Buffalo Tennis and Squash Club - Buffalo, NY - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The present Buffalo Tennis and Squash Club came to be in 1915 as the Buffalo Tennis Club. Andrew Brooks Watson, son-in-law to Charles Goodyear, a local lumber tycoon, took the lead in establishing the new club. Watson was president for the first years of the club's existence and had a previous relationship with prominent local architects Lansing, Bley & Lyman. The firm was hired to construct the new club building only a couple blocks from the richest part of the city.

The 2 1/2 story building is a Neo-Classical design and opened in 1916. The first floor of the club held a tennis court, four squash courts, a handball court, and locker rooms. The popularity of squash forced the conversion of the handball court to squash later that year. On the second floor was a reception room that overlooked the main tennis and squash courts. It was used to socialize, dine, or watch a game.

In 1929, the club constructed two doubles squash courts at the rear of the building due to increasing popularity. These were the only two doubles squash courts in the city until 1990. The club continues to play host to the second oldest annual doubles tournament in North America and many other tournaments as well. To this day, the club continues to serve the city just as it did when it opened to its members in 1916.

Street address: 314 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY United States 14222 County / Borough / Parish: Erie Year listed: 2008 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Social History, Architecture Periods of significance: 1916-1929 Historic function: Social: Clubhouse, Recreation & Culture: Sports Facility Current function: Social: Clubhouse, Recreation & Culture: Sports Facility Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 1: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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