History

Lakewinds was originally built in 1890 and later purchased and rebuilt circa 1896 by Gustav Fleischmann, a wealthy Buffalo distiller.

According to records, Gustav owned a fine residence in Buffalo. He also purchased this sumptuous vacation home, not far from Niagara Falls. He named it “Clarette,” in tribute to two of his daughters, Clara and Thornetta. Shown here, the house stood on a four-acre block with gardens and stables at the rear. Also on the site were a guesthouse and staff cottages. Fleischmann sold it in 1912.

This grand summer estate has been home to many families including the Wettlaufers and the Morriss-Browns.

Katherine Brown Wilson, daughter of Henry Morris Brown said:

We bought the gorgeous home of the Fleischmann Yeast people in Niagara on the Lake. We had 1 square block which included a living room, art gallery, library, pool room, dining room, kitchen, maid's quarters, 7 fireplaces, 14 bedrooms, 5 baths, a barn, stables, 1 horse, 3 carriages and a cottage. We had 2 gardeners living on-site and 2 maids and a laundress. Every kind of fruit grew there, from white raspberries to figs. We had a tennis court and lovely flower beds. I loved the place.