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Explore Buffalo announces extensive June tour schedule

May 26, 2017 | Entertainment

Explore Buffalo, a nonprofit organization providing tours and other opportunities where guests can discover Buffalo’s great architecture, history and neighborhoods, has announced an extensive lineup of June events. The list includes all of your favorites, plus some new tours added this summer.

MASTERS OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE
June 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour metered parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo had grown to become the eighth largest city in America. The wealth generated by commerce and industry enabled the city’s businesses, organizations and citizens to hire some of the nation’s most prominent architects and use the finest materials available. On this downtown walking tour, see signature works by some of America’s greatest architects, including the Guaranty Building by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, the Ellicott Square Building by Daniel Burnham & Co., and St. Paul’s Cathedral by Richard Upjohn. Learn about the prominence of Buffalo on a national scale at the turn of the 20th century while visiting buildings such as the Old Post Office, St. Joseph’s Cathedral and Old County Hall.

SILO CITY GROUNDED
June 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12, 16, 17, 19, 22 • 10 a.m.
June 3, 10 • 1 p.m.
June 4, 11, 18 • 11 a.m.
June 6, 13, 20 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Silo City, 120 Silo City Row, Buffalo. Turn from Ohio Street onto Silo City Row and enter Silo City through the gate. Ahead on your right will be a small brick office building where the tour will assemble. Ample parking is available on site.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

At ground level, experience the monumental scale of the grain elevators constructed in Buffalo in the first half of the twentieth century and also see how they are now being repurposed. On this guided walk around the grounds of Silo City you will enter the ground floor work areas of a flour mill, two grain elevators and a malthouse. You will also see new projects including “Elevator B.”

DOWNTOWN DECO
June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 • 10:30 a.m.
Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour metered parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Holders Free

This downtown walking tour focuses on downtown buildings built in Buffalo in one of the 20th century’s most distinctive architectural styles: Art Deco. Prevalent during the 1920s and 1930s, Art Deco is a unique style combining traditional motifs with modern imagery and materials of the Machine Age. Characterized by its use of bold geometric shapes, rich colors and lavish ornamentation, Art Deco buildings stand out for their beauty and symbolism.

The Court Street corridor of downtown Buffalo, from Lafayette Square to Niagara Square, puts the Art Deco style on grand display. Buildings featured on this tour include Buffalo City Hall, Rand Building, Industrial Bank Building, Michael Dillon Federal Courthouse, Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building, and the lobby of the Hotel Lafayette. While visiting these Art Deco gems, you will learn about Buffalo during the 1920s and 1930s when these buildings were being built.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S FONTANA BOATHOUSE
June 1, 8, 22, 29 • 1 p.m.; June 24 • 11 a.m.
Meet: 1 Rotary Row, Buffalo. Take Porter Avenue west, and immediately after crossing the I-190 expressway turn right at the Fontana Boathouse sign. Follow the driveway back to the Boathouse, where there is ample on-site parking.
Cost: General $10, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Join Explore Buffalo for a tour of the only rowing boathouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright! Originally designed by Wright in 1905 for the University of Wisconsin, the Boathouse was never built until its construction in 2007 in Buffalo along the shore of the Black Rock Channel. This was one of Wright’s favorite designs, as evidenced by his inclusion of the Boathouse in his now-famous Wasmuth Portfolio.

Today the boathouse is being used for its original purpose as an active rowing facility, providing a unique opportunity to see one of Wright’s designs being used as originally intended. On the tour, you’ll learn about why it was never constructed in Wisconsin, and how it came to be built in Buffalo. The tour includes both the exterior and interior of the Boathouse, providing an in-depth look at a masterpiece of Prairie Style design. While on the tour, enjoy the spectacular views of Lake Erie, the Niagara River and the Canadian shore from the Boathouse, and be sure to bring your camera!

INSIDE ST. MARY’S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
June 1 • 6 p.m.
Meet: St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, 2253 Main St., Buffalo. Enter the driveway from Main Street to use the parking lot which is behind the buildings; the main entrance faces the parking lot and is up a flight of stairs to the right of the bridge that the driveway goes underneath.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass $10

St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, established in Buffalo in 1853 as the first academic school for the deaf in the country, was relocated from Edward Street to its current location on Main Street in 1898. This two-hour walking tour highlights the beautiful architecture of this historic building and offers fascinating information about the history and culture of deaf people in the Buffalo area. The tour also offers a glimpse into the current world of educating deaf and hard of hearing students in the 21st century.

