John Larkin - Table of Contents

Larkin District / Larkinville / Hydraulics
The historic name for this neighborhood was the Hydraulics
Larkin Development Group - Official Web Page

In this neighborhood, Reuben B. Heacock founded the Hydraulic Business Association in 1827 and created a cooperative of water rights via the Hydraulic Canal that powered our region’s earliest tanneries, grist mills, etc.

We now refer to the district as The Larkin District, or “Larkinville,” in honor of The Larkin Company which played such a central role in the development of the district for over 60 years beginning in the 1870’s.
- Larkin Filling Station History (online July 2012)


The Larkin District, or Larkinville, begins on Seneca Street starting at Larkin Street and runs east to the intersection of Smith Street and Fillmore Avenue. It includes significant portions of Van Rensselaer, Exchange, Roseville, Carroll, Hydraulic and Griffin streets.

- James Fink, Lovin' the Larkin  (online June 24, 2011)

The Hydraulics/Larkin Neighborhood - Nomination for Listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places

NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE Buildings - Hydraulics/Larkin District

Larkin Soap Co. buildings:

Painting -  Original Larkin Factory DEMOLISHED

Larkin Center of Commerce Building - "B, C...N, O" Buildings  701 Seneca St.

Power House - "I" Building  635 Seneca St.

Larkin @ Exchange Building - "R, S, T" Warehouse  726 Exchange St.

Key Bank - "U" Building 239 Van Rensselaer St.

Men’s Club / Sacred Heart RC Rectory   696 Seneca St.

Larkin Square - Filling Station #6 745 Seneca St.

Administration Building  Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright - DEMOLISHED. 680 Seneca St.

Administration Building Restored Brick Fence Pier  680 Seneca St.


Other sites:

Kamman Building   755 Seneca St.

F. X. Winkler & Sons Building    760 Seneca St.

F. X. Winkler House  103 Seymour St.

St. Patrick's RC Church and Franciscan Monastery  759 South Division Street

St. Matthew’s German Evangelical Church  688 Swan St.

James Napora, St. Matthew’s German Evangelical Church  688 Swan St.

Bradshaw Hovey, Doug Swift: 'Sometimes you gotta take a risk'


History essays:

Frank J. Lankes, The Hydraulic Canal   Reprinted Essay

Patra Mangus, Explore Buffalo: The Larkin District

Nancy Blumenstalk Mingus,
Captain William Johnston

The Hydraulic Brewery
  686-702 Carroll St.



On other websites:

Larkin Development Group:  Larkin District History / The Hydraulics     (online June 2013)

Chris Hawley, The Hydraulics Press (online June 2013)

Buffalo Rising:  After Almost 30 Years, Historic Paintings Return to Buffalo, Removed From Demolished Hydraulics Church 28 Years Ago   (online June 2013)

Buffalo Rising: History of the Hydraulics: (online June 2013)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4 - Larkin's Demise
Part 5 - What Remains


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