Posted in Buffalo August 16, 2018 by Michelle

The Unique And Historic Tour Every Buffalonian Should Take At Least Once

While some of the country might believe that everything in New York looks like the Big Apple, the reality couldn’t be any further from that. The area surrounding Buffalo is some of the most beautiful in the state and we’re lucky to be able to experience it on a daily basis. While the weather is warm, we recommend getting out as much as possible to enjoy what those in other parts of the country don’t have – enchanting trails, great food, and this incredible Frank Lloyd Wright tour near Buffalo.

Graycliff Estate was built between 1926-31 as a summer home for the family of industrialist Darwin Martin.

It sits on the cliffs above Lake Erie in Derby, about 30 minutes from Buffalo.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the house with lots of input from Martin's wife, Isabelle R. Martin, which was relatively unheard of for the era, given that she was a woman.

Wright was also working on the home during a period of personal turmoil, making his job more difficult.

The Great Depression was also underway, which made the completion and beauty of the home even more impressive and significant.

The home is considered the best example of Frank Lloyd Wright's "organic" architectural style and is much different than his more traditional and signature "prairie" style work.

The home is meant to blend the man-made structure and the natural features surrounding it, using materials from the actual grounds.

This is even a fossil visible in one of the stones used for the home!

A walk through the home on a sunny day means seeing the many windows allowing the home to be flooded with light.

In 1951, the home was sold to an order of Roman Catholic Priests from Hungary before eventually coming under the stewardship of the non-profit, Graycliff Conservancy.

They've ensured the restoration of the property, making sure that the public has access to see and hear the history of this important home.

Three different tours are available and range in detail from the Basic Tour, which is an hour and 15 minutes, to the three-hour Master Architectural Tour.

Graycliff is located at 6472 Old Lake Shore Road in Derby. For information on tours and booking tickets, visit the Graycliff Estate website here.

Please note that restoration is ongoing at Graycliff, which means you may experience the sights and sounds of a construction site as well. This shouldn’t interfere with your visit, but in the summer of 2018, you won’t be able to go inside the home.

For more sightseeing opportunities, check out these 9 weird and wonderful tours in Buffalo. Some might say they’re tourist traps, but each one is worth the trip!

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The Unique And Historic Tour Every Buffalonian Should Take At Least Once

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