Roycroft Arts and Crafts Community Walking Tour

	.	#1 The Chapel 1899- The Chapel served as a meeting hall for the Roycrofters. It housed an art collection which created a gallery-like effect as background for display of the Roycroft merchandise offered for sale. Today the Chapel, in addition to serving as the Aurora Town Museum, also houses the Town Hall. All town government functions now originate at this location and that portion of the building is open form 9:00 to 5:00 daily. The Aurora Town Museum, on the first floor, is open regularly during the summer and on Wednesday afternoons all year. The museum is maintained by the Aurora Historical Society.
#2 Roycroft Print Shop 1900- Hubbard always looked upon books as the main industry even after the Campus had grown. His own writings, especially his "Message to Garcia," attracted much attention to the work of the Roycroft printers housed here. Once the most modern print shop in the area, it employed over two hundred workers by 1905. Shipping and general administration were carried on here as well. Today the Cornell Cooperative Extension utilizes the space for offices and educational programs. Fortunately, most of the fine woodwork and architecture remains.
The Roycroft Foundation has offices here. They sponsor tours, Elderhostel, and Arts & Crafts symposiums. Kitty Turgeon: 716-652-3333		#3 Blacksmith \| Copper Shop 1902 - The Blacksmith Shop was expanded to include the handcrafting of copper under the direction of Karl Kipp and Walter Jennings. For several years the front room served as Elbert Hubbard's Roycroft Bank. The building was converted to show and sales room in the 1920s. The Roycroft Shops, Inc. have occupied this building since 1976 featuring Roycroft Renaissance Artisans. The shops specialize in fine gifts, Arts & Crafts (A/C) style antiques and reproductions, furniture, lighting and accessories. They have new A/C and original Roycroft books as well as the 2/R art gallery. A museum collection of original Roycroft is on display. Kitty Turgeon : 716-655-0571; Fax 716/655-0562; E-Mail info@roycroft.org. Open 7 days.
Foundry \| Shipping Building 1922 - The large cinder-block building behind the copper shop was built as a warehouse and shipping addition and was originally connected to the furniture shop. Later the attached garages were built and used to house the many Roycroft vehicles.
#4 Furniture, Leather and Book Bindery Roycroft Arts & Crafts era furniture was once built here of necessity to furnish rooms for the Inn, offices, and shops. Leather bookbinding later grew to produce designs by the finest craftsmen of the day under the direction of Louis Kinder and later Frederick Kranz and George ScheideMantel. The building is now owned by Chester and Onda Dylewski. Their shop, Roycroft Antiques, is on the main floor and has been serving the community since 1971. Open 7 days (716-655-1565. This large rambling building is home to several other shops: Roycroft Potters - Established in 1973, the pottery remains the only working studio on the campus today. Janice McDuffie, Master Roycroft Renaissance Artisan. Mon - Sat 10-5 716-652-7422		#4 Cont' Hubbard's Cupboards - a co-operative featureing Arts & Crafts reference books, Roycroft books and Catalogs, hand-crafted Arts & Crafts style leather goods amidst a fine variety of antiques. The Roycrofters At-Large gift Shelf is here Open 7 days. 716-655-1565, Susan Dylewski, mgr. Norberg's Art Shop- Unique top-floor art gallery featuring original work by Western NY and Roycroft Renaissance Artisans, including block print Master Artisan Kathleen West. Shop also features fine hand-crafted gifts. Tues- Sat 10-5 716-655-7171
#5 Roycroft Power Plant 1912 - during its peak era, 1904-1915, the Roycroft became nearly self-sufficient. Perhaps the most progressive step in its technical development was this building. The Roycrofters' own power underground to all parts of the campus. The building had housed some area business, but sadly burned down in the winter of 1997.
		#6 Special Guest House 1880's - This building once attached to the Inn by the porch or peristyle, provided the comfortable accommodations for distinguished guests who visited the Campus and Elbert Hubbards, the "Sage of East Aurora." Presently owned by the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. Future as yet undetermined.
#7 Stable & Laundry Originally a stable for the guest house, this block building became the laundry for the Roycroft Inn, Circa 1905.
		Walk the Apian Way [The tree-lined walkway between the parking lots.] A delightful way to get from the west side of the street to the Roycroft Inn on the east side is to 'walk the Apian Way.' Elbert Hubbard named it so because of its importance in connecting the Inn with the shops.
#8 The Roycroft Inn After undergoing an eight million dollar restoration, the Roycroft Inn, pinnacle of Elbert Hubbard's Roycroft Campus, re-opened in June of 1995. The building that began as the Roycroft Print Shop in 1897 expanded along with Hubbard's other businesses, and eventually became a meeting place for some of the most notable personalities of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The inn is now a fully functioning hotel, boasting 22 suites that offer a perfect blend of historical authenticity and modern luxury, as well as fine dining for lunch, dinner and banquets. Thanks to the support of the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, the Roycroft Inn has been returned to its original stately grace, with an excellent collection of original and reproduction pieces that compliment the meticulously restored building 716-652-5552.