Hamlin Park Historic District - Table of Contents

Hamlin Park Neighborhood FAQ
By Reva W. Betha and Mark Davison

Where is the "Hamlin Park" historic district?
The boundaries of the Hamlin Park district are Jefferson Avenue on the west, Main St. to the north, Humboldt Parkway in the east and finally East Ferry Avenue on the south.

How did this area get its name?|
This area of Buffalo New York takes its name from Cicero Jabez Hamlin (1819-1905).

Mr. Hamlin originally arrived in Buffalo from the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts in 1846. Originally the operator of a dry goods store in partnership with his brother in East Aurora, he eventually purchased the business and relocated to the Hamlin Block on Main St. at Eagle. Not content to be known simply as a merchant and having an ambitious nature Cicero Hamlin founded the Buffalo Grape Sugar Company in 1873, naming himself as president. His was one of several sugar companies then in operation in the city.

Meanwhile in 1855 he acquired 66 acres of land in East Aurora. There he lived the life of a country gentleman. In a nation still reliant upon "horse power" of the hay burning kind, Hamlin devoted much of his energy to raising a breed of trotting horses which gained national recognition. In an effort to expand his market from country to city, in 1868 he purchased a preexisting harness track known as the Buffalo Driving Park. With the advent of the "horse-less carriage" and its growing popularity after the turn of the century, the popularity of driving parks was declining.

A long time resident of Buffalo, Cicero Hamlin built a house at 432 Franklin Street in 1860 where he resided until 1886. (The house is still standing today). The family later moved to 1014 Delaware avenue. (That home was tom down in 1926.)

After the death of their father in 1905 his assets became the property of his sons, William, Harry, and Chauncey. The racing track went unused for several years after Cicero Hamlin's death.

With the population of Buffalo growing, so was the need for housing. Seeing the success of Buffalo's Parkside neighborhood, his sons decided to capitalize on the demand for affordable housing for a growing middle class and laid out the area that now bears the name Hamlin Park. In 1912 the 300 acres of land was bought by Canadian real estate developer John J. Cook. Cook saw how quickly the Parkside area was developing as a highly desirable neighborhood and hoped to repeat that success on a more modest scale with more affordable housing. Movement into this area was a way of announcing that one had truly arrived at middle class status.

What style of house was built in Hamlin Park?
The area began to develop immediately and would continue until the 1950's when urban development decreased with the flight to the suburbs. The houses reflect the four styles of housing most prevalent during that time period. Those styles are the American Foursquare, Homestead also known as Prairie style, Bungalow and Colonial Revival. Each style has its own unique distinguishing characteristics.

Was John J. Cook the only developer in this area?
While Cook was the primary developer of this area, he was not the only developer. Several others had preceded his efforts with small pockets of development of their own creation. The most notable developers were identified by author Mark Goldman in an article that appeared in Buffalo Spree magazine in the July/August 2000 issue. Goldman has identified at least three other developers. According to Mr. Goldman "...small pockets of housing existed prior" (to the work of Cook). These developers included: Charles Hartis Hedley, August Hager, and the J& F Lyth Tile Company.

When did Canisius College locate here?
Having outgrown its Washington St. home in the central city, Canisius College chose to expand to the more open and available land in Hamlin Park in 1912 where it continues to grow and expand. Those efforts have been largely successful with few exceptions. One such exception occurred in 1995 when the college planned to demolish the former St. Vincent de Paul rectory building, located at 15 Eastwood Place. The plan met with opposition from the Hamlin Park Community Taxpayers Association and other preservationists concerned with the integrity of the changing neighborhood. While the college claimed it wished to demolish the building to enhance the entrance to the campus, preservationists sought and obtained landmark status for the property.

What ethnic groups have lived in the area?
The earliest residents of the area were primarily German and Jewish-American. Post war flight to the growing suburbs around Buffalo coupled with the influx of African Americans whose numbers had been increasing beginning in the war years, led to the Hamlin Park neighborhood becoming the first African American middle class community in Western New York.

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Prominent Residents / Architectural Examples

Compiled by Ms. Reva W. Betha, Recording Secretary of the Hamlin Park Community & Taxpayers' Association

45 Blaine Avenue - Home of the late Delmar Mitchell, the first elected African American councilman-at-large and council president. A bust of Mr. Mitchell was placed in the Delavan-College Metro train station by the city through the efforts of the Hamlin Park Community & Taxpayers' Association.

