Looking Out My Backdoor

Since I’ve been on the road lately, I thought I’d post some pictures of a trip I made last year when I headed home to Western New York to visit my mom.

Growing up, I passed thru East Aurora, NY numerous times on my way to Bills games. I distinctly recall a strange mixture of wonder and hominess when our car bounced up and down on the brick streets. I wouldn’t have guessed it at the time, but there must’ve always been a subliminal pull from the houses, or the landscape, or the history.

20 years later as this fledgling woodworker read through the preface to one of the Pop Wood books on Arts & Crafts, there was mention of Elbert Hubbard and the Roycrofters. Turns out the community was located in East Aurora, NY outside of Buffalo. No $hit. Once I figured this out, I knew I had to check it out. I drive about a mile from the Roycroft campus on my way back home every time I visit my mom so it was just a matter of figuring out the timing and making it happen. I’ve been there twice since. It’s actually now difficult to take a left to head home instead of right to just drive by the campus.

I post these pictures hoping you’ll one day look in your backyard and see what treasures await. Some things you shape and other things, well, they shape you – even if you don’t know it at the time.

For more info on the Roycrofters check out here or here.

Enjoy.