BUFFALO, N.Y. — When you think of the name Letchworth, certain images likely come to mind. From the falls, to the trails, to the spectacular gorge, the sites and sounds of Letchworth State Park. Right in the middle of it all is the glorious Glen Iris Inn, the former home of the park’s namesake, William Pryor Letchworth.
Denise Coffey is the general manager of the Glen Iris. “It’s an interesting dichotomy, but obviously the later part of his life was much different than the earlier part of his life.”
When Letchworth came to Buffalo in 1848 to become a partner in a company that would become Pratt and Letchworth. The firm made saddlery hardware and other ironworks. They then expanded to include hand tools, toys, and, most notably, railroad equipment. It was a huge industrial complex on Tonawanda Street in the Black Rock neighborhood. But at the age of 46, he retired, and turned his attention from industry to conservation. He first noticed the spectacular piece of Western New York that would eventually become Letchworth State Park as a tourist passing by on the train. “He felt as though this was a beautiful area that was being harmed by the logging that was happening. and he wanted to save it basically, so he bought it.” In 1859 he purchased the home that would eventually become Glen Iris, along with 1,000 acres of land. He always believed in social consciousness for the good of society and also became intrigued by the Native American culture that existed here. He collected artifacts and even had Mary Jemison’s grave and cabin moved back to this ancestral land. Jemison was known as “the white woman of the Genesee”, having been kidnapped as a child in a raid by Native Americans, she then chose to stay after being freed as an adult. “She actually married 2 different Native American men, had children, and was assimilated into their culture and lived in this area.”…