Highlights of the tour include original woodwork from 1898, stained glass windows in the former chapel, the school’s cherished museum which houses a wealth of artifacts and photographs from throughout the decades at St. Mary’s, and a brief meet and greet with a few of the school’s residential students, which comprise approximately 30 percent of the current school population.  Join us for a one-of-a-kind tour in one of Buffalo’s iconic buildings!

SILO CITY VERTICAL
June 1, 8, 22 • 6 p.m.; June 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 21 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Silo City, 120 Silo City Row, Buffalo. Turn from Ohio Street onto Silo City Row, and enter Silo City through the gate. Ahead on your right will be a small brick office building where the tour will assemble. Ample parking is available on site.
Cost: General $40, Student $35, Explorer Pass $35

This tour is an experience unlike any other tour in the world! Silo City: Vertical will take you to the top of the American and Perot grain elevator complexes. Approximately 2.5 hours in length, you will experience all of the history and mechanics of the grain elevator, as well as the malt production process in the Perot malthouse on this in-depth tour. A look at some of the regenerative projects ongoing at Silo City is included.

Please note that Silo City: Vertical is not recommended for those with a fear of heights. Participants in this tour must be physically able to go up approximately 100 feet (10 stories) of stairs and a short interior ladder to reach the top — and then come back down! The elevators have been out of commission for years, so stairs are the only way to go.

Reservations are required for this tour! Due to space limitations, we must limit this tour’s group size to a small number. This tour is approximately 2.5 hours in length. The minimum age for this tour is 14 years old. Please wear comfortable walking shoes; no sandals or open-toed shoes are permitted on this tour. The tour will proceed rain or shine.

TURN OF THE CENTURY TREASURES
June 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 • 9:30 a.m.
Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

This tour showcases Buffalo commercial architecture at the turn of the 20th century, when the city was the eighth largest in America and hosted the Pan-American Exposition. Many were designed by prominent local architectural firms, including Green & Wicks and Esenwein & Johnson, and exemplify the Beaux Arts architectural style popular at that time.

Popular around the turn of the 20th century, Beaux-Arts, which translates as “Beautiful Arts” and began in Paris, is characterized by elaborate detail and ornamentation, with many classical influences. Many of the buildings on this tour have been meticulously restored in recent years to meet current needs, including the Electric Tower and Curtiss Hotel.

BEST OF BUFFALO
June 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour metered parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Join Explore Buffalo for a downtown walking tour of the best of Buffalo architecture and history! The buildings included on this overview tour help to tell the story of Buffalo’s rapid rise to prominence, from the opening of the Erie Canal to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Buildings seen on this tour were designed by both nationally and locally significant architects, including Louis Sullivan, Richard Upjohn, Louise Bethune and EB Green.

Perfect for both visitors and residents alike, this tour is an excellent introduction to Buffalo’s architectural heritage. This is an exterior-only tour; for building interiors, please see our in-depth downtown tours – American Masters, Turn of the Century Treasures and Downtown Deco.

MR. & MRS. GROVER CLEVELAND
June 2 • 6:30 p.m.
Meet: Grover Cleveland Statue, Buffalo City Hall, 65 Niagara Square, Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

One of Buffalo’s most famous citizens, Stephen Grover Cleveland is still often overlooked or casually dismissed by the history books. With a meteoric rise from sheriff of Erie County to president of the United States within just a few years, Cleveland made his mark not only on Buffalo but also on the nation.

Cleveland’s career was not without its fair share of scandal, both in Buffalo and in the White House. His White House wedding to Buffalo’s Frances Folsom was the talk of the town for more than one reason. Join us on this entertaining tour as we trace the life of Buffalo’s President, Grover Cleveland and his First Lady.

