martinhouseclr

156 DARWIN D. MARTIN HOUSE // CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT and a single urn near the northwest corner of the main house, at the rear of the porte-cochere. The Courtyard unit also features six painted wooden posts with ornamental caps dispersed on a small grid within the interior court garden. These posts are interpretive replicas of original Wright-designed “clothes poles” used to dry laundry. The poles appear to have minor damage at the base, likely from lawn mowing maintenance activities. They are set within the lawn in two parallel lines (20-feet apart) of three poles each (spaced 26-feet on-center). Two replica sculptures exist on the property including a scaled replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike), which is prominently displayed in the Conservatory, and a sculpture entitled Spring by Richard W. Bock. The Bock work is a reinforced resin cast of the original and is displayed upon the large masonry pier at the south end of the Summit Terrace. There are four ornamental limestone sculptures (two original, two replicas) placed on top of four corners of the Conservatory that were designated by Wright to serve as birdhouses. Reports from MHRC and other sources note that they do not function as such and are merely decorative. A security camera is located within the western- most black walnut tree, which allows the MHRC to observe the house’s verandah and Summit Avenue frontage. There is a single teak bench located against the western façade of the Barton House. The bench is of a contemporary design, sits in grass and faces the Conservatory and Paddock. There is also a bench, two chairs and a birdbath at the rear of the Gardener’s Cottage. Function, Operations, Access & Utilities Overview Function The Darwin Martin House, a name which formally comprises the complete collection of buildings and structures throughout the historic site, currently functions as a house-museum with the expressed mission of preserving, interpreting and promoting the “world class, masterpiece built for Wright’s significant patron and friend.” 1 The main Martin House house is a National Historic Landmark and one of the most visited attractions in Buffalo. It is also ranked first of the top 95 ranked local attractions by Trip Advisor (2014). The house is open for public docent-led tours (paid admission) year-round, with an altered winter schedule. Two tours types are available on a regular basis, the 2-hour long “Martin House + Tour” and the 1-hour long “Martin House 1 Martin House Restoration Corporation, Mission Statement, June 2014. Fig. 160, top Concrete urns, 13 total throughout the property. Fig. 161, bottom Concrete ‘birdhouses,’ four sit on top of the conservatory.