Architecture lovers all have a hit list of places that they want to get inside of. Thankfully there are a slew of touring events in Buffalo that get us up close and personal with the buildings of our dreams. On Saturday, September 21 from 10am to 3pm, Preservation Buffalo Niagara and the Prospect Hill Neighborhood Alliance will be offering a tour that will get you inside of 8-10 historic homes in the Prospect Hill neighborhood. On top of that, as a special bonus, the touring group will get to step inside the incredible Colonel Ward Pumping Station, located at the gateway of LaSalle Park. I, for one, have never been inside the pumping station, and have always wanted to see the interior first hand.

The West Side is full of spectacular historic houses, many of which are in the process of being restored. As these neighborhoods continue to make a comeback, it’s a thoughtful gesture to think that current homeowners are opening their doors to people who are curious about city living, in houses that just can not be recreated. “The Prospect Hill Neighborhood Alliance is so fortunate to once again open our homes to the second annual Preservation Buffalo Niagara Prospect Hill Tour of Homes,” said Kathy Mecca, president of the Columbus Park Association. “The Alliance was created four years ago to promote one of Buffalo’s earliest and most historic districts in Buffalo which is home to Front Park, one of Frederick Law Olmsted’s most notable designs because it faces Lake Erie and the mighty Niagara River.

“The Prospect Hill Neighborhood Alliance has brought together four of the largest organized community groups on Buffalo’s West Side: Fargo Estate Neighborhood Association, Cottage District Association, Armory Hill Neighborhood Association, and the Columbus Park Association. The Alliance also has an active working relationship with some neighborhoods in the Kleinhans district and the Niagara at Rhode Island Street block club. This is such an important opportunity to showcase Prospect Hill as a historic district, because of the number of iconic landmarks Buffalo is famous for and the one-of-a-kind architecture that gives the public a glimpse of Buffalo’s glorious past from the 1860’s to 1955.”

*Ticket price is only $20, or $15 for PBN members, which is an incredible bargain. To celebrate the arrival of autumn, cider and doughnuts will be served at the ticket pick-up location in the D’Youville College Student Center. Full details, and online reservations, can be found here – there are also pictures on this page from last year’s photo contest that you are welcome to use.

Photo: The interior of the Colonel Ward Station which shows the scale of the massive machinery