ALLENTOWN MOB
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 • 7 p.m.
Meet: Cafe 59, at 62 Allen St. at the corner of Franklin Street. Street parking on Allen, Franklin and other nearby streets is available and free on weekends or after 5 p.m.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

When Italian and Sicilian immigrants came to Buffalo, many of their local customs came with them — and so did the Mafia. Through much of the 20th century, the Allentown neighborhood was a hotspot for mob activity. Do you want to know how a Rembrandt painting stolen from a French museum found its way to Buffalo? Or how one Buffalo mobster got the nickname “Lucky Pants?” Come on the Allentown Mob Tour to find out!

RIVERFRONT RENAISSANCE
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 • 7 p.m.; June 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 21, 24, 25, 28 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at 125 Main St. (adjacent to the Erie Canal Harbor Metro Rail station). Street parking is available on some surrounding streets; street parking in downtown Buffalo is free on weekend. The closest paid private parking lot is AllPro Parking at 155 Washington St., directly behind the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Buffalo grew from the water’s edge, as the Erie Canal and later the railroads brought unprecedented commerce and industry to the city. This waterfront walking tour will explore some of the oldest neighborhoods of Buffalo, many of which have gone through numerous transitions and are in the midst of yet another change as the city returns its focus to the water. The redevelopment of Canalside and new waterfront attractions are featured in this tour, along with the history of the opening of the Erie Canal and development of the grain elevator and other waterfront industry.

FRIDAY FIREWORKS KAYAK TOUR
June 2, 16, 30 • 8 p.m.
Meet: Elevator Alley Kayak at The Barrel Factory, 65 Vandalia St., Buffalo, at the corner of Hamburg and Republic streets, across from Gene McCarthy’s. The tour will launch from Mutual Riverfront Park, a one-block walk from The Barrel Factory.
Cost: General $45, Student $40, Explorer Pass $40

Kayak rental is included in the tour price. All kayaks used on this tour must be from Elevator Alley Kayak; bringing your own kayak is not permitted. Lights for each kayak are provided for this tour for safety and compliance with maritime safety regulations.

Join Explore Buffalo for a unique tour experience as you kayak the Buffalo River at twilight and end with a river view of the fireworks at the Buffalo Bisons game. The best way to appreciate Buffalo’s resurgent waterfront is from the water! From a kayaking perspective, the massive scale of the grain elevators and silos will be even more awe-inspiring. This tour of the Buffalo River is provided in partnership with Elevator Alley Kayak, who will provide the kayaks for this urban adventure tour. Learn about the history of the grain elevators in Buffalo and have many terrific photo opportunities on this guided kayak tour!

ELEVATOR ALLEY KAYAK TOUR
June 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 • 9 a.m.
Meet: Elevator Alley Kayak at The Barrel Factory at 65 Vandalia St., Buffalo, at the corner of Hamburg and Republic streets, across from Gene McCarthy’s. The tour will launch from Mutual Riverfront Park, a one-block walk from The Barrel Factory.
Cost: General $40, Student $35, Explorer Pass $35

The best way to appreciate Buffalo’s many grain elevators is from the water! From a kayaking perspective, the massive scale of the grain elevators and silos will be even more awe-inspiring. Join us for a kayak tour of the Buffalo River and its grain elevators in partnership with Elevator Alley Kayak, who will provide the kayaks for this urban adventure tour. Learn about the history of the grain elevators in Buffalo and have many terrific photo opportunities on this guided kayak tour!

HISTORIC CLARENCE HOLLOW
June 3 • 10 a.m.
Meet: In front of the White Clubhouse on “Greatbatch Way” at Main Street Town Park in Clarence; for Google Maps, use “Cummings Drive.”
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Discover a portion of the oldest town in Erie County, formed in 1808, as you walk along Main Street in the Hollow. You will learn about some of the earliest American settlers to the Western New York area as you tour Main Street to observe many of the historically significant buildings and their architecture. On this two-mile walking tour, you will explore the history of buildings that now house museums, shops and restaurants.

DELAWARE AVENUE MANSIONS
June 3, 24 • 10 a.m.; June 4, 18, 25 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Parking is available in the TR Site’s parking lot accessible from Franklin Street or Delaware Avenue.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

The richest of the rich in Buffalo put their wealth on full display on this section of Delaware Avenue, home to the grandest collection of mansions built in the city. Marvel at these grandiose monuments to the Gilded Age and enjoy the intriguing stories of the families who built them – many were related – on this tour of Delaware Avenue from North Street to Bryant Street. This is an exterior-only tour (interiors are available once per month on the Inside Delaware Avenue Mansions tour).

