Collection ID: MS.0022.0093
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Aronoff, Jason, Burke, Mary E. Lawson (Mary Elizabeth Lawson), Densmore, Christopher, Finnegan, Marchand M., Foster, Dorothy Martin, Gorman, Ruth Tauriello, Greenwood, Susan M., Jacobsen, Evelyn Heath, Ketter, Robert L., 1928-1989, Leighey, Marjorie, Martin, Darwin R. (Darwin Reidpath), Obien, Rodney G., Quinan, Jack, Tafel, Edgar, Tamalonis, Frederick M., Tauriello, Sebastian J., University Archives, and Buffalo and Western New York Architecture Collection (State University of New York at Buffalo)
- Abstract:
- Oral history interviews with persons associated with the Darwin D. Martin House, Buffalo, New York, and other buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Extent:
- 1.30 Linear Feet and 1 manuscript box; 1 legal manuscript box; 10 reel to reel audiotapes; 6 cd-roms; 1 media box; 15 cassette audiotapes
- Language:
- Collection material in English.
- Preferred citation:
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 22.93, Darwin D. Martin-Frank Lloyd Wright collection, oral histories, 1971-1980, University Archives, State University of New York at Buffalo.
See the Special Collections' preferred citations instructions for additional information.
Background
- Scope and Content:
Collection contains recordings and transcripts of interviews with persons familiar with the Darwin D. Martin house, Larkin Company administration building, and another house in Buffalo, New York, all designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Biographical / Historical:
Date Event 1865 Darwin D. Martin born - Boucville, Madison Co., NY1867 Frank Lloyd Wright born - Richland Center, Wisconsin1869 Isabelle Reidpath, the future Mrs. Martin, born - Buffalo, NY1878 Brothers Darwin D. Martin and Louis Frank Martin selling soap for Larkin Company in NYC1879 Darwin D. Martin, aged thirteen, begins work at Larkin Company in Buffalo1885 Darwin D. Martin invents cardex1887 Frank Lloyd Wright begins studies at the University of Wisconsin1888 Darwin D. Martin begins building house on Summit Avenue in Buffalo1889 Darwin D. Martin marries Isabelle ReidpathFrank Lloyd Wright builds Home and Studio in Oak Park1890 Frank Lloyd Wright joins Alder and SullivanDarwin D. Martin replaces Elbert Hubbard as Secretary of Larkin Soap Company1893 Frank Lloyd Wright starts his own practice1902 October 29 -- Darwin D. Martin meets Frank Lloyd WrightDarwin D. Martin purchases site for Martin House Complex, Jewett Parkway1903 October 11 - Construction begins on Barton House1904 July 20 - Construction begins on Martin HouseOctober - Barton House occupied1905 Martin House Complex completed1910 Frank Lloyd Wright designs Bar Beach Cottage (Bay Beach, Ontario, Canada) for Darwin D. Martin (unexecuted)1923 Darwin D. Martin commissions Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for James and Dorothy Martin Foster, daughter of Darwin D. Martin (unexecuted)1925 Martin retires from the Larkin Company1926 Construction begins on Graycliff1928 June 20 - Graycliff occupiedFrank Lloyd Wright designs the Blue Sky Mausoleum for Darwin D. Martin's ploy in Buffalo's Forest Lawn Cemetery (unexecuted)1935 Darwin D. Martin dies in Buffalo1936 Fallingwater (Bear Run, Pennsylvania), designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmanns1945 Isabelle R. Martin dies in Buffalo1959 Frank Lloyd Wright diesDate Event 1926 April 5 - Darwin D. Martin writes to Frank Lloyd Wright requesting 1910 Bay Beach Cottage design; Darwin D. Martin is considering building on shores of Lake ErieApril 18 - Darwin D. Martin looks at site in Derby, NYApril 19 - Darwin D. Martin purchases 250-foot front on Lake Erie, with 60-foot cliffApril 21 - Darwin D. Martin informs Frank Lloyd Wright that he's not interested in 1910 cottage design, but a two-story stone house designed by Frank E. Newman for E.W. Russell of Greenwich, ConnecticutMay 3 - Frank Lloyd Wright sends Darwin D. Martin preliminary drawingsMay 5 - Darwin D. Martin informs Frank Lloyd Wright that Isabelle R. Martin is Frank Lloyd Wright's clientAugust 19-20 - Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo to see siteAugust 27 - Isabelle R. Martin sees the site for first timeSeptember - Construction on garage begun.September - Due to marital problems, Frank Lloyd Wright asks his son John Lloyd Wright to take over the project; the Martins did not approve the changeNovember - Frank Lloyd