County Completes Full Restoration; Originally a Homestead Built Circa 1822,
Believed to be One of Oldest Extant Stone Structures in the City of Buffalo
Historic Grover Cleveland golf course, Home of 1912 U.S. Open, was originally part of the
Schenck Homestead
Erie County Parks Centennial Celebration Continues with New Exhibit Spotlighting the Early Days
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Erie County’s 100-year-old Schenck House, located on the grounds of the historic Grover Cleveland golf course, is celebrating new life today as a modern facility housing historical documents, photographs, news clippings and artifacts and serving as an Erie County Parks history museum. Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz today joined Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel along with departmental personnel and members of the Grover Cleveland golf community to open a new exhibit at the Schenck House containing documents and items focused on the founding of the Erie County Parks system and our five Heritage Parks a century ago. The exhibit also highlights the 1912 U.S. Open, which was played in August of that year at the Grover Cleveland course.
“Restoring the Schenck House on the grounds of the Grover Cleveland golf course restores a vital link to the past and preserves a treasure for all county residents for the future. This building and this site are rich with history and that story will now be told right here, along with the history of our Parks department as it celebrates its centennial,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “This investment brings the Schenck House alive for the first time in many decades and people will be stunned at the restoration. The House probably looks better than when the Schenck’s themselves lived here.”
The Schenck House is widely considered one of the oldest extant stone structures in the City of Buffalo. Constructed in or around 1822, the house was originally part of the Schenck homestead, home of German farmer Michael Schenck and his family. Constructed in “Pennsylvania German Traditional” style from locally quarried limestone, the home and surrounding area remained in the family until it was sold to the Country Club of Buffalo in 1898.
Used only by Parks personnel, that house had fallen into disrepair and became a barely noticed relic on the side of the fairway at Grover. Then in 2022 with the support of the Erie County Legislature, Erie County invested $2 million in RENEW Plan and American Rescue Plan funds into a full restoration of the Schenck House, with the intention of converting the building into a public museum dedicated to Erie County Park and regional history.
A few highlights of the Schenck House restoration project include:
• Addressing years of flooding and water damage, including full remediation and removal of mold and damaged elements
• Reconstruction of rear addition to original structure to create new kitchenette for public use
• New drywall, floor joists, wooden floors, ceilings, roof, HVAC, plumbing, restroom, interior and exterior lighting, windows, trim, drainage, and landscaping
• New accessible entrances (2) and walkways to the Schenck House
• New Golf Course Restroom
• Creation of exhibit areas for display of historic documents and artifacts related to Parks and regional history.
“This restoration saved a significant piece of history, both in the City of Buffalo and in the Parks department, from being lost forever. This building was in a serious state of disrepair after a century of hard weather and the occasional errant golf ball, so a lot of work was needed to bring it back to the beautiful state you see today,” said Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel. “Now this space is open to the public to enjoy local history inside a historic structure. It’s a win-win for all and I thank our partners for their work in this accomplishment.”
The Grover Cleveland site is rich with architectural, golf, and aviation historical significance. A golf course and clubhouse were completed there in 1902, and it became the Country Club of Buffalo. Golf architect Walter Travis upgraded the course in 1910 in an attempt to attract a major tournament, which worked; the course became the site of the 1912 U.S. Open, won by John McDermott who the year before was the youngest and the first American to win the U.S. Open. In 1917-1918 golf architect Donald Ross redesigned the course again. Today Grover remains the only public golf facility in North America to be designed by two of the most famous golf architects of the early 20th century.
In an interesting historical note, in 1910 the Buffalo Aero Club sponsored the first airplane flight in Buffalo. Albert Pfitzner flew the monoplane he designed, built at the Curtiss aeroplane factory in Hammondsport, from the Country Club polo field. Buffalo became a hub for aircraft production; Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company went on to play a crucial role in World War II, training pilots and producing 10,000 aircraft.
In 1925 the Country Club of Buffalo sold the course to the City of Buffalo and it was renamed Grover Cleveland Park after the former Buffalo Mayor and United States President. In 1947 the City of Buffalo transferred 16.5 acres of the course to the U.S. Government for a Veterans Hospital. In 1982 the City of Buffalo sold Grover Cleveland Park to Erie County for $1. Today, Grover Cleveland Golf Course is a 5,621-yard par 69; nine of the 1912 U.S. Open holes still exist.
Future plans for the Schenck House may include setting public hours, offering park ranger and historian-led tours and talks, featuring rotating exhibits, a digital kiosk to provide access to additional archived documents and photographs, and the opportunity to use the space for meetings and events.
For more information:
On the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, visit https://www3.erie.gov/parks/
# # #