ELMWOOD VILLAGE VICTORIANS
June 3 • 10 a.m.; June 22 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Perks Café, 448 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo. Street parking is available on Elmwood and surrounding streets.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Exploring the streets of the Elmwood Village, we will see a varied assortment of architectural styles and details. Developed along the Elmwood Avenue streetcar line that opened in 1889, the Elmwood Village is a highly intact residential neighborhood that showcases many beautiful homes in the Queen Anne and other Victorian styles, which were popular at the time of the neighborhood’s development. This tour includes parts of both the Elmwood Historic District West and the Elmwood Historic District East, which together create the largest historic district in Buffalo and one of the largest in the nation. Discover historic houses, apartment buildings, businesses and more on this guided walking tour.

LINCOLN PARKWAY
June 3, 11, 18, 24 • 10 a.m.
Meet: At the Abraham Lincoln statue in front of the Rose Garden in Delaware Park. Abundant free street parking on Lincoln Parkway is available.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted to be the principal approach to the jewel of his Buffalo park system, Delaware Park, Lincoln Parkway is one of the most beautiful streets in Buffalo. The homes along Lincoln Parkway, constructed in the early part of the 20th century by some of Buffalo’s wealthiest families, represent a wide variety of architectural styles. This tour will be a “walk in the park” as we explore the neighborhood and the stories of the families who have lived there!

LARKIN DISTRICT
June 3 • 11 a.m.
Meet: Outside Flying Bison Brewing, 840 Seneca St., Buffalo, at the corner of Seneca and Lord streets.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

The Larkin District, or Larkinville, is the reborn former home of the Larkin Soap Company. In the early 1900s, the Larkin Company was one of the largest mail order companies in the country, and one of its executives, Darwin D. Martin, was responsible for bringing Frank Lloyd Wright to Buffalo. Today, the former Larkin factories and warehouses have been brought back to life and the area is bustling with activity once again. Join us to explore the Larkin Company’s past while enjoying the revitalized neighborhood.

HIDDEN GEMS OF THE DELAWARE DISTRICT
June 3, 17 • 1 p.m.; June 13, 20 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Parking is available in the TR Site’s parking lot accessible from Franklin Street or Delaware Avenue.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Take a walk around-the-block on Linwood Avenue, Bryant Street, Oakland Place and Summer Street to discover beautiful gardens and spectacular homes in a wide variety of architectural styles just off Delaware Avenue. Many of the families who built these homes are well-known in Buffalo history, such as the Goodyear family, while others are less well known but equally intriguing. Join us to learn their stories and discover the many hidden delights of this neighborhood!

OLD FIRST WARD
June 3 • 4 p.m.; June 9 • 6 p.m.; June 18 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Mutual Riverfront Park at 41 Hamburg St., Buffalo. Street parking is available on Hamburg and South streets by the park; please do not use the parking lot for the Waterfront Memories & More Museum.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Join us for a walking tour of one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buffalo! The First Ward is the neighborhood adjacent to the Buffalo River, located in the shadows of the grain elevators that employed many of the neighborhood’s residents. On this tour, you will learn about how the growth and development of the neighborhood was closely tied to the rise of the grain trade at Buffalo’s harbor. A neighborhood with a proudly Irish heritage, the First Ward has been the birthplace and home to some of Buffalo’s most famous citizens, including Michael Shea, Jimmy Slattery and Fingy Connors. Come on this tour to learn their stories and many more! The tour will end at Gene McCarthy’s Tavern and Old First Ward Brewing, the perfect place to enjoy a pint after the tour.

DOWNTOWN MOB TOUR
June 3, 10, 17, 24 • 7 p.m.
Meet: Spot Coffee, 227 Delaware Ave., at the corner of Chippewa Street. Metered street parking downtown is free on weekends on Delaware Avenue and other nearby streets, or private parking lots are available — the closest is on Delaware Avenue next to Spot Coffee. The nearest MetroRail station, Fountain Plaza, is three blocks away.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

A major part of Buffalo’s criminal history will be revealed on this tour! Throughout much of the 20th century, the Mafia played in important role in the Queen City, and Stefano Magaddino not only controlled mob activities in Western New York for 52 years but was also a national crime figure. No part of Western New York was untouched by his criminal organization. Join us on this walking tour of downtown Buffalo to learn about the impact the mob had on Buffalo, from daily life to major government building projects. Among the stories uncovered on this tour are the Buffalo Zoo warehouse, the Barrel Murder of 1903, and the hit at Caruso’s Restaurant. Walking among some of the downtown locations that mob members would have been familiar with as they plotted their next moves, you will understand the power the local mob once wielded.