Wright resumes his service to the Martins; construction continues on the site1927 April 5-6 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits siteJune 4 - Darwin D. Martin writes to Frank Lloyd Wright of the completion of the foundation of the main houseJune 15-16 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits siteAugust 31-September 2 - Chimney and masonry of main house completedSeptember - Frank Lloyd Wright finalizes designs for landscape, tennis court, circle, and guest house; the guest house was not executedSeptember - Furniture designs by Frank Lloyd Wright are executed1928 March 10, 12 - Furniture bought for main houseJune 20 - Martins "open" houseSeptember 20 - Paul A. Harsh, a house guest at Graycliff, suggests the name "Graycliff"1929 April - Isabelle R. martin asks Frank Lloyd Wright to design a screened walk to cross the esplanade behind the stone bench for servantsJune 15 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits siteJuly - Martins request Frank Lloyd Wright to design a "concrete tent house" for the Foster family (unexecuted)July - Martins request Frank Lloyd Wright to design a third-floor to main house (unexecuted)July 29 - Construction on evergreen garden, stone seat begun; Frank Lloyd Wright selects and ships furnishings for the main house from Marshall Fields in Chicago; Frank Lloyd Wright suggests wicker and overstuffed chairs fo the main house1935 Darwin D. Martin passes awayIsabelle R. Martin continues to summer at the site, and winters with the Foster family1938 November - Engineering report on site compiled by G.E. Seitzmiller for insurance purposes1941 Isabelle R. Martin continues to summer at the site, but moves into garage apartment1942 Isabelle R. martin spends her last summer at the site; she moves permanently to Buffalo to live with the Foster family1945 IRM passes awayStewardship of the site falls to a holding company belonging to Darwin R. Martin, son of Darwin D. Martin1950 Piarist Fathers, a Hungarian order, purchases site from Darwin R. MartinMid-1950s Chapel addition constructed over south terrace of main houseGarage addition and a storage building constructedCirca 1956 School building/dormitory constructed to house Hungarian refugees1958 August - Frank Lloyd Wright visits the site1996 Piarist Father's place property for saleGraycliff Conservancy is formed to acquire and restore the site1997 October - Graycliff Conservancy signs a contract to purchase the site- Acquisition information:
- Oral history interviews were performed by University Archives staff and others between 1971 and 1980.
- Processing information:
Processed by University Archives staff. Reprocessed and finding aid revised in April 2010 by Karen Spencer. Finding aid encoded by Danielle White, February 2015.
- Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in nine series: I. Mary E. Burke; II. Dorothy Martin Foster; III. Ruth Tauriello Gorman; IV. Mrs. Wilmot (Heath) Jacobsen; V. Lorelei Z. Ketter; VI. Marjorie F. Leighey; VII. Darwin R. Martin; VIII. Jerry O'Connor; and IX. Edgar Tafel,
- Accruals:
No further accruals are expected to this collection.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed Terms
- Subjects:
- Darwin D. Martin House (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Larkin Building (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Oral histories (document genres) - Names:
- Graycliff (Derby, N.Y.)
Buffalo and Western New York Architecture Collection (State University of New York at Buffalo)
Aronoff, Jason
Burke, Mary E. Lawson (Mary Elizabeth Lawson)
Densmore, Christopher
Finnegan, Marchand M.
Foster, Dorothy Martin
Gorman, Ruth Tauriello
Greenwood, Susan M.
Jacobsen, Evelyn Heath
Ketter, Robert L., 1928-1989
Leighey, Marjorie
Martin, Darwin R. (Darwin Reidpath)
Obien, Rodney G.
Quinan, Jack
Tafel, Edgar
Tamalonis, Frederick M.
Tauriello, Sebastian J.
Martin, D.D. (Darwin D.)
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
The Darwin D. Martin-Frank Lloyd Wright collection, oral histories, 1971-1980, are open for research.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 22.93, Darwin D. Martin-Frank Lloyd Wright collection, oral histories, 1971-1980, University Archives, State University of New York at Buffalo.
See the Special Collections' preferred citations instructions for additional information.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
- CONTACT:
-
716-645-2916lib-archives@buffalo.edu