Explore Buffalo’s popular tours are still going strong through September! Advance reservations are encouraged but not required for tours, and walk-ups are welcome!
TURN OF THE CENTURY TREASURES
9:30 a.m. Sept. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30
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
MASTERS OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE
10 a.m. Sept. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30
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 & 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.
DELAWARE AVENUE MANSIONS
10 a.m. Sept. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 22, 23, 29, 30
1 p.m. Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24 • 6 p.m. Sept. 6, 13
Meet: In front of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site on the Delaware Avenue side, 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).
EAST AURORA WALKING TOUR
10 a.m. Sept. 1, 15
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 the 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).
SILO CITY GROUNDED
10 a.m. Sept. 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29
11 a.m. Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24 • 1 p.m. Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
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 20th 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.”
BEST OF BUFFALO
1 p.m. Sept. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30
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.
OLD FIRST WARD
6 p.m. Sept. 1, 12, 15 • 1 p.m. Sept. 3, 17, 24 • 4 p.m. Sept. 30
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.
ALLENTOWN MOB
7 p.m. Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
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
7 p.m. Sept. 1 • 10 a.m. Sept. 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, 27, 30
Meet: Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park, 1 Naval Park Cove, Buffalo (near the Liberty Hound building).
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Join us on Saturdays during the summer for the Riverfront Renaissance tour to learn all about the fascinating history of Buffalo’s waterfront, today one of our most exciting public spaces! After the tour, grab some sun and have fun designing your own grain elevators. All craft materials provided by Explore Buffalo, and youth participants also receive an Honorary Explorers Certificate, our Downtown Activity Book and more!
Water has always been important to Buffalo’s growth — the Erie Canal ended here, grain elevators were invented here, and today our waterfront is helping to reenergize the city and fuel our renaissance! Join us on this tour in one of Buffalo’s most vibrant public spaces, Canalside, and explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buffalo. On this tour, you’ll get to explore some of the most important aspects of our city’s past, as well as the new waterfront attractions that are bringing Buffalonians to its water once again.
ELEVATOR ALLEY KAYAK TOUR
9 a.m. Sept. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30
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 $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!
LINCOLN PARKWAY
10 a.m. Sept. 2, 10, 16, 24 • 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7
Meet: At the Abraham Lincoln 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!
LANDMARKS & LANDSCAPES BY BIKE
10 a.m. Sept. 2, 9, 16, 30
Meet: The Indian Hunter statue on the Delaware Park Ring Road, near Agassiz Circle.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
On this overview bike tour of Buffalo’s Museum District, see works by some of America’s greatest architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright and Henry Hobson Richardson, set within a park and parkway system designed by celebrated landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Many of Buffalo’s landmark cultural attractions, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Buffalo History Museum, call the Olmsted landscapes home. Along the way, admire a diverse collection of public sculpture that has been incorporated into Olmsted’s system. This tour is approximately six miles in length with frequent stops, with much of the tour along designated bike paths.
Helmets are required for all tour participants. Each tour participant must have a bicycle in good working condition; participants are also required to sign a waiver before the tour. The minimum age for this tour is 14 years old.
HIDDEN GEMS OF THE DELAWARE DISTRICT
1 p.m. Sept. 2, 9 • 6 p.m. Sept. 5, 12
Meet: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site at 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!
SILO CITY VERTICAL
10 a.m. Sept. 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, 27, 30
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 two and half 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.
SILO CITY SPIN: GRAIN ELEVATORS BY BIKE
1 p.m. Sept. 2, 30
Meet: Riverfest Park at 249 Ohio St., Buffalo. Street parking is available along Ohio Street.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Following the invention of the grain elevator in 1842 by local merchant Joseph Dart, Buffalo quickly became one of the largest grain ports in the world. Towering grain elevators and silos were built lining the Buffalo River for the storage and transfer of grain. Many of these grain elevators still stand, and Buffalo today remains home to the largest collection of grain elevators in the world. On this guided cycling tour, you will see many of Buffalo’s grain elevators from a variety of vantage points and learn about their history. Be sure to bring your camera!
Helmets are required for all tour participants. Each tour participant must have a bicycle in good working condition; participants are also required to sign a waiver before the tour. The minimum age for this tour is 14 years old.
DOWNTOWN MOB TOUR
4 p.m. Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Meet: Spot Coffee at 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.
SCANDALOUS BUFFALO
10 a.m. Sept. 3, 17
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!
WEST SIDE MOB
1 p.m. Sept. 3, 17 • 10 a.m. Sept. 10, 24
Meet: Providence Social restaurant at 490 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. 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.”
