The 1980s and 1880s had one thing in common: they were both boom times for Buffalo real estate. Nowhere in the KCA boundaries was the 1880s boom more apparent than on St. John’s and Orton Places. In the 1870s, the land making up Orton and St. John’s Places was used for traveling circuses and well known Victorian-era circus men all pitched their big top here including W. W. Cole, Adam Forepaugh and P. T. Barnum. Even Jumbo the elephant visited this site. In the 1880s, the street car lines were extended to this vicinity and land prices skyrocketed because Buffalonians wished to build homes in this desirable residential section. Wise investors realized that the circus lot was more valuable as a location for houses, so the land was subdivided and sold in 1884. All the homes on St. John’s and Orton Places were built between 1884 and 1888.
A parallel between the 19th century and 20th century can be found within this block again at number 50 Orton Place. Built in 1887 for Erie Ontario Van Brocklin, it was designed by the architectural firm of Swan and Falkner. Van Brocklin was a Civil War veteran and worked for the Buffalo Fire Department. In the 1890s, he was involved in a scandal when it was discovered that he embezzled approximately $60,000 from the city. A scandal of a different sort occurred here in 1998 when the home fell victim to the notorious West Side Doorknob Burglar. Thanks to the excellent detective work of the building’s owner, Peter Covey, the doorknob was returned to the home.
The picturesque one story cottage at 49 Orton Place is best known for being the home of Jas. J. Fleury after 1927. Fleury was known as the “Poet Tailor.” He built a basement entrance to his tailor shop which he operated out of this home and was well remembered for his poetry writing which was published in local newspapers.
44 Orton Place, a Queen Anne style home built in 1886 is the home of Joyce Berg, former Kleinhans Community Association president.
42 Orton Place is a beautiful home built in 1886 for Clarissa and Schuyler Aldrich in the Queen Anne style. The Aldrich, Ray Manufacturing Company was a brass works at 1489 Niagara St. that sold its hardware worldwide. Aldrich was also a pastor of the First Free Baptist Church on Hudson Street and Fargo Ave. In the 1980s, John and Sharon Carmesano returned the residence back to a single family home after it had been used as a rooming house for many years. They also started a backyard shade and herb garden. The home’s current owners, Candace Church and Dinah Gamin, undertook a Victorian paint restoration and along with Ulbrich’s Nursery, designed the front garden beds. The driveway and backyard were incorporated into the garden as a patio area, making the most of a small space. The home’s picturesque board and batten barn was restored in 1999.
Two homes on Orton Place have the distinction of being published in an 1890 edition of a building periodical called Scientific American Architects and Builders Edition. The home at 38 Orton was the first to be published. The house was built in 1886 for Dr. Thomas Callahan. Sadly, in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the tower was sheared off. Carl Schade, who purchased this home in the early 1990s, was determined to restore it to its original glory.
Despite high costs, Carl restored the tower and carefully selected a restoration company, which rebuilt the tower on Carl's home in such a way as to replicate 1885 Victorian craftsmanship. The results are simply amazing and were complete just in time to impress visitors to the KCA area for the 5th Annual Garden Walk at the end of July, 1999. Carl’s efforts were recognized when he won an Allentown Association, Inc.’s 2000 Beautification Award and 2001 Buffalo Landmark and Preservation Board Award, presented to Carl by Mayor Anthony Masiello. The Preservation Board noted that Carl had “gone the extra mile to restore so very accurately all the fine details of a late Victorian home.”
One of the first houses to be erected on the street, the handsome dwelling at 36 Orton Place was built early in 1885 by James W. Byers for coal dealer Henry E. Smith. As was popular in its day, Eastlake styling details are evident throughout the home’s exterior: in the verge board; the incised decorations found on the flat headed front windows and pilasters; and the diamond design used in the frieze. For nearly the past 50 years, it was the home of Denton Dodd and his family until Mr. Dodd passed away a few years ago. Despite the removal of the original stained glass windows which had been in the home for 113 years, the house was able to find new owners in Paul Lachacz and Michael Rooney. The owners exclaim that there is still much restoration work to be done. The long shady driveway which leads to the home’s barn is an inviting gateway to the side and rear gardens which they have created. The new owners have incorporated lovely landscaping design into the home, which was started in the fall of 1998. Gray creek stones used in the front flower beds were chosen to create an old and worn look appropriate to the house. The home still has its original board-and-batten barn, of which only a few remain in Buffalo today. The barn was restored in 2001. Mr. Dodd, the former owner of the home, was an artisan and operated a business, Buffalo Manikin Repair from the barn for many years.