COLUMBUS PARKWAY
June 4, 25 • 2 p.m.
Meet: Columbus Statue, 240 Porter Ave., Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

The Columbus Park area of the Prospect Hill neighborhood is rich in history and architecture with a spectacular view of Lake Erie and wonderful lake breezes. The elegant homes that line the entrance to the Peace Bridge tell the story of some of Buffalo’s wealthiest citizens in an area defined by the Erie Canal, Olmsted’s Front Park and Fort Porter. Hear about the healing spring waters that ran through the area causing it to become a travel destination for many and the beautiful hotels that catered to those travelers. Known as Doctor’s Row, this neighborhood became home to generations of Italian-American families including the founder of our Columbus Day holiday. Come stroll the area and learn about its incredible history and the current challenges the neighborhood faces to preserve its heritage in face of the Peace Bridge expansion.

COTTAGE DISTRICT
June 4 • 10 a.m.; June 14 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Buffalo Rome Café, 388 Porter Ave., Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Little Summer Street has the most picturesque cottages in the city. Built in the 1870s by English immigrants, the charming cottages of Little Summer Street create a neighborhood truly unique in Buffalo. Explore this and other streets off “The Avenue,” the Olmsted-planned street now known as Richmond Avenue.

SCANDALOUS BUFFALO
June 4, 18 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Spot Coffee at 227 Delaware Ave., at the corner of Chippewa Street. Two-hour metered parking is available on Delaware Avenue and other nearby streets, or private parking lots are available – the closest is on Delaware Avenue next to Spot Coffee. The nearest MetroRail station, Fountain Plaza, is three blocks away. Street parking downtown is free on weekends.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Join us for a tour of the scandalous side of Buffalo history! On this downtown walking tour, you’ll learn some of the darker stories of the Queen City’s past. Stops included on the tour include the site of a triple hanging in 1825 and the former location of a Ku Klux Klan office. You’ll also find out what happened to the assassin who shot President William McKinley at Buffalo’s 1901 Pan-American Exposition.

On this tour, you’ll learn about the role some of Buffalo’s lawmen played in maintaining civil order, including a popular anti-Prohibition mayor and the Erie County sheriff who became the only American president to have executed a prisoner by hanging. The architectural landmarks of downtown Buffalo provide a magnificent backdrop for these stories, many of which sound straight from a movie script – but they’re all true!

PRESIDENTS IN BUFFALO
June 5, 12, 19, 26 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour metered parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

The home of two presidents, Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland, Buffalo has also played host to many American presidents for important speeches and other occasions, the most infamous being President McKinley’s visit to the Pan-American Exposition in 1901 that ended tragically with his assassination. Some of the presidential stories in Buffalo are often told, while others are less widely known. Join us on this tour to learn about presidents who are prominent in Buffalo history, particularly Millard Fillmore, Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

DELAWARE AVENUE MIDWAY
June 6 • 6 p.m.; June 25 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Parking is available in the TR Site’s parking lot accessible from Franklin Street or Delaware Avenue.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Historically the most prestigious address in Buffalo, Delaware Avenue is full of historic and architectural treasures. Join us for this tour of historic landmarks on the section of Delaware Avenue from North Street to Tupper Street (for the other half of “Millionaire Mile,” see the Delaware Avenue Mansions tour). Featured prominently in the tour are the Midway rowhouses, which are the only group of rowhouses built on Delaware Avenue. Also seen on this tour are historic mansions, churches, social clubs and commercial buildings which provide a glimpse into society life of Buffalo’s capitalists and business elite in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

BUFFALO SPORTS HISTORY
June 7 • 6:30 p.m.; June 25 • 10:30 a.m.
Meet: Main & Perry streets, outside of KeyBank Center.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Buffalo is well known as a city passionate about its local sports teams. This downtown walking tour will trace the history of local sports teams, stadiums and players, including both major and minor league teams and college sports. As we walk through downtown, enjoy some local sports trivia that will keep even the most fervent local fans guessing. Join us to learn about past sports history and gain appreciation for the enthusiasm that Buffalo sports fans have for the city’s current teams.

