Frank Lloyd Wright's Barton House
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Barton House is part of the Martin House Estate on Jewett Avenue in Buffalo’s Parkside Neighborhood. (Read my article on the Martin House here) Barton House was the first structure completed on the Estate and thus, was the first Frank Lloyd Wright designed residence to grace the City of Buffalo. It was built for Darwin Martin’s sister, Delta Martin Barton, and her husband, George F. Barton. Located on the Summit Avenue side of the 1.5 acre site, the Barton House was somewhat of an experiment for Darwin Martin to see if Wright was indeed the architect he wanted to commission to construct the rest of the family’s main residence. All this makes the Barton House an extremely consequential part of Buffalo’s incredible architectural history.
The Barton House was completed in 1903 and stands at roughly 4,400 square feet. The second floor consists of 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Martin and his wife, Isabelle, were closely involved in the design process and, despite the fact that the house was three times the cost of Wright’s initial quote, Martin hired Wright for the rest of the project. The Barton House’s style played an integral role in the overall design for the rest of the estate. The pattern of the glass windows is unique to this house and is unnamed. It’s referred to by staff members and volunteers simply as “Barton House Windows”. There is a separate, related glass pattern for the dining room cabinet doors and art glass can be found throughout the home in its light fixtures.
Barton House Windows
The beautiful art glass design is unique to the Barton House and is seen repeatedly throughout the home.
After Delta left the house in 1931, it was owned by private families and very well maintained over the years until it was acquired by the Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House Corporation. Restoration of the house was completed in 2018. Its successful restoration is part of a larger effort put forth by the MHRC. You can see a full timeline of the restoration here. The Barton House, in addition to the tours that are available, is actually available to rent out for special occasions and events, making it seriously unique in our City. Next time you find yourself walking around the Martin House grounds, take a moment to admire the Barton House as its own structure.
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