Park History
William Letchworth first purchased the land near the Portage Falls in 1859 and began work on the Glen Iris Inn. He enlisted the services of the famous landscape artist William Webster to design winding paths and roadways, rustic bridges, glistening "lakes" and a sparkling fountain.
In 1906, Letchworth offered the Glen Iris and his 1,000 acres (4 km2) to the State of New York as a public park. Letchworth State Park was born in 1907. Letchworth made the arrangement to deter commercial businesses from damaging the fragile nature of the gorge and the surrounding woodlands.
As president of the Society, Dr. Kunz also helped with the organization and preservation of the library of William Pryor Letchworth when the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society took over the management of his estate in New York. "If suitable provision can be made for their care, Mr. Letchworth will probably add to his gift his personal library and mementos. The library embraces one of the finest, if not the finest, private collection of book on charities in the country. It contains also a good collection of local histories, books about Indians, and a miscellaneous assortment of standard literature. His mementos - personal gifts and testimonials - are extremely interesting. It is most desirable that these should be kept together and adequately preserved in a new library building, as part of the monument to the generous donor of Letchworth Park."
Further, Dr. Kunz helped with the 1910 memorial to Mary Jemison, “The White Indian of the Genesee”, who is buried at “the ancient Indian Council House of the Senecas” located on the grounds of the Letchworth park. Dr. Kunz always was fascinated by Native Americans, and contributed much to their memorials in New York.
George F. Kunz was the president of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society of New York, and was an enthusiastic supporter of the park.
Letchworth, having earned "life-residence" at the Glen Iris, died there on December 1, 1910. He was buried in nearby Buffalo, NY at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
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