74 Donaldson Road - Home of the late Albert Riding who played trumpet with Billy Eckstein and Count Basie.

15 Eastwood Place - formerly St. Vincent's church rectory. Landmark designation upheld in 1995 by the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in a case where the Preservation Coalition of Erie County joined with the Hamlin Park community to oppose demolition of the building by Canisius College

101 Hamlin Road - Home of the late Horace "Billy" Johnson, a former Erie County Supervisor and Masten District Council member, who served six terms on the Council and was active in many community and civic organizations. A city park, located at Florida and Pansy Streets, is named in his memory.

60 Hedley Place - Stone farmhouse built around 1850. Earliest extant structure in the historic district. Currently under restoration.

17 Hughes Avenue - Home of the late Claude and Ouida Clapp, both educators. At retirement, Mr. Clapp was Deputy Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools. Ouida Clapp was the Director of Language Arts for the Board of Education. She was also nationally known as an English teacher and textbook author.

162 Hughes Avenue - Former home of Jesse E. Nash, Jr., retired professor of sociology and anthropology at Canisius College, Director of the Model Cities Program, and Administrator of Affirmative Action at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

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231 Humboldt Parkway - American Foursquare style

237 Humboldt Parkway - Prairie style

277 Humboldt Parkway - American Foursquare style

321 Humboldt Parkway - Home of Robert Traynham Coles, an architect for some 40 years. Mr.Coles has offices in Buffalo, New York City and Washington, D.C. He has won numerous design awards for his work, which includes the University of Buffalo's Alumni Arena, the Operations Control Center for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and Public School No. 40. Mr.Coles's work has been featured at the Buffalo Historical Society. Mr. Coles designed his home with an orientation towards the rear of the lot as a barrier to the noise from the expressway in front of the house. The Japanese-like garden around the house, with the whole yard consisting mostly of pebbles, eliminates the need for lawn upkeep.

327 Humboldt Parkway - Prairie style

341 Humboldt Parkway - Former home of Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist, football legend who set seven rushing records in two of the three years that he was a running back for the Buffalo Bills (1962-1964), ran 243 yards and scored five touchdowns in one day.

633 Humboldt Parkway - Home of Dr. Lydia T. Wright, pediatrician, and her husband Dr. Frank Evans, M. D. Dr. Wright was the first African American School Board member. The Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence is named in her honor. Dr. Evans taught medical students at the Millard Fillmore Hospital, and was a clinical assistant professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

849 Humboldt Parkway - The late Dr. Yerby Jones, nationally recognized ophthalmologist, maintained his offices at this address. He served as chief of staff of the former Meyer Memorial Hospital (now ECMC).

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99 Lonsdale Road - Home of the late John E. Brent, Buffalo's first African American architect. .Mr. Brent designed the Michigan Avenue YMCA, and worked on plans for Hutchinson High School and the Wanakah Country Club.

182 Northland Avenue - Former home of John Hargrave, founder of Buffalo's first African American law firm, Hargrave, McKelvey, Young & McCleod.

183 Northland Avenue - Home of the late Luke Easter, outfielder of the Homestead Grays, Negro National League's last pennant winner (1948). Easter played for the Buffalo Bison baseball team before joining the Cleveland Indians. He led the league in home runs and RBI's two out of the three years he was with Buffalo.

303 Northland Avenue - Former home of Beverly Johnson, world famousmodel/actress/entrepreneur.

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34 Pansy Place - Home of the late Charles T. Perkins, Deputy Director of the Community Action Organization. He was the first president of the Hamlin Park Community & Taxpayers' Association. Mr. Perkins held this for position for 28 years. Perkins Park on East Ferry Street, close to theYMCA, is dedicated to his memory.

Pansy Place & Florida Street - Horace "Billy" Johnson Park. (See 101 Hamlin Road entry.)

36 Brunswick Blvd. - Bungalow style

Hamlin Park Addresses not within historic district:

• 377 Glenwood - Home of the late Grover Washington, Jr., world famous musician (saxophonist).
• 384 Woodlawn - Home of the late Cora P. Maloney and husband Attorney Clarence Maloney. She was the first woman elected to the Buffalo Common Council (Masten District, 1958); The Cora P.Maloney College was chartered in 1976 at the State University of New York at Buffalo.