Park Data
Location:
7676 Old Lake Shore Road | Derby, NY 14047 (716) 947-5660
Reservations: Can be made by calling (716) 858-8355, Monday- Friday 8:00- 4:00, or by filling out an electronic request.
click here to fill out an electronic request
Facilities:
Lakes/Ponds, Picnic Facilities
Click here for detailed information on shelters
"Most Romantic Beach"
History
Wendt Beach Park is a 170-acre lake front estate and was used as the Henry W. Wendt, Jr. family's summer residence, which they later renamed the "The Ridgewood."
The grounds present a panorama of cropped lawns and colorful flower gardens with occasional benches, and a picket fence. Structures reflect an earlier era of affluence: a log cabin, once a playhouse and a guest house; a caretaker's cottage; a garage with chauffeur's quarters; stables; now public restrooms; the pump house, where water brought in from Lake Erie was stored in a large tank and pumped through pipes to outside spigots for watering the gardens.
The interior of the main house is a remembrance of beautiful hardwood floors, a spiral staircase, and railings of dark wood, window seats and bay windows, which many of which overlook the lake and beach areas.
Park Features
- Birds
Songbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds are some of the migratory birds that can be watched and photographed. - Water Life
Pan fish, catfish, walleyes, northern pike, bass, perch and muskies are always there to challenge all anglers in Lake Erie.