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.
GATES CIRCLE
10 a.m. Sept. 4
Meet: This tour meets at the southwest corner of Gates Circle and Chapin Parkway. Street parking is available along Chapin Parkway or Lafayette Avenue.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Buffalo’s streets and public spaces are dynamic with a variety of histories, architectural styles, and uses. Gates Circle is an excellent example of this variety, which this walking tour around the circle and surrounding streets will explore. Learn about the history of Gates Circle itself, along with the Olmsted & Vaux park system and surrounding streets including Lafayette, Delaware and West Delavan avenues and Chapin Parkway. Along the way, examine the architectural styles present on both residential and commercial buildings.
LOOKING UP: DOWNTOWN CEILINGS & SKYLIGHTS
10:30 a.m. Sept. 6
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
Come ready to look up on this downtown walking tour! This tour will reveal the ornate ceilings and skylights found in many buildings throughout downtown Buffalo. While many people walk underneath them on a daily basis, the ceilings of many of Buffalo’s buildings are often their least-noticed feature. Join us on this tour to discover these beautiful works of art, many of which are hiding in plain sight!
DOWNTOWN LOCKPORT
1 p.m. Sept. 7 • 10 a.m. Sept. 9
Meet: Flight of Five Winery in Old City Hall at 2 Pine St., Lockport. Parking is available on the street or in the adjacent parking lot.
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.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S FONTANA BOATHOUSE
1 p.m. Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28 • 11 a.m. Sept. 30
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!
ESTATES ALONG THE AVENUE
1 p.m. Sept. 8
Meet: This tour meets in the parking lot behind Blessed Sacrament Church at 1035 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. The entrance to the parking lot is on Linwood Avenue, north of West Utica Street. Parking in the church lot is allowed for this tour.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Delaware Avenue’s northern section was predominately farmland throughout much of the 19th century, but began to be developed as family estates. Discover how some of Buffalo’s wealthiest families came to dominate this section of Delaware Avenue in the late 19th and early 20th century. While many of their former homes remain, most have been reused by businesses and institutions. Join us on this walking tour of one of Buffalo’s most beautiful streets to admire classic homes of the Gilded Age and learn about the families who built them.
HISTORIC CLARENCE HOLLOW
10 a.m. Sept. 9
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 we walk along Main Street in the Hollow. We will learn about some of the earliest American settlers to the Western New York area as we tour Main Street to observe many of the historically significant buildings and their architecture. On this two-mile walking tour, we will explore the history of buildings that now house museums, shops and restaurants.
BRICK BY BRICK: RESIDENTIAL ALLENTOWN REVEALED
11 a.m. Sept. 9 • 6 p.m. Sept. 12 • 10 a.m. Sept. 18
Meet: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site at 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, TR Site Members Free
This walking tour of North Pearl and Franklin streets in the historic Allentown neighborhood focuses on residential architecture of the mid-19th century. Two of Allentown’s most intriguing residential streets, North Pearl and Franklin feature brick mid-Victorian homes designed in the Italianate and Queen Anne styles. Located between Main Street and Delaware Avenue, these streets attracted professionals who wanted to combine comfortable suburban living with proximity to the boom of Buffalo’s commerce. Join us for this neighborhood walking tour to see excellent examples of these architectural styles and learn about the history of the homes and individuals who built them.
LARKIN DISTRICT
11 a.m. Sept. 9, 16, 30
Meet: Outside Flying Bison Brewing at 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.
MICHIGAN STREET AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE
12 p.m. Sept. 9
Meet: In front of the Michigan Street Baptist Church at 511 Michigan Ave..
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
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.
ELEVATOR MUSIC
3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 9
Meet: Silo City, 120 Silo City Row, Buffalo
Cost: General $30, Explorer Pass $25
Advance reservations are required for this tour. Elevator Music is approximately one hour in length, with five available times: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 p.m. Please wear comfortable walking shoes; no sandals or open-toed shoes are permitted on this tour.
Elevator Music is a unique experience combining historical walking tour with live music performances. On this tour we will explore aspects of the architecture and history of Silo City through words and sounds. Live musicians will perform original compositions inside Silo City’s spaces. Elevator Music is written and directed by WNY-born composer Nathan Hall and includes works for voices, saxophone, percussion and electronics.
