From city hall to Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House to the debate over the future of the Richardson Complex, Buffalo is known for its architecture. It also has a unique claim to architectual history that you may not have known.
The first professionally recognized female architect is from Buffalo.
Louise Blanchard Bethune was professioanl recognized in 1888 by the Western Association of Architects. She went onto start what's now the Buffalo Chapter of the American Institute of Architects which is now celebrating 125 years of women in architecture. It is the only chapter to have a founding mother.
Bethune continues to inspire architects like Kelly Hayes McAlonie today. McAlonie says Bethune is a role model because she refused to specialize or work for less than her male peers. She was passionate about designing schools, and her standards are in use today.
Bethune's surviving buildings include the Hotel Lafayette and what's now a restaurant on the corner of Bryant and Ashland.
The local chapter of the Society of Architectual Historians is named in Bethune's honor. They work to document lesser known architectual aspects of the city of Buffalo.
Cynthia Van Ness is a member and a research librarian with the Historical Society. She found an article that Bethune was the first woman to own a bicycle in Buffalo.
She also started a Wheeling Club for woman which is significant because the bicycle is considered to have had a major influence in the liberation of women.
Bethune died in 1913 and is buried at the family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
The cemetery does tours starting in the Spring highlighting the history in the cemetery.