© 2010. State University of New York at Buffalo. All rights reserved.
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 22.2, Darwin D. Martin-Frank Lloyd Wright Collection, Reference Files, 1904-2010, University Archives, State University of New York at Buffalo.
See the Special Collections' preferred citations instructions for additional information.
Acquisition InformationThe looseleaf reference books in Series I to V were compiled by Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson, who occupied the Darwin D. Martin House circa 1968-1970, when it was the official residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Martin M. Meyerson. University Archives staff compiled remaining items and maintains the clippings collection.
Terms of AccessThe Darwin D. Martin-Frank Lloyd Wright Collection, Reference Files, 1904-2010, are open for research.
CopyrightCopyright 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.
Processing InformationProcessed by University Archives staff.
Finding aid revised May 2000.
Reprocessed and finding aid revised in February 2010 by Karen Spencer.
Accruals and AdditionsOccasional accruals are expected to this collection.
| 1865 | Darwin D. Martin born - Boucville, Madison Co., NY | |
| 1867 | Frank Lloyd Wright born - Richland Center, Wisconsin | |
| 1869 | Isabelle Reidpath, the future Mrs. Martin, born - Buffalo, NY | |
| 1878 | Brothers Darwin D. Martin and Louis Frank Martin selling soap for Larkin Company in NYC | |
| 1879 | Darwin D. Martin, aged thirteen, begins work at Larkin Company in Buffalo | |
| 1885 | Darwin D. Martin invents cardex | |
| 1887 | Frank Lloyd Wright begins studies at the University of Wisconsin | |
| 1888 | Darwin D. Martin begins building house on Summit Avenue in Buffalo | |
| 1889 | Darwin D. Martin marries Isabelle Reidpath | |
| Frank Lloyd Wright builds Home and Studio in Oak Park | ||
| 1890 | Frank Lloyd Wright joins Alder and Sullivan | |
| Darwin D. Martin replaces Elbert Hubbard as Secretary of Larkin Soap Company | ||
| 1893 | Frank Lloyd Wright starts his own practice | |
| 1902 | October 29 -- Darwin D. Martin meets Frank Lloyd Wright | |
| Darwin D. Martin purchases site for Martin House Complex, Jewett Parkway | ||
| 1903 | October 11 - Construction begins on Barton House | |
| 1904 | July 20 - Construction begins on Martin House | |
| October - Barton House occupied | ||
| 1905 | Martin House Complex completed | |
| 1910 | 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 Company | |
| 1926 | Construction begins on Graycliff | |
| 1928 | June 20 - Graycliff occupied | |
| Frank 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 Buffalo | |
| 1936 | Fallingwater (Bear Run, Pennsylvania), designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmanns | |
| 1945 | Isabelle R. Martin dies in Buffalo | |
| 1959 | Frank Lloyd Wright dies |
| 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 Erie | |
| April 18 - Darwin D. Martin looks at site in Derby, NY | ||
| April 19 - Darwin D. Martin purchases 250-foot front on Lake Erie, with 60-foot cliff | ||
| April 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, Connecticut | ||
| May 3 - Frank Lloyd Wright sends Darwin D. Martin preliminary drawings | ||
| May 5 - Darwin D. Martin informs Frank Lloyd Wright that Isabelle R. Martin is Frank Lloyd Wright's client | ||
| August 19-20 - Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo to see site | ||
| August 27 - Isabelle R. Martin sees the site for first time | ||
| September - 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 change | ||
| November - Frank Lloyd Wright resumes his service to the Martins; construction continues on the site | ||
| 1927 | April 5-6 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits site | |
| June 4 - Darwin D. Martin writes to Frank Lloyd Wright of the completion of the foundation of the main house | ||
| June 15-16 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits site | ||
| August 31-September 2 - Chimney and masonry of main house completed | ||
| September - Frank Lloyd Wright finalizes designs for landscape, tennis court, circle, and guest house; the guest house was not executed | ||
| September - Furniture designs by Frank Lloyd Wright are executed | ||
| 1928 | March 10, 12 - Furniture bought for main house | |
| June 20 - Martins "open" house | ||
| September 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 servants | |
| June 15 - Frank Lloyd Wright visits site | ||
| July - 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 house | ||
| 1935 | Darwin D. Martin passes away | |
| Isabelle R. Martin continues to summer at the site, and winters with the Foster family | ||
| 1938 | November - Engineering report on site compiled by G.E. Seitzmiller for insurance purposes | |
| 1941 | Isabelle R. Martin continues to summer at the site, but moves into garage apartment | |
| 1942 | Isabelle R. martin spends her last summer at the site; she moves permanently to Buffalo to live with the Foster family | |