OUTER HARBOR BY BIKE
1 p.m. Sept. 10
Meet: Entrance to the Queen City Bike Ferry Outer Harbor dock, 2 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
See the incredible transformation happening all along the city’s Outer Harbor waterfront on this tour! Join us to explore Buffalo’s Outer Harbor along trails that were recently built, providing a scenic journey from the 1833 Buffalo Harbor Lighthouse all the way to Tifft Farm Nature Preserve. The tour will start with a visit to the 1833 Lighthouse to discuss Lake Erie and the harbor built of Onondaga limestone. From there, the tour will bike through and discuss the history and the current wildlife preserve at Times Beach.
The tour will continue on to Wilkeson Point Park, talk about the Buffalo River, Inner Harbor and the original sea wall, now Fuhrmann Boulevard, before moving on to the Industrial Heritage Trail to discuss shipping on the Erie Canal and Great Lakes, along with history and evolution of the grain industry in Buffalo. Next will be the Small Boat Harbor and exciting new prospects for the former Freezer Queen site, Gallagher Beach and the new Buffalo Harbor State Park. The tour will proceed to Tifft Nature Preserve with a look at Buffalo’s future, as the new Solar City project is located on the former Republic Steel site behind Tifft Nature Preserve. The tour will end with taking the Bike Ferry back to Canalside.
COLUMBUS PARKWAY
2 p.m. Sept. 10 • 6 p.m. Sept. 13
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.
PRESIDENTS IN BUFFALO
10 a.m. Sept. 11, 18, 25
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.
POCKET PARKS OF ALLENTOWN
10 a.m. Sept. 11, 25 • 6 p.m. Sept. 19
Meet: This tour meets in front of First Presbyterian Church at One Symphony Circle, Buffalo. Parking is available in the church parking lot or on surrounding neighborhood streets.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
The western part of Buffalo’s historic Allentown neighborhood, where the northern edge of Buffalo’s original border meets the old New York State Reservation line, is a neighborhood of small parks and secluded enclaves. Grand and humble Victorian homes grace these neighborhood greenspaces, including Days Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1887, and Arlington Park, where Olmsted lived while designing Buffalo’s park system. Symphony Circle, a key link in Olmsted’s park and parkway system, is the starting point for this tour. Join us for a walking tour of this charming area of Buffalo to learn more about its history while admiring its parks and homes.
ELMWOOD VILLAGE’S ALBRIGHT ESTATE
6 p.m. Sept. 13
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 and learn more about this historic district and how it developed into a residential neighborhood.
DOWNTOWN DECO
2 p.m. Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28
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
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
LANDMARKS OF DELAWARE AVENUE
1 p.m. Sept. 15
Meet: Parking lot behind Blessed Sacrament Church at 1035 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. The entrance to the parking lot is on Linwood Avenue, north of West Utica Street. Parking in the church lot is allowed for this tour.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Delaware Avenue is well known for its many Gilded Age mansions, but there are also many magnificent landmarks found along Buffalo’s Millionaire’s Row not built as residences. Join us on this tour to learn about some of the most prominent landmarks on Delaware Avenue, including the Saturn Club, Blessed Sacrament Church and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Along the way, learn about some of the prominent families who once lived on Delaware Avenue and led the way in building these beautiful buildings that we continue to enjoy today.
COTTAGE DISTRICT
10 a.m. Sept. 16, 30
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.
INSIDE DELAWARE AVENUE MANSIONS
10 a.m. Sept. 16
Meet: American Red Cross at 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.
VILLAGE OF HAMBURG
10 a.m. Sept. 16
Meet: Main Street Ice Cream, 35 Main St., Hamburg
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Join us for a walking tour of one of the most charming villages in Erie County. There is much more to Hamburg than the Erie County Fair and snow! This tour will explore Hamburg’s Main Street, which is a National Historic District consisting of 62 contributing buildings, most of which date back to the 1800s. Along the 1.5-mile route, participants will enjoy the beautiful architecture, churches, parks and gardens while learning some of the history of the “Town That Friendship Built.” If you like this tour, you’ll want to return on Sept. 23 for the 2017 Autumn Tour of Homes – Village of Hamburg.
CITY OF LIGHT BUS TOUR
1 p.m. Sept. 16, 30
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.
BIDWELL PARKWAY
10 a.m. Sept. 17
Meet: Soldiers Place, Buffalo. Abundant street parking is available along Bidwell, Chapin or Lincoln Parkways.
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
The gorgeous houses on either side of Bidwell Parkway, especially those designed by the well-known local firm of Esenwein & Johnson, are the highlights of the tour. The beautiful Parkway with its rows of trees became one of Buffalo’s most fashionable residential addresses, and its popularity continues today as the center of the Elmwood Village.
