Mission & History​

the oldest continually operating fraternal organization in the city

This is the Catholic Club of Buffalo and Knights of Columbus Chapter 184. Dedicated to the values of brotherhood, charity, and civil service, the Club is open to men of all ages, races, orientations, and beliefs.

On Delaware Avenue in the heart of Allentown, a ten minute walk from City Hall and just a few steps from the new Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, there is a late 19th century Georgian mansion much like others on the street – orange brick and high mansard roofs, all staples of Buffalo architecture from the height of the city’s industrial wealth. The only really distinguishing mark is a small escutcheon between the neo-classical pillars framing the front door: in granite relief, the shield reads “KC,” and below that, “1916.”

The historic health and social club in the heart of Allentown sits beneath the former home of Buffalo industrialist Chillion M. Farrar, built in 1870. The upper part of Farrar’s home, where President William McKinley had his last meal, today houses “The Knights,” a collection of upscale lofts. But there are other “Knights” below. Since 1916, a chapter of the Knights of Columbus has occupied at least some part of the property. Today the Knights and the Catholic Club of Buffalo together occupy the basement, including a bar and kitchen, a workout facility, a pool, a sauna and steambath, and two courts for racquetball or handball.