| 1945 | IRM passes away | |
| Stewardship of the site falls to a holding company belonging to Darwin R. Martin, son of Darwin D. Martin | ||
| 1950 | Piarist Fathers, a Hungarian order, purchases site from Darwin R. Martin | |
| Mid-1950s | Chapel addition constructed over south terrace of main house | |
| Garage addition and a storage building constructed | ||
| Circa 1956 | School building/dormitory constructed to house Hungarian refugees | |
| 1958 | August - Frank Lloyd Wright visits the site | |
| 1996 | Piarist Father's place property for sale | |
| Graycliff Conservancy is formed to acquire and restore the site | ||
| 1997 | October - Graycliff Conservancy signs a contract to purchase the site |
I to V contain looseleaf reference books with narratives, photographs and clippings. With the exception of the file of clippings on the Darwin D. Martin House, Graycliff, and other Frank Lloyd Wright articles, which is maintained by the University Archives, these volumes have not been updated. They are primarily useful for documenting the furnishing of the Darwin D. Martin House during the period it was used as the residence of President and Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson. Series VI contains miscellaneous items including among other things: a transcript of a diary kept by Darwin D. Martin [copy also in MS 22.6]; copies of architectural drawings held at the Getty Museum on the Darwin D. Martin House; color slides of the Darwin D. Martin House, Graycliff, Larkin Administration Building; a historic registry application for the Darwin D. Martin House; a 1938 engineering report on GrayCliff, memorabilia, and essays.
The collection is arranged in six series:
|
I. General
1967-1970 |
||
|
This Reference Book was compiled by Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson, who occupied the Darwin D. Martin House circa 1968-1970, when it was the official residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Martin M. Meyerson. |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 1 | 1 | Photograph Descriptions, circa 1970 |
|
Narrative description of the Study, Dining Room, Unit Room, Windows and Hall of the Martin House. Descriptions refer to the photographs taken in 1969-1970 below. |
||
| 1 | 1 | Material Sent to University Archives |
|
List of plans for the Darwin D. Martin House and some artifacts used in the Martin House. [List is obsolete] |
||
| 1 | 1 | Catalog of Items in the Martin House, June 1970 |
|
List of furnishings in the Martin House, with notes on ownership and design. This description refers to photographs of the house taken 1969-1970 below. |
||
| 1 | 1 | Photos, circa 1969-1970 |
|
Set of 31 photographs of furnishings in the Martin House during the period that it was used as the residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo. The furnishings shown in these photos are described in the "Photograph Descriptions" and "Catalog of Items in the Martin House." (See above.) Also includes photographs taken by Health Sciences Communications photographer (Project 4164), the University Information Services photographer (Projects 3458-60), Hare Photographers, and the New York Times. |
||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, 1968-1970 |
|
Photocopies of letters referring to items related to Frank Lloyd Wright and/or the Darwin D. Martin House donated or loaned to the State University of New York at Buffalo. Also includes a November 20, 1967 letter from Edgar Tafel to the Meyersons, commenting on an article on the restoration of the Martin House in the November 1967 issue of Progressive Architecture. |
||
|
II. Photographs
1904-1908,
1937,
1968-1970 |
||
|
This Reference Book was compiled by Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson, who occupied the Darwin D. Martin House circa 1968-1970, when it was the official residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Martin M. Meyerson. |
||
|
Photographs are in numerical order. |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 1 | 2 | Photographs 1-65 |
|
Photographs of the Darwin D. Martin House and the George Barton House. The earlier photographs are copies of originals owned by the Martin Family or from the March 1908 Architectural Record. Most of the 1969-1970 photographs were taken by the University and show the house during the time it was the residence of the President. Originals of most of the early photographs are in MS 22.5; digital versions are available in MS 22.91. Also includes photographs from Health Sciences Communication photographer (Project 4164), the University Information Services photographer (Projects 3459 and 3517) and the New York Times. |
||
|
1-22: Martin Family Photographs, circa
1904-1907
23-25:
Architectural Record
March 1908
36: Site Plan
37-38: Exterior, circa
1937
39-42:
New York Times,
September 1968
43-44: Proofs of Frank Lloyd Wright, circa
1957
45-65: Interiors of Darwin D. Martin House,
1969-1970
|
||
|
III. Martin Family Photographs
circa 1910-1935,
1971 |
||
|
