Back in July, we went to a birthday party at Front Park. On the way there we passed by Columbus Parkway. On the way home, we decided to check it out. Wow! I’d heard good things and remembered reading a few articles about this street, but it’s always so much betterto see it in person!

A Little Bit of History, of Course

Prospect Park is bordered by Porter Avenue at the south, Connecticut Street on the north, and Prospect and Columbus Parkway on the east and west respectively. Hiram Pratt, Buffalo businessman and two time mayor of Buffalo, donated the land in 1836 to the City of Buffalo to be used as a park. At the time the property afforded unrestricted views of Lake Erie and the Niagara River. It was a perfect spot for a park.

Sometime before Olmsted designed our park system, homes were built along the perimeter of the park, blocking the beautiful views. This prompted Olmsted to design Front Park. Between 1855 and 1866, Niagara Street was extended north through the very center of Prospect Park. Albeit a smaller scale, this is just like the 198 cutting through Delaware Park! Why do we do these things?

In 1952, the western portion of the park was renamed Columbus Park. At that time, a statue of Christopher Columbus was placed on the grounds. The eastern half of the park continued to be known as Prospect Park. In July of 2020, it became known about the controversy and general negativity surrounding Christopher Columbus. The statue was removed. In November of the same year, the Buffalo Common Council voted to change the name of the west side of the park back to Prospect Park. Once again, Buffalo has one, cohesive Prospect Park, save for Niagara Street running through it, of course…

I’m told, and have verified, that there will be a new statue to be erected soon, to replace the Columbus statue. It will be of an Italian immigrant family arriving here for the first time. Very appropriate, because this area was once predominantly an Italian neighborhood. Can’t wait to see it.

Let’s Take a Look at Columbus Parkway

I’ll begin by saying that I didn’t take photos of every home on the street, like I usually do. I covered the three blocks between Porter Ave and Rhode Island Street. There are simply too many homes along this stretch to be able to include them all.

This first one was built for Abner Cutler, who owned A. Cutler and Son, cabinetmakers, manufacturers and dealers of furniture. The business was located at 164-176 Pearl Street, which would have been in the block where the Rath building is now located. They also had a factory in Black Rock. Abner Cutler was issued a patent for the design of the roll top desk in 1882. In fact, he was issued seven patents, all pertaining to the mechanics of the roll top. Cool. And a beautiful home to boot.

This home has had some fairly recent renovations. The working shutters have been removed, original windows were replaced, and sidelights and a transom were added to the front entryway. The sidelights and transom were an aesthetic change. But I was sorry to see the windows replaced (they were fantastic). I suppose I understand the cost involved in maintaining them though, and you’ll get no judgements from me. Just observations.

Next

Across the street from the Cutler home is this beauty, below, currently receiving some love. And it looks to me like they are doing it right! I appreciate this. That upper porch is interesting with it’s ‘step up’ (maybe two) or down depending on how you look at it. Either way this place looks like cocktails on the patios to me. Let’s keep an eye on this one. I think it’s going to be fabulous!

I love the arched portico over the entryway with the fan design underneath on this one, below. And the ribbon windows in the dormer. This place has got little touches like the stone walkway, and the tiled stoop. Very nice! And, they’re Bills fans, so yeah, I like this one.

The brickwork is just great at this next home, below. And check out the wrought iron, unusual and beautiful. I’m so glad they’ve kept it!

Mama Mia! This one, below, is beautiful! But before I get carried away, a quick check with the city shows there are eight apartments here. Okay. Coming back down to earth. But it also says both the upper and lower patios are 10 feet wide by 36 feet long. Now, those are patios! This one is a real stunner.

This next home below, is where I met Alexander and his dog, Otis. Alexander, I apologize, but I cannot remember your beautiful Mother’s name. She was using a leaf blower and both Alexander and Otis were having a grand old time chasing the leaves around! Super cute family moment. All three were really enjoying themselves. Mom told me that she loves living on the street. The neighbors are great, and that most of the homes have original woodwork etc. That’s so great to hear!

And More Columbus Parkway

Here are a few more amazing homes.

This one below is really nice with the rounded porch. There are several of those on this street. Also, the rounded bay windows. There are a lot of those on this street too. Love it!

Wow!

This Queen Anne style home was built for DeWitt Baker in 1883. Oh that gable! Most of the windows appear to be original. And I want to call that finish on the gable pebbling, but on closer inspection, I think it might actually be ‘roughcast’, which is a mixture of small stones, broken glass and cement. That second floor window is beautiful, and the sunburst detail above it is stunning.

Wait till you see this

This next home, below, is spectacular! It’s designed by August Esenwein, of the Buffalo famous Esenwein & Johnson Architectural Firm. (The Calumet Building, the Electric Tower and many, many more.) Just look at those amazing tall (tall!) windows on the driveway side. The scale of this home is incredible! This is one I’d love to go in. Just to see those windows! And what is probably fantastic woodwork and many more details! This one is special!

And what do you think of this beauty, below? I absolutely love it! This street continues to blow me away at every turn. This particular home is so unexpected. Let’s just say, you’re not going to see another like this one today, that’s for sure.

This one, below, is a lovely Second Empire design. I’m pretty sure all the windows (on the front anyway) are original, or at least have been replaced properly. They still have the rounded look and curved top. It looks so nice! The bay window on the first floor is beautiful complete with dentil molding. And I think the sidelights and transom are stained glass. Nice!