SUNSET ELEVATOR ALLEY KAYAK
June 7, 9, 14, 21, 23, 28 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Meet at Elevator Alley Kayak at The Barrel Factory, 65 Vandalia St., Buffalo, at the corner of Hamburg and Republic streets, across from Gene McCarthy’s. The tour will launch from Mutual Riverfront Park, a one-block walk from The Barrel Factory.
Cost: General $40, Student $35, Explorer Pass $35

The best way to appreciate Buffalo’s many grain elevators is from the water, and one of the best times to view them is at sunset! From a kayaking perspective, the massive scale of the grain elevators and silos will be even more awe-inspiring. Join us for a sunset kayak tour of the Buffalo River and its grain elevators in partnership with Elevator Alley Kayak, who will provide the kayaks for this urban adventure tour. Learn about the history of the grain elevators in Buffalo and have many terrific photo opportunities on this guided kayak tour!

Kayak rental is included in the tour price. All kayaks used on this tour must be from Elevator Alley Kayak; bringing your own kayak is not permitted. This tour is approximately 2.5 hours in length, including time at the beginning of the tour to review basic kayaking technique and launch the kayaks. Tour participants must be able to kayak approximately four miles, from Mutual Riverfront Park to Canalside and back. The minimum age for this tour is 14 years old. Reservations are required for this tour as a limited number of kayaks are available.

DOWNTOWN LOCKPORT WALKING TOUR
June 10 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Flight of Five Winery, 2 Pine St., Lockport
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Lockport is a canal town unlike any other on the Erie Canal. Growing out of a need to scale the Niagara Escarpment, the Flight of Five is an engineering feat that has long attracted visitors to this area. While Lockport is well known for its important role in the success of the Erie Canal, there is more to Lockport than just the Locks. This tour will explore the development of Lockport from the early 1800s to modern times, including the humble Quakers who founded the town, inventors who brought about economic and cultural development, beautiful architecture and even a stop on the Underground Railroad.

LANCASTER WALKING TOUR
June 10 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Lancaster Historical Society, 40 Clark St., Lancaster
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

One of the most charming village centers in Erie County, Lancaster has a wealth of historic commercial and residential architecture, including the landmark Lancaster Opera House with its prominent clock tower. The Village of Lancaster continues to be a popular place to live and shop, with many unique events held year-round. Join us on a walking tour of this historic village to learn more about the history of the village and appreciate its historic landmarks and streetscapes.

OUTDOOR ART OF THE MUSEUM DISTRICT
June 10 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Lincoln Parkway Steps, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 199 Lincoln Parkway, Buffalo.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

While Buffalo museums are well-known for the collections within their walls, their architecture, location history and outside art are also impressive. Celebrate the summer season, and join us for a tour of the artwork that is on display outdoors in the Museum District — at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Burchfield-Penney Art Center and Buffalo History Museum.

PARKSIDE
June 10 • 10 a.m.; June 25 • 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
Meet: Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 96 Jewett Parkway, Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Planned by Frederick Law Olmsted as an accompaniment to his Buffalo park and parkway system, the Parkside neighborhood features graceful tree-lined streets that curve around Delaware Park. Always one of the most popular neighborhoods in Buffalo, the homes of the Parkside neighborhood represent a range of architectural styles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Arts & Crafts, Victorian and American Foursquare.

Neighborhood landmarks include the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd where the tour begins, the Art Deco former Pierce Arrow showroom at Main Street and Jewett Parkway, and the Darwin Martin House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (admission to the Darwin Martin House is not included in this tour). Join Explore Buffalo on a walking tour of this picturesque Buffalo neighborhood to discover the beauty and history of its street, homes and past residents.

WEST SIDE MOB
June 11, 25 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Providence Social restaurant at 490 Rhode Island St. Free street parking is available on Rhode Island, Chenango and other nearby streets.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Buffalo’s West Side was once a hotbed of mob activity and government surveillance as law enforcement tried to make a dent in the criminal underworld, often with little success. Find out how the mob succeeded at eluding the government men for decades on this entertaining tour. This tour is adapted from Mike Rizzo’s book, “Gangsters and Organized Crime in Buffalo.”

