Join Explore Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 23 to tour the Cornell Mansion, one of the many beautiful homes on Delaware Avenue, the Grand Avenue of Buffalo’s gilded age. The home was built in 1894 for S. Douglas Cornell, an eighth-generation descendant of Cornells who came to America in the 1630s. 

S. Douglas was a member of the Buffalo Amateurs and loved to stage theatrical performances. He created a theater in the top floor of the mansion and his granddaughter, Katharine Cornell, developed her passion for the stage from watching these productions. Katharine garnered the designation as “First Lady of the Theatre.” The current owner, attorney Tom Eoannou, purchased the home in 1993 and has been lovingly restoring it.

To top off the tour, the top floor "theater" will be used as a stage to feature Vincent O’Neill, acclaimed co-founder and artistic director of the Irish Classical Theatre, performing selected readings. This is a special encore performance of O'Neill's 2017 sold-out reading that is not to be missed!

Tour Details 

Meet at the Cornell Mansion at 484 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Street parking is available along Delaware Avenue, which is free on weekends. Space on this tour is limited, and reservations are required. This tour will be approximately 90 minutes in length. Interior photography is allowed.

There will be two tour times offered on Feb. 23, at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. General admission is $30, or $25 for Explorer Pass holders.

Visit explorebuffalo.org or call the office at (716) 245-3032 for reservations.