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RESERVE YOUR TOUR NOW!

Arriving in Buffalo in 1847 as the first bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, Bishop John Timon was instrumental in establishing many of the Roman Catholic institutions that continue to serve Western New York. Bishop Timon was responsible for the planning and construction of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, completed in 1855. The Cathedral was designed by Patrick Keely and is an excellent example of Gothic Revival style.

On this intimate after-hours tour of the historic cathedral complex, Father Chuck Slisz, St. Joseph’s Rector, will guide the group through both the cathedral and the adjoining rectory. The rectory is rarely open to the public, and inside the rectory you will see the original cathedra (bishops’ chair) used by Bishop Timon, a portrait gallery of all of Buffalo’s bishops, and more. This unique opportunity to tour inside the Cathedral and Rectory is not to be missed!

Meet at the Franklin Street entrance of the rectory, adjacent to the cathedral at 50 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202. Street parking is available downtown on surrounding streets; street parking is free after 5 PM in downtown Buffalo.

Tour Details: 

  • Space on this tour is limited, and reservations are required.
  • This tour will be approximately ninety minutes in length.
  • Interior photography is allowed.

RESERVE YOUR TOUR NOW!

Join us on October 21 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 the tour, the top floor “theater” will be used as a stage for the first time in many years following its recent restoration. The conclusion of the tour will feature Vincent O’Neill, acclaimed co-founder and Artistic Director of the Irish Classical Theatre, performing selected readings in the Cornell Mansion theater. This is a special opportunity that is not to be missed!

Meet at the Cornell Mansion at 484 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. Street parking is available along Delaware Avenue, which is free on weekends.

Tour Details: 

  • Space on this tour is limited, and reservations are required.
  • This tour will be approximately ninety minutes in length.
  • There will be two tour times offered on October 21: 6 PM & 7:30 PM.
  • Interior photography is allowed.