The Queen Anne style house at 34 Orton Place was built in 1885 for Allen Lee Schryver, a boot merchant who had lived in Buffalo since 1836. In 1997 period iron fencing was installed in the front garden to enhance the streetscape. The fencing is original to the Orton Place site (although used in a rear yard) and is notable for its pineapple finials that say through their symbolism, “welcome.”
Number 28 Orton Place is the second home published in Scientific American. The uniquely styled home with its interesting angles was designed by architect Charles R. Percival in 1885. Percival is notable for being the architect who designed Darwin Martin’s first home on Summit Avenue in 1888 before Martin commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design his next dwelling at the turn of the 20th century. The current owners, John and Cyndy Allen, have done a remarkable job restoring the home to its original appearance, including the removal of asbestos siding which obscured much of the home’s detail. Cyndy is also the Treasurer of the KCA.
At 26 Orton Place the Queen Anne face of the house was revealed in 1998 by a recent owner, Joan Diana, after she removed the asphalt siding that obscured much of the home’s detail. Joan’s family have been Orton Place residents since 1927. Joan sold her home in 2001, but not before Joan took the opportunity to share that Orton Place will be “where our hearts are and will always be, for it was our home for over half a century! It is now with a heavy heart we are leaving all of our friends who meant so much to us - but it is time to move on. Thank you KCA for making our neighborhood safer and friendly again. Orton Place will be our family legend. Many, many memories here. I doubt that there are few places that can boast of the teamwork, respect and involvement that the folks in our little corner of the world possess.” The next few houses on Orton Place have had troubled histories. 22 Orton Place, an apartment building with eight units, was repossessed by its bank in 1997 and found a new owner. However, the new owner of the property went bankrupt in 2001 and the tenants were without heat and electricity. A small fire erupted in the second floor of the building and all tenants had to vacate the property. Because the owner had not paid taxes, the property was sold at tax auction in October, 2001. Nearby residents John and Cyndy Allen, tired of the constant stream of absentee owners, decided to purchase the home at auction. They intend to restore it and reduce the property density from eight apartments to four apartments. Before the fire, resident Ricky Turnage maintained the house to the best of his abilities, showing that even a house which is owned by someone outside the neighborhood can be an asset if it is well managed. 22 Orton Place will always be remembered as the longtime residence of local celebrity, the fabulous Miss Chevon Davis. Orton Place will never be the same without her. 20 Orton Place was the site of a home that was abandoned for several years until being demolished in November, 1999. A community garden was created on the site in 2000. The KCA received a $3,000 Mayor Masiello’s Matching Fund grant for this purpose and is working closely with Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, a non-profit group which specializes in helping to convert vacant city lots into bountiful gardens. Orton Gardens, as it is now known, was completed in time for Garden Walk 2001 and was popular with Garden Walk attendees as they could see first hand a successful adaptive reuse of a vacant lot into a shared garden which produces food for neighborhood residents. 16 Orton Place is a four unit apartment building that until recently was owned by a landlord who did not live in the community. The house was infamous for being the residence within St. John’s and Orton Places with the highest number of 911 incident calls for the period between September, 1997 and August, 1998 with a volume of 38 calls. This home also had the dubious distinction of Orton Place’s only shooting (Christmas Day, 1997) and alleged drug bust in recent history. By looking at the house, it is hard to believe that it was once an elegant shingle style home built in 1887 for Harry C. Lewis of the Bell, Lewis and Yates Coal Mining Co. The house was sold in May, 2000. The new owner now lives in the house and has been renovating the house since that time. The property has changed from being a neighborhood thorn to becoming a neighborhood asset. It’s a great example of how even a troublesome house can be changed with tender loving care. Many neighbors have taken up a paintbrush to give Orton Place a fresh face: in 1997 or 1998 the following homes have all been painted: 5 Orton (Beth Kauffman), 11 Orton (Ray Sharrer), 26 Orton (Joan Diana), 34 Orton (Chris Brown), 28 Orton (John and Cyndy Allen) and 42 Orton (Candace Church and Dinah Gamin).
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