the best of them.
On Sunday, April 29 from 12 to 5 pm, Linwood Preservation District & Friends presents the Historic Linwood Tour of Homes. This year, featured properties include the Saturn Club, Oscar’s Bed & Breakfast, and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
Dating from the 1820s, the tree-lined, residential Linwood neighborhood shows the work of many famous local architects and prime examples of styles including Vernacular, Second Empire, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Stick, Shingle, Queen Ann, and Georgian and Colonial Revival, and Mission Bungalow.
This spectacular tour takes place every other year, bringing architecture enthusiasts and historians out in droves. The tour, which is open to the public, has become highly anticipated due to the star attractions found along the way, such as:
- 134 Linwood: The Margaret Lautz Munschauer House was erected in 1894 in the Queen Anne style. This home features elaborate woodwork throughout the home, a beautiful entranceway with stained glass windows and a third-floor ballroom.
- 288 Linwood: Oscars Bed & Breakfast was opened in 2015, but the home has gone through many transformations. The George E. Newman House was built in the French Second Empire style in 1875. The bed and breakfast is named for the home’s architect and contractor Oscar S. Lang, who is known for his work on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin house.
- The Saturn Club, located at 977 Delaware, is a private social club that was moved into its current building in 1922. The Tudor Revival-style building is home to a stunning interior with hand-painted murals, elaborate wood carvings and a hidden interior courtyard.
- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (lead image): Located at 1080 Main St., the church was opened in 1905. It was designed by architects Lansing and Beierl and features stained glass windows designed by Calvert and Kimberly Co.
Advance tickets for $20 can be purchased online at historiclinwood.org or by mailing a check to: Linwood Preservation District & Friends, P.O. Box 176, Buffalo, NY 14209. Please ensure check are mailed by Wednesday, April 25. Tickets can be purchased for $25 on the day of the tour at One Linwood Avenue. On the day of the tour, April 29, all tickets can be picked up at One Linwood Avenue ( at the corner of Linwood and North Street).
The event is held rain or shine. Food is available for purchase from Lloyd Taco Truck and Rollin’ Cannoli food truck.
Proceeds from ticket sales will help to fund beautification projects like tree plantings and pruning, planting and maintenance of the community gardens and the annual Historic Linwood Concert and Community picnic in Sisti Park.
Questions about the Historic Linwood Tour of Homes can be directed to historiclinwood@gmail.com or (716) 939-1546.