"Autumn In Our Neighborhood" Personal Page by tpal

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Soldiers Place Circle

A sunny and crisp autumn day in Buffalo can almost make you forget about what is coming next. Soldiers Place Circle was recently renovated as a result of the efforts the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. It had languished for many years but is now restored and is a joy for our neighborhood. The Bradford Pear trees with their vibrant autumn colors are the last to lose their leaves in the fall.

Chapin Parkway Bridle Path

Autumn Elms Line Chapin parkway

Pin-wheeling off of Soldiers Place Circle are three tree lined parkways designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as part the vast Buffalo park system. The parkways all are named for Civil War heros...Chapin Parkway, Bidwell Parkway and, of course, Lincoln Parkway. The centers of the parkways were originally designed as bridle paths. Chapin Parkway extend to the east.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Heath House

The Heath House 1904

On the western edge of Soldiers Place Circle is the Heath House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1904. I've included this here because while the leaves are still on the trees it is difficult to get a clear view.

In Wright's "The Future of Architecture" he wrote about his inspiration for the development of this Prairie Style house by describing what he disliked. He wrote:

"The buildings standing then were all tall and all tight. Chimneys were lean and taller still, sooty fingers threatening the sky...(the) dank basement always stuck up above the ground a foot or more and blinked with half windows...These overdressed wood house walls had cut in them...big holes for the big cat and little holes for the little cat to get in and out or for ulterior purposes of light and air...the roof as a whole, was scalloped and ridged and tipped and swanked and gabled to madness...The whole exterior was bedeviled-that is to say, mixed to puzzle pieces, with corner boards, panel boards, window frames, corner blocks, plinth blocks, rosettes, fantails, ingenious and jigger work in general."

Not exactly his favorite style.

I quote this because in 1904 while Wright was building this house one of the few other buildings already in the neighbor was ours located one block away! As I read this quote I realized it was our house he was describing. I have this image in my mind of Frank Lloyd Wright looking down the street and saying, "That's what I hate!"

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Fallen leaves expose Greek revival art gallery

The northern leg of Soldiers Place Circle is Lincoln Parkway, a broad tree lined avenue and the address of some of Buffalo's most impressive mansions. It ends at what was one of the main entrances to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery was built for the exposition and would have been located just inside the grounds. Unfortunately it was not completed in time and didn't open until the next year. Today it holds one of the country's best contemporary art collections.

Buffalo & Erie Co. Historical Society

Historical Building in present day Delaware Park

A bit further north in an area which was well inside the Pan-American Exposition grounds are the only remaining major structures from the expo...the triple arched stone bridge and the Historical Society Building which was originally built as the New York State Pavillion.

Colonial Circle

General Bidwell in Colonial Circle

The southwest spoke of the pin-wheel off Soldiers Place Circle is Bidwell Parkway. It terminates at Colonial Circle. This is one of the largest circles in the city and is home to the impressive staute of General Daniel Davidson Bidwell who was killed during the American Civil War.

Our Little Street

Blazing fall colors on my street

Finally this is our street. It's only one block long and pretty quiet. It is definitlely a middle class street but our neighbors are some of Buffalo's most up-scale. The photo is taken to the north with the Frank Lloyd Wright Heath House to my back. The glorious colors you see are from the Bradford Pear trees which line much of the street. In the spring their spectacular white blooms make the trees appear to be snow covered. A reminder, perhaps, of what has just past.

Page Updated Dec 24, 2004
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Comments (259)

icunme May 11, 2011 at 5:48 AM Report Abuse

How lovely - I found you on Paolo's page - we three share a love for Lake Como! I have first cousins in upstate NY - 6 degrees of separation flys! Ciao, Carol (the other Carol)
evaanna Apr 20, 2011 at 11:38 AM Report Abuse

Happy Birthday and Many Many Happy Returns! Greetings from the Baltic coast to you both, Ewa
Nemorino Apr 20, 2011 at 2:23 AM Report Abuse

Happy Birthday and greetings from sunny Frankfurt am Main -- Don
Paolomusc Apr 12, 2011 at 7:26 AM Report Abuse

Love the garden. I tend to be a planner too, but thats all I ever do, nothing gets done, just planned!
toonsarah Jan 24, 2010 at 2:05 AM Report Abuse

Thank you Tom for the lovely comment on my Riomaggiore page. I know you and Carol will love it there. Do make sure you get to the other Cinque Terre villages too if you can, as each has its own unique appeal.
BruceDunning Nov 29, 2009 at 11:37 AM Report Abuse

You yard packed with greenery and lovely plants is a wonder. Grreat job-even if one of you digs and the other thinks. Out place is condo-but I took over back rustic area on fringe for a lot of foliage.
olja1234 Apr 20, 2009 at 11:57 AM Report Abuse

A very Happy Birthday to you. Have a wonderful day!
scottishvisitor Apr 20, 2009 at 8:53 AM Report Abuse

Happy Birthday Tom with many happy travels in the year ahead
Pawtuxet Apr 20, 2009 at 7:01 AM Report Abuse

Happy, happy birthday from the little state of Rhode Island. Hope the whole week and month turns into full time fun.
a2lopes Apr 20, 2009 at 4:00 AM Report Abuse

Happy birthday Tom and many happy returns of the day. Greetings from Lisbon which is waiting for your visit