Spaulding Building
763 Main Street, Buffalo, NY
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Erected |
1906 |
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Architects |
McCreary, Wood & Bradney |
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Style |
Beaux Arts Classical Revival |
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Building materials: |
Steel frame; bricks; terra-cotta |
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Original owner |
Edward Rich Spaulding |
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Location |
Buffalo Landmark Theatre District |
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One of two entrances. white glazed terra-cotta surround |
Terra-cotta cartouche with "S |
Terra-cotta door surround |
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Terra-cotta fluted Ionic column |
Terra-cotta fluted Ionic column: Volutes |
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Terra-cotta banded pilasters |
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Spaulding Building, 1908 |
Franklin & Charlotte Spaulding Sidway |
E. G. Spaulding died in 1897, and his house next door, at 775 Main, was soon demolished by his heirs, and a year later there was nothing on the site to indicate that a house had ever been there. The property was acquired by his Sidway heirs, and the Sidway Building erected on the site in 1906.
This building, the Spaulding Building, was also planned and erected at the same time, by the heirs. The architects, McCready, Wood & Bradney, were the same, also.
The following passage indicates the financial ties of the family heirs:
The board of directors of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank was small, perhaps never more than six. In 1852, besides Spaulding, it included Henry M. Kinne and Samuel F. Pratt, both of whom had married sisters of Spaulding's second wife, Nancy, and third wife, Delia.
After Franklin Sidway's marriage to Spaulding's only daughter in 1866, Sidway joined the bank as assistant cashier in January 1867, and in January 1872 became cashier.
By this time (1872), Spaulding's two sons, Edward and Samuel, had reached maturity and were appointed assistant cashiers. Perhaps as early as 1873 and certainly by 1875, all three (two sons and son-in-law) were elected directors.
Probably at the same time, Henry McMahon Watson, a family connection but not a relative, became a director. By at least 1882 the board consisted only of the three Spauldings, Franklin Sidway and H. M. Watson, and remained so until the end. No wonder it was called Spaulding's Bank. (Source: Elbridge Gerry Spaulding: A Research Paper on his Life and Accomplishments)
Summer Home
See also: Photo of "River Lawn," a magnificent Georgian home built by Franklin and Charlotte Sidway. Overlooking the Niagara River, the house became the center piece of "River Lawn," once the estate of Elbridge Gerry Spaulding. Upon the death of E. G. Spaulding in May of 1897, the three hundred and fifty acre estate passed to his daughter, Charlotte. The house and most of the out buildings, which dotted the estate, were destroyed when "River Lawn" became part of Beaver Island State Park.
