Turn of the Century Treasures Downtown Architecture Tour

The Turn of the Century Treasures Downtown Architecture Tour showcases Buffalo commercial architecture at the turn of the twentieth 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 twentieth 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.

This tour meets next to “The Hiker” statue in Roosevelt Plaza, at the corner of Main and Huron Streets. Metered street parking is available along Main Street and other nearby streets. The closest parking ramp is the Augspurger Ramp at Huron and Pearl Streets. The Fountain Plaza Metro Rail station is half a block away, just north of Huron Street. This tour is approximately ninety minutes in length and 1.2 miles of walking.

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