New York
Buffalo's Golden Age: An Architectural Adventure
Program No. 24909RJ
Immerse yourself in an architectural exploration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo, learn about the Arts and Crafts movement and discover the original vision of Buffalo, the “Queen City.”
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At a Glance
Buffalo has been an architectural workshop, famous for supporting innovative ideas in style, structure and building materials. In the early 20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright left his mark on the “Queen City” with several of his iconic designs. Explore Buffalo and Western New York, immersing yourself in his restored architecture. Experience incredible gardens and examples of Wright’s early Prairie style designs, including the Martin House and the Graycliff estate. To top it off, enjoy the Hagen History Center in Erie, Pennsylvania — home of Frank Lloyd Wright’s San Francisco office.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Moderate walking and standing on each of the field trips.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Learn about the lives and work of architects Frank Lloyd Wright, Frederic Law Olmstead and Elbert Hubbard of the Roycroft Movement.
- Experience the Martin House, Delaware Park and Graycliff.
- Explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s original field office, now open to the public for the first time and housed in its own specially designed building at the Hagen History Center.
Suggested Reading List
(4 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Buffalo's Golden Age: An Architectural Adventure
Program Number: 24909
Frank Lloyd Wright: In Buffalo and Western New York
Frank Lloyd Wright's Buffalo Venture: From the Larkin Building to Broadacre City: A Catalogue of Buildings and Projects
The Roycrofter: Volume 3, No. 4, January 1929 Paperback
Roycroft was a reformist community of craft workers and artists which formed part of the Arts and Crafts movement in the United States. Elbert Hubbard founded the community in 1895, in the village of East Aurora, New York, near Buffalo. Participants were known as Roycrofters. The work and philosophy of the group, often referred to as the Roycroft movement, had a strong influence on the development of American architecture and design in the early 20th century.
The Best Planned City in the World: Olmsted, Vaux, and the Buffalo Park System (Designing the American Park)
Beginning in 1868, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created a series of parks and parkways for Buffalo, New York, that drew national and international attention. The improvements carefully augmented the city's original plan with urban design features inspired by Second Empire Paris, including the first system of "parkways" to grace an American city. Displaying the plan at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Olmsted declared Buffalo "the best planned city, as to streets, public places, and grounds, in the United States, if not in the world."
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