EAST AURORA WALKING TOUR
June 16 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Roycroft Campus Power House, 39 South Grove St., East Aurora
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

Join Explore Buffalo for a walking tour of the charming Village of East Aurora to discover its rich history and many connections to the Arts & Crafts movement! Elbert Hubbard, one-time partner of John Larkin of Buffalo’s Larkin Soap Company, was one of the chief promoters of the Arts & Crafts style in architecture, furniture, stained glass, wallpaper and other hand crafts in the United States. The base of Hubbard’s operations was the Roycroft Campus in the Village of East Aurora, where this tour begins and ends. The tour will include interior visits to the Hubbard Museum, featuring an engaging variety of handcrafted antiques, as well as Baker Memorial Church, featuring a complete set of color-rich stained glass windows by the Tiffany Company. At the end of the tour, the Roycroft Inn is the perfect place for an optional lunch (not included in the tour price).

BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS
June 15 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott St., Buffalo. Metered parking is available along Ellicott Street or in the paid parking lot across the street from the Innovation Center.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is a hive of construction activity and development, with gleaming new medical facilities rising each year. See soon-to-open additions to the campus, including the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital. This tour includes interior stops at the Innovation Center, University at Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Gates Vascular Institute. This tour is made possible by the support and cooperation of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

INSIDE DELAWARE AVENUE MANSIONS
June 17 • 10 a.m.
Meet: American Red Cross, 786 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, at the corner of Summer Street. Parking is available in the Red Cross parking lot, accessible from Delaware Avenue or Summer Street.
Cost: General $20, Student $10, Explorer Pass $10

Join Explore Buffalo for a tour that features the interior of two historic mansions on Buffalo’s Millionaire’s Row. This tour will be a trip back in time to the Gilded Age, as you learn about the fascinating history of Buffalo’s business leaders at the turn of the 20th century. As Buffalo’s elite tried to outdo one another, they built larger and larger mansions along Delaware Avenue, hiring prominent architects and using the best materials available.

This tour visits the interiors of the former Clement Mansion, now the American Red Cross, and the former Lockwood Mansion, now home to Child & Family Services. Explore Buffalo is proud to partner with both organizations to showcase the history of their buildings, and thanks them for their support.

CITY OF LIGHT BUS TOUR
June 17 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway, Buffalo
Cost: General $40, Explorer Pass $35

At the end of the 19th century, Buffalo was a major American city in the forefront of technological progress. It was a busy inland port and a railroad hub with heavy industry and state-of-the-art electricity – all of which brought great wealth to the city. These economic and technological developments culminated in 1901 when Buffalo hosted a spectacular world’s fair: the Pan-American Exposition. Experience Buffalo through the eyes of the narrator of Lauren Belfer’s historical novel, City of Light, which is set in Buffalo at the dawn of the 20th century.

HAMLIN PARK
June 18 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Canisius College Student Center, 98 Hughes Ave., Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

This Buffalo neighborhood is on the National Register for Historic Places. It was once the site of popular horse-drawn carriage races at the Buffalo Driving Park, established by internationally-renowned horse breeder and Buffalo businessman Cicero Hamlin. At the turn of the 20th century, the Driving Park site and surrounding farmland were developed into a planned, suburban-like community for Buffalo’s growing middle class.

This neighborhood connected to the Olmsted Park System via the Humboldt Parkway, which connected Delaware Park with today’s Martin Luther King Parkway. The neighborhood was also joined by the campus of Canisius College. While the Parkway was unfortunately lost to highway construction, Hamlin Park remains a proud neighborhood of historic homes. Come explore this historic neighborhood with Explore Buffalo to learn about the history of the influential Hamlin family and development of the neighborhood while seeing many excellent examples of early 20th century residential building styles.

