The Coit House: The Oldest House in Buffalo NY

The Coit House is located in Allentown on Virginia Avenue. If you’re not already aware, you might never guess that it’s actually the oldest home in Buffalo. Built in 1815, very shortly after Buffalo was burned to the ground in the War of 1812, the Coit House was originally constructed on the corner of Swan Street and Pearl Street downtown and moved to its current location in 1867.

The fact that this home is in such excellent condition still is a great thing for Buffalo and architecture lovers, but also not a surprise once you learn about its history. It’s believed that the Coit House was rented out for most of its history, which would have prevented any owners from making structural changes. Although it was divided into apartments for a time, it’s now back to it’s original layout and very much like it was when it was first constructed.

You probably wouldn’t guess that the Coit House is Buffalo’s oldest house just by looking at it. Currently owned by Maura Winkler, Maura is the ideal person to own such an historic home. She has a deep love of Buffalo’s history and residential architecture and takes her role as owner of this historical gem very seriously. This is immediately apparent when you walk through the front door of the roughly 208 year old home.

Maura runs Fika Midwifery out of the Coit House, which really helps to bring life into this old beauty, both in the figurative and literal sense. The Coit House isn’t an old museum like many of the other oldest homes in Buffalo. Instead, it’s a working business that helps to keep the home in such spectacular shape. You can be sure that there are always several people inside enjoying Buffalo’s oldest home during one of the most important experiences of their lives.

The Coit House strikes the perfect balance of that old Buffalo home feeling and modern upgrades. The kitchen is beautiful, workable, and very well designed. The dining room, which is directly off the kitchen, features an original brick fireplace and stunning hardwood floors. The wood floors are truly breathtaking. They run throughout the entire home and always serve as a reminder that you’re in Buffalo’s oldest home.

The 3rd floor in particular is a joy for anyone that loves that classic Buffalo old home charm. While all the rooms have been updated, none of the historic character has been lost. You hear that old house creaking as you walk around the slightly uneven flooring. It’s absolutely flooded with natural light and the wood floors are made up of huge hardwood planks that just aren’t seen in modern builds.

Although some of the flooring did need to be ripped up in order to properly remodel the 3rd floor bathroom, Maura hired a local woodworker that used the wood to build a beautiful floor to ceiling dresser which is in the 3rd floor bedroom. It’s this mixture of love for preservation while being able to use a home built in 1815 as a place for modern business that makes Maura such a fantastic custodian of the oldest home in Buffalo.

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