While strolling the Parkway designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as part of their park and parkway system for the growing city of Buffalo, learn about the “Civil War District” they laid out that included Soldiers Circle, Lincoln Parkway, Bidwell Parkway, Bidwell Place, Chapin Parkway and Chapin Place. Along the way, see a house designed using H. H. Richardson’s plans and examine the large sculpture by Larry Griffis, “Flight of Birds,” and the newest public art in Buffalo, “Eden.”
DISASTERS OF BUFFALO HARBOR CRUISE
1 p.m. Sept. 17
Meet: Miss Buffalo, 329 Erie St., Buffalo
Cost: General $20, Student $15, Explorer Pass $15
Space is limited and reservations are required! The Miss Buffalo will leave the dock promptly at 1 p.m., so 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.
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 us 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.
SEEING DOWNTOWN THROUGH BINOCULARS
10:30 a.m. Sept. 19
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
Bring your binoculars and come ready to look up on this downtown walking tour! Many downtown buildings are topped with ornate details that can be difficult to see from ground level. On this tour, you will discover some of the most beautiful details in downtown Buffalo that are hiding in plain sight!
BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS
10 a.m. Sept. 21
Meet: Innovation Center at 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.
PARKSIDE ARTS & CRAFTS
10 a.m. Sept. 23
Meet: 119 Summit Ave., Buffalo
Cost: General $20, Explorer Pass $15
Join us for a walking tour of the historic Parkside neighborhood focused on the Arts & Crafts style in residential design. The Parkside neighborhood adjacent to Frederick Law Olmsted’s includes many excellent examples of the Arts & Crafts- and Craftsman-style homes. This tour will include history and background of the Arts & Crafts movement, as illustrated by various Arts & Crafts homes in the Parkside neighborhood.
This tour will include the interior of one private residence. Proceeds from this tour benefit the Parkside Community Association and Explore Buffalo.
BUFFALO SPORTS HISTORY
10:30 a.m. Sept. 9, 23
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 of the enthusiasm that Buffalo sports fans have for the city’s current teams.
WHAT’S NEW IN BUFFALO BY BIKE
10 a.m. Sept. 24
Meet: Tim Horton Statue, Main Street & Marine Drive, Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
This tour is a great introduction to the “new Buffalo” for both weekend visitors and ex-pats returning for the weekend, as well as for local residents from the city and suburbs who want to see for themselves what all the excitement is about at Canalside and downtown Buffalo.
Some of the tour highlights at the waterfront include the “Shark Girl” and “Tim Horton” statues at Canalside, HarborCenter and the Cobblestone District. Moving into downtown, the tour will stop at Niagara and Lafayette squares to see buildings such as the Robert H. Jackson Federal Courthouse and Hotel Lafayette. Passing through the Theater District, the tour will also visit the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and see the future home of the UB Medical School that is currently under construction.
Helmets are required for all tour participants. Each tour participant must have a bicycle in good working condition; participants are also required to sign a waiver before the tour. Age limit is 14 years old for bike tours.
POSTMODERN DOWNTOWN ARCHITECTURE
10:30 a.m. Sept. 26
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
Locals and visitors usually fall in love with Buffalo’s highly decorated buildings such as the Guaranty Building (1896), City Hall (1931) and, of course, churches. These same people often find Modern architecture like City Court (1974) and Main Place Mall (1969) bland and boring by comparison.
In reaction to Modern architecture, from the mid-1970s to the end of the 20th century, there was a return to color and ornament in new buildings including the Buffalo Bisons Stadium, the Buffalo Savings Bank Annex and the Flickinger Athletic Center. This style is known as Postmodern and this tour will focus on the ornamentation and color in a number of those and other Postmodern buildings, including Lafayette Court, Key Center at Fountain Plaza and City Centre skyscrapers.
SILO SPIN: GRAIN ELEVATORS BY BIKE
1 p.m. Sept. 30
Meet: Riverfest Park, 249 Ohio St., Buffalo
Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free
Following the invention of the grain elevator in 1842 by local merchant Joseph Dart, Buffalo quickly became one of the largest grain ports in the world. Towering grain elevators and silos were built lining the Buffalo River for the storage and transfer of grain. Many of these grain elevators still stand, and Buffalo today remains home to the largest collection of grain elevators in the world. On this guided cycling tour you will see many of Buffalo’s grain elevators from a variety of vantage points and learn about their history. Be sure to bring your camera!
Helmets are required for all tour participants. Each tour participant must have a bicycle in good working condition; participants are also required to sign a waiver before the tour. Age limit is 14 years old for bike tours.
For security reasons, all credit card payments for tours 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.
