East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 12) 12 Continued from page 10 Historic Landmark. The National Park Service defines such landmarks as, “buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects that have been determined nationally significant.” The Campus is in the company of hallowed destinations like Valley Forge and Hoover Dam, which speaks volumes about the Roycroft influence on American culture. The Roycroft Inn was opened in 1905 to host the colony’s many artisans and visitors. Splendid common areas and architectural cues made it a warm, engaging place for people to gather. The Inn closed in 1938 with the sunset of the Roycroft era. It deteriorated for decades while held by various private interests, finally being designated a landmark with the Campus in 1986. Although the designation affirmed the Inn’s historic relevance, it didn’t promise Federal money for preservation efforts. The Inn’s savior was the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, which stepped forward with an $8 million grant and supervised the restoration. Roycroft Revitalization Corporation (RRC) raised approximately $2.5 million for the Inn’s exterior and facilitated the project. The team placed strong emphasis on historical accuracy. Hubbard’s beloved Inn was finally reborn in 1995, with some of its original furniture intact. Since then, the RRC has changed its name to Roycroft Campus Corporation (RCC). Though seemingly semantic, the change reflected a shift in the group’s focus. “Once the Inn was completed, we started thinking about the rest of the Campus,” says Executive Director Christine Peters. “RCC’s ultimate goal is to acquire the other privately owned buildings and restore them to their original state.” The movement’s manifest vision is that of a fully operational Roycroft Campus, hosting today’s generation of artisans and craftsmen. That vision is beginning to take shape. In the short term, a number of significant grants will fund major infrastructure and aesthetic enhancements on the Campus. Drainage issues will be resolved. Refreshed landscaping, improved parking, more green space and new sidewalks will make walking tours more enjoyable. The wall, a ubiquitous stone perimeter along Main and South Grove streets, will be restored. (Hubbard offered local farmers one silver dollar for each wagonload of fieldstone they delivered for its construction.) In what will be the most significant project on the Campus since the Inn’s restoration, a total reconstruction of the Power House has been planned. Gutted by fire in 1997, it eventually collapsed. It will be rebuilt to its original appearance, with a portico and 84-foot chimney. “The first floor will be used as flexspace for educational programming, lectures and a gallery/gift shop,” promises Peters. The RCC has noble intentions in its plan to adopt other Campus structures. The furniture shop and bindery, foundry, chapel and Hubbard’s famous print shop are all coveted for one purpose: preservation. These key buildings would also provide useful space for exhibits, classrooms or library collections. Developing a center for the creative arts is another long-term objective. Roycroft visitors, both veteran and novice, will enjoy a more hands-on Campus experience. Considering the recent emphasis on heritage tourism in Buffalo Niagara, great things are in store for Hubbard’s grand experiment. The Roycroft Inn and Campus is ideal for walking tours. The Copper Shop (now a beautiful gift shop and studio operated by the RCC) is a good place to start. Campus maps with historical information are available seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ROYCROFT INN AND CAMPUS 31 South Grove St. East Aurora, N.Y. 14052 (716) 655-0261 www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com Aurora s Lights , to shine again Perhaps as beautiful as the Northern Lights, most of the 28 lamp standards that once illuminated the Roycroft Inn and Campus have disappeared. Four survivors stand guard on South Grove Street, bathing the approach to the Inn with a cool, satisfying glow. Patrons arriving for dinner are hard-pressed not to stare at them. If the Inn was to vanish, these beacons might on their own be mistaken as some sort of monument. They’re man-high, fluted columns perched on fieldstone bases. Atop the columns rest bulbous white glass orbs, each the girth of a small weather balloon. To some they might resemble giant, teed-up golf balls. They’re somewhat Spartan, distancing themselves from snazzier turn-of-the-century designs. Other streetlights don’t command this kind of attention. Yet they’re simple, elegant and unpretentious. This band of brothers is about to grow. East Aurora’s Main Street reconstruction project will replace many of the missing lights with exact replicas. It’s no small miracle that Union Metal of Canton, Ohio — original manufacturer of the standards — is still in business today. Guardians of the Roycroft aren’t the only people concerned with preservation: Union Metal still has the original drawings from nearly a century ago, allowing for more accurate reproduction. ������������ �������������������������������� WNY’s only museum designed just for kids!! ��������������������� ������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ �������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ����������������������� ���������������������������� ��������� �������������������������� ������������������������������ ������������������ ������������������ Open: Wed. – Sat. 10 – 5 Sun. 12 – 5 First Friday of the Month 10 – 8 300 Gleed Avenue East Aurora, NY 14052 www.exploreandmore.org ��������������������������������������������� 655-5131 http://www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com http://www.eabookworm.com http://www.exploreandmore.org Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 1) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 2) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 3) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 4) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 5) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 6) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 7) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 8) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 9) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 10) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 11) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 12) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 13) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 14) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 15) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 16) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 17) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 18) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 19) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 20) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 21) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 22) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 23) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 24) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 25) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 26) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 27) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 28) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 29) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 30) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 31) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 32) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 33) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 34) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 35) East Aurora and Beyond - 2007 Visitors Guide - (Page 36) http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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