DISASTERS OF BUFFALO HARBOR CRUISE
June 18 • 6 p.m.
Meet: Miss Buffalo, 329 Erie St., Buffalo
Cost: General $20, Student $15, Explorer Pass $15

Any busy harbor is a dangerous place and Buffalo’s harbor has been no exception. Ships collided, boilers exploded, and fires and explosions were almost commonplace. Join Explore Buffalo for an evening cruise aboard the Miss Buffalo and listen to the stories of many of Buffalo’s maritime disasters and enjoy the scenic views of Buffalo’s waterfront. This tour is being given in cooperation with the Buffalo Harbor Museum.

Space is limited and reservations are required! The Miss Buffalo will leave the dock promptly at 6 p.m.; please arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in and board. This tour is two hours in length. All food and beverages must be obtained through Buffalo Harbor Cruises.

CRAG BURN GOLF CLUB
June 19 • 9 a.m.
Meet: Crag Burn Golf Club, 1231 North Davis Road, East Aurora. Meet in parking lot in front of the Club.
Cost: General $25, Explorer Pass $20

Buffalo boomed after the turn of the century and our new-found wealth attracted some of the world’s best golf course architects who created remarkable championship golf courses unrivaled in all but a few major American cities. Join us as we discuss the evolution and art of golf course architecture while viewing selected golf holes of Crag Burn Golf Club designed by Robert Trent Jones. Guests on this tour will learn about the history of Crag Burn and gain an appreciation of the Golden Age of golf course architecture and its impact on Buffalo.

Advance reservations are required for this tour, and space is limited. Please dress appropriately for this tour of Crag Burn Golf Club and observe their dress code (no denim). This tour is approximately two hours in length. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather – the tour will proceed rain or shine.

SPOTLIGHT TOUR FOR JUNE: SHEA’S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
June 20 • 5:30 p.m.
Meet: Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St., Buffalo
Cost: General $25, Explorer Pass $20

Shea’s Buffalo Theater opened in 1926 as the jewel of Michael Shea’s movie theater empire in Buffalo. With no expense spared in its construction, the theater was designed by Rapp & Rapp from Chicago, with an interior designed by Tiffany Studios. Today, Shea’s Performing Arts Center is at the heart of Buffalo’s Theater District, hosting some of the most popular touring productions in the country. The ornate interior has been painstakingly restored, and this tour will showcase the results of this restoration. The tour will be led by Restoration Consultant Doris Collins, who will explain the details of the restoration process during this in-depth tour of one of Buffalo’s favorite landmarks. Space on this tour is limited, and reservations are required.

MICHIGAN STREET AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TOUR
June 24 • 1 p.m.
Meet: Michigan St. Baptist Church, 511 Michigan Ave., Buffalo
Cost: General $20, Explorer Pass $15

African-American history in Buffalo is centered in the neighborhood surrounding the Michigan Street Baptist Church. Join us for a tour of important locations in this neighborhood to learn about the major milestones in African-American history in Buffalo, as well as how this affected national history. Buffalo has played a major role in African-American history, from the days of the Underground Railroad to the formation of the Niagara Movement, a precursor to the NAACP. This tour includes an interior tour of the Michigan Street Baptist Church, Nash House Museum, and Colored Musicians Club Museum, three important landmarks in this neighborhood.

ELMWOOD VILLAGE’S ALBRIGHT ESTATE
June 25 • 10 a.m.
Meet: Elmwood Avenue Spot Coffee, 765 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo. Street parking is available on Elmwood Avenue and surrounding streets.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free

In the heart of the thriving Elmwood Village are treasures and secrets waiting to be rediscovered on this walking tour. Twelve acres surrounded by West Ferry Street and Cleveland Avenue were once the lavish estate of John J. Albright, famous industrialist and philanthropist who is the namesake of our renowned art gallery’s 1905 building. After the Albright mansion was demolished, the property was developed into some of the most attractive residential real estate in the city. We will walk these tree-lined blocks to see remaining signs of the Albright Estate, learn more about this historic district and how it developed into a residential neighborhood.

Advance reservations are encouraged but not required for tours. Walk-ups are welcome! For security reasons, all credit card payments must be made in advance. Advance reservations with a credit card can be made online until the tour starting time. Cash or checks are accepted at the start of the tour. If you make an advance reservation, please print your confirmation email or be prepared to show it on your phone.

Unless specified, most tours are between 90 minutes and two hours in length. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather! Reservations may be made online at explorebuffalo.org or by calling (716) 245-3032.

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