Tewksbury Lodge

Thank you for considering The Tewksbury Lodge for your event. Situated in the historic First Ward of Buffalo’s waterfront and seated on the banks of the Buffalo River, The Tewksbury Lodge is located within Buffalo River Fest Park, offering stunning views of the downtown skyline, massive grain elevators, and a gorgeously landscaped park.

The Lodge’s name is derived from the freighter Michael K. Tewksbury which earned its place in Buffalo lore on January 21, 1959. Days before, extreme cold and heavy snow packed the Buffalo River and Cazenovia Creek with ice. However, a sudden thaw with wind-driven rain caused the ice to shift. A few miles upriver the freighter MacGilvray Shiras was tied up for the winter beside the Concrete Central Elevator at the foot of Smith Street. The building pressure from the flowing ice was too much for the Shiras’ mooring lines and the freighter broke free. The MacGilvray Shiras drifted downriver, navigating three sharp turns before ramming the Tewksbury, which was tied up at the Standard Elevator near the foot of St. Clair Street. Both ships successfully passed the Ohio Street Bridge which was raised for the winter. Unfortunately, the Michigan Street Bridge, located next to the Park, was in its lowered position and its crew taking shelter in the nearby Swannie House. The Tewksbury crashed into the bridge, demolishing the structure and wedging itself across the width of the river causing an ice dam. The flow of the frigid water and ice quickly began to spill into the neighborhood and flooded an 18 block area. The damage and fallout would dominate both news headlines and bar room conversations for weeks after the incident. Our restaurant’s namesake allows those conversations to continue still today.

The Tewksbury Lodge was completed in 2016 and offers a 5,000 square foot brick building with interior seating for up to 150 people. Our building honors our historic neighborhood with railroad station rooflines, precast stone details, replica copper ceiling, and slate like rooftop.

Buffalo River Fest Park and The Tewksbury Lodge offer rental spaces to host any event. The 2.5 acre park features a board walk, pergola, wharf, band shell, and landscaped grounds. We invite you to make an appointment and discuss how we can accommodate your party.