And these

And Now This

This home was built in 1880 for Edgar B. Jewett. He was the president of the Jewett Refrigerator Company. And if you’re a regular reader of this blog you may remember that my husband, Tim, worked for Jewett Refrigerator Company early on in his career. Cool. Jewett served two terms as Mayor of Buffalo, became the Vice-President of the Cary Safe Company, and served as the President of the Columbia National Bank here in Buffalo. Busy guy. He lived here with his wife, Elizabeth and their four children before building a home at 210 Summer Street in 1900.

This three story home is incredible! It towers over the corner of Columbus Parkway and Columbus Parkway West. Like many on this street, the owner of this home is a fantastic steward of this true Buffalo treasure.

This Next One

Dr. John D. Naples and his wife, Anne, built this home in 1939. Including the extra wide lot which is 80 feet wide! That’s practically unheard of in the city! And of course, you know I love the wide porch on the driveway side of the house. Awesome place to sit and visit.

This One

This home is absolutely massive! The city has it listed as a three-family residence. And I can see where all three could be very large apartments. The house seems to go on forever. I’m told that a woman named Carole lives here, and that she knows everything there is to know about the street. But alas, she was not home the day I was there. Although I’ll tell you I’m not altogether sure I knocked at the right doors. I do wish I could have met her. Carole, your home is beautiful.

After a little digging, I found that Carole and her late husband Carl raised their children in this home. It was designed by an architect out of Rochester named James G. Cutler. Cutler is better known as the person who designed and patented the office building mail chute. Cool.

Moving Along

Love this next home. Take a look at the sunroom at the front of this house. It’s got leaded glass and I think some of the windows in this home may be original. Not all, but some definitely are. Nice.

This next home, below, is where I met Terry. He’s the one who told me Carole is the person to talk to about the history of the street.

Terry had heard at some point that a senator or a congressman lived in his home. He was right. His name was Anthony F. Tauriello, born in 1899. He was an attorney who served on the Buffalo Common Council from 1938-41, and again in 1948. He was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives and served from 1949-51, when he came home to serve again on the Buffalo Common Council from 1954-57. He finished off his career as an appointee to the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority from 1961-73. Not too shabby. Here he is, below.

Terry, I especially love your entryway at the front of your home. Thank you for taking the time to chat. Appreciate it.

A Few More

There are a few more houses I’d like to share on my way back to Vermont Street before I head home again.

This home, below, is where I met Dave and Chantal. What a beautiful Colonial Revival home they’ve got here. Dave tells me they’ve been here a little less than a year and are in the middle of a kitchen reno. Chantal mentions that she’d like to do some research on the home and the area once the renovation projects are completed. Well, guys, I found that your home was built for Henry Hagen in 1907, but I’m afraid that’s all I was able to find before publishing. I’m sure you’ll be able to see that on your deed, and maybe you’ll find more clues as to the history of the home.

About the house. My favorite thing is that gorgeous rounded porch. Also, the palladian windows at the peaks. There are at least three that can be seen from the street. One at the front, and one at both the north and south sides. And those rounded bay windows on the second floor are beautiful.

And Last But Certainly Not Least

This incredible (and huge) home, below, was built in 1886 for George Sandrock, who was born in Buffalo in 1838. I believe Sandrock was in insurance (Sandrock & Baily, located at 24 Swan Street). He was one of 11 children born to George Sr. & Magdalena Daigler who both came to Buffalo from Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. The home must have been stunning back then, with the red Medina sandstone lintels, details at the peaks and decorative terracotta here and there mixed in with the brick.

It needs a bit of attention, but looks doable. It’s impressive when you walk by. It’s the way it’s set on the property that is so perfect! The home is on a wide lot (92′ – in the city!) with a large side yard. Plenty of room to spread out. This is the kind of home that makes me want to explore the interior. Well, back in the day when it was a single family home that is. It would be cool to see the original plans. Now that would be something.

The wrought iron fencing out front just may be original. It would take some elbow grease, but it wouldn’t be too expensive to do. I’ll admit though, I wouldn’t want to be the one to do it! Very labor intensive!

All in all, it’s a beautiful Buffalo home.

My Impressions

Columbus Parkway is an almost unbelievable street, and makes me consider the whole of Buffalo. This street is unique in that the homes were built over a period of 100 years or so. Some were built in the 1860s and every decade after, up until the 1960s, and the townhouses were built in 1989. That’s kind of unheard of in Buffalo. There are a few that I can think of offhand, like Edge Park, where some homes were built in one era, and at the other end of the street some were built decades later. Or every once in a while you come across one really old home in the middle of all the others. But this street seems to have had continual building. Very unusual! And may account for the occasional very wide lots.

Historic & Present

The homes built here represented people like George Sandrock, who co-owned a small insurance agency, or the doctors and politicians. These were not the lumber barons or the captains of industry from Millionaire’s Row over on Delaware Ave. This street is representative of successful people like a lot of us, who work hard for a living but also enjoy some degree of ‘success’. I love this about Buffalo.

I have to say that it’s really good to see a young couple like Dave and Chantal moving into this historic neighborhood, taking an interest in restoring their home, and showing the desire to become part of the fabric of the neighborhood. That’s what makes a neighborhood great.

This one seems to be historic, but very present, if that makes sense. Let me try to explain. Everybody I spoke to on the street seems to be very aware of the history here, almost excited about it. But they also seem to realize that while being historic is cool, it’s also important to be present and involved in the here and now. That’s what’s so great about Columbus Parkway.

Next time you’re in the area, make it a point to go see this incredible street.

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