One Family. One Architect. Two Houses.
At the turn of the twentieth century, a young Darwin Martin commissioned up-and-coming architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design his family estate, the Martin House, located in the historic Parkside neighborhood in Buffalo. A decades-long friendship began, and Darwin and his wife Isabelle called on Wright again two decades later to build the family’s summer home, Graycliff, located just a short drive from the Martin House on the shores of Lake Erie.
Each site is stunning, and both have been lovingly and meticulously restored. A variety of tours and events are offered throughout the year.
You can explore the city and summer estates in one day. Begin with a tour of the Martin House, where you’ll experience Wright’s quintessential Prairie house and one of the great achievements of his career. Lunch can be enjoyed on-site at the Statler Cafe.
Then, you can enjoy the 30 – 40-minute drive along Lake Erie to Graycliff, where you can tour one of the most ambitious summer estates Wright ever designed.
The below sample itinerary also includes other Wright highlights in WNY.
Wright in WNY Itinerary
We look forward to welcoming you to the Martin family homes!
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House and Graycliff Conservancy are two separate nonprofit organizations each with a distinct mission but a common goal centered around sharing the history of the Martin family and Wright’s genius. We strongly encourage you to visit both sites during your visit to Western New York.
