March Volunteer Spotlight

A small newspaper ad in 2006 is what led Peter Crane to the Martin House Volunteer Team. Peter had recently retired from DuPont with more than 30 years of service as an engineer when he spotted the ad seeking volunteers. He was searching for the right opportunity to fill some of his time, and his curiosity was piqued.

“I recalled walking by the Martin House as a teen and wondering how this modern house ended up in the Parkside community,” said Peter, a native of Buffalo. “At that time, and even as an adult, I was just not aware of the history or significance of the property.”

Peter was immediately drawn in and spent many years as a tour chaperone. After overseeing more than 100 tours, he was encouraged to take the next step and enrolled in docent training.

“Talking before a group had always struck fear into my heart,” said Peter. “After the training, I was surprisingly comfortable and loved giving tours from then on.”

One of his most memorable tours included a very special participant – Jack Quinan: author, professor, founder of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, and Curator Emeritus of the Martin House. Jack was very gracious, which is no surprise to anyone who knows him, and smiled through the whole experience.

Today, Peter spends his time assisting the guest services team, greeting visitors as they check in for their tour experience. He can’t say enough about the social benefits he’s gained as part of the volunteer group. He fondly recalls the ad from years ago and says seeing it was truly good luck.

His favorite spot at the Martin House? As an engineer, he admires the structural steel Wright utilized during design and construction, but he really enjoys the pergola where one can view all of the other properties on the site.

Thank you to Peter Crane for twelve years – and counting – of service to the Martin House.

Interested in hearing about volunteer opportunities at the Martin House?