This Reference Book was compiled by Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson, who occupied the Darwin D. Martin House circa 1968-1970, when it was the official residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Martin M. Meyerson. |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 1 | 3 | Photographs 1-10 of Martin Family, the Darwin D. Martin House and grounds, and Graycliff, circa 1905-1930 |
|
[Copies; most of the originals in MS 22.5] |
||
| 1 | 3 | Photographs 11-19 of the interior of the Darwin D. Martin House including table settings and vases used by the Martin Family, 1971 |
|
[University Information Services photographer (Project 3824)] |
||
|
[Note: #15 missing] |
||
| 1 | 3 | Biographical articles on Darwin D. Martin, Darwin R. Martin, and obituary for Dorothy M. Foster, 1931-1980 |
|
IV. Clippings
1904-present |
||
|
These Reference Books originally compiled by Mrs. Martin M. Meyerson, who occupied the Darwin D. Martin House circa 1968-1970, when it was the official residence of the President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Martin M. Meyerson. Kept up-to-date by University Archives staff. |
||
|
Arranged by subseries: |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 1 | 4 |
1904-1976
|
| 2 | 5 |
1976-1989
|
| 2 | 6 |
1984-1989
|
| 2 | 7 |
1989-1991
|
| 3 | 8 |
1991-1996
|
| 3 | 9 |
1997-1999
|
| 3 | 10 |
2000-2005
|
| 3 | 11 |
2000-2009
Shelved in Archivist's office. |
| 4 | 12 |
2010-present
|
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 4 | 13 |
1997-2009
|
| 4 | 14 |
2010-present
Shelved in Archivist's office. |
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 5 | 15 |
2010-present
Shelved in Archivist's office. |
|
V. Furniture/Artifacts Catalog,
circa
1975 |
||
|
This Reference Book was compiled by John D. Randall. |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 5 | 16 | Furniture/Artifacts photographs and partial descriptions |
|
Incomplete catalog of furniture, furnishings and glass in the Darwin D. Martin House, either owned by the University or on loan, circa 1975. |
||
| Box | Volume | Contents |
| 5 | 17 | Frank Lloyd Wright at the Getty Center for the History of Art and Humanities, Los Angeles, California, 1985 |
|
Photocopies of lists of Frank Lloyd Wright projects and plans of the Darwin D. Martin House, Buffalo, New York; also includes copies of two brochures on the Martin House: "Diary of a House: The Early Years" from an exhibit by the School of Architecture and Environmental Design, State University of New York at Buffalo, and "Restoration of the Darwin D. Martin House Complex: A Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpiece" by the Martin House Restoration Corporation. |
||
| Box-folder | Contents | |
| 6.1-6.9 | Darwin Martin House Site Application to the National Register of Historic Places, 1975 | |
|
Application documenting the importance and condition of the Darwin D. Martin House Site prepared in 1975 as part of the effort to place the site on the National Register of Historic Places of the National Park Service. Includes important letters from Darwin R. Martin, son of Darwin D. Martin, containing his comments, corrections and additions to the Application; as well as notes on the related George Barton House by Eleanor Larabee, architect, who owned and renovated the Barton House. |
||
| 6.10 | Engineering Report, Graycliff, 1938 | |
|
Report on the physical condition of the Graycliff structures, with photos, prepared for Dorothy Martin Foster in November 1938. |
||
| 6.11 | Ceremony celebrating the agreement between the University at Buffalo, New York State Parks Department and the Darwin Martin Restoration Corporation, March 26, 1993 | |
|
Includes invitations, publicity, posters, a copy of the agreement, a letter form Senator Daniel Moynihan and souvenir buttons "Darwin Lives". |
||
| 6.12 | “Frank Lloyd Wright's Visit to Graycliff”, 1997 | |
|
Essay written by Patrick Mahoney of Lauer-Manguso & Associates for Graycliff Conservancy newsletter, 1997. Two reduced site plans and twelve color photographs compiled by Patrick Mahoney for a 1992 Wright-related publication. |
||
| 6.13 | Graycliff: A Proposal for the Rehabilitation of a Master Work, 1997 | |
|
Report written by Leona M. Ketterl, a graduate student at the University of Washington [sic? Washington University?] at St. Louis, Missouri, May 7, 1997. |
||
| 6.14 | Specifications for Graycliff undated | |
|
Reference copy obtained from Frank Lloyd Wright Archives, 1998. |
||
| 6.15 | Color slides
undated [59 slides] |
|
|
Presumably from the Darwin D. Martin Photographs collection (MS 22.91) and likely used by archives staff for public talks. |
||
| 6.16 | Transcription of "Memorandum of Events in the Life of Darwin D. and Isabelle R. Martin, 1865-1935" 2000 | |
|
Transcript of a diary of Darwin D. Martin, 1865-1935, by Martha A. Neri with the help of Nancy Howlett, August 2000. Original diary and copy of this transcript in MS 22.6, Box 3.1. |
||
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog.
