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Jan
12

Chautauqua Institution 2010 Weekly Theme Schedule

Denise
Thanks for stopping by again!

As the Chautauqua Institution sets up its 2010 summer schedule there are still lectures, concerts and other activities to be scheduled. And as any programming schedule there will always be last minute changes so the schedule may change from day to day.

Bestor Plaza Panorama
Creative Commons License photo credit: rick020200

The themes for the summer are set, and as early at it seems its time to select a week or daily events to attend. The on ground Bed And Breakfast accommodations, hotels and other rentals tend to fill up early as do the nearby accommodations.

Chautauqua Institution 2010 summer schedule

Week One
Lecture theme: Roger Rosenblatt and More Friends
Afternoon Theme: Eternal Life: A New Vision

Week Two
Lecture Theme: The Ethics of Leadership

Week Three
Lecture Theme: From Asia to the Middle East: Energy, Capitol and Conflict
Afternoon Theme:  Women of the Middle East

Week Four
Lecture Theme: Nuclear Power and Nuclear Weapons: The Right to Have and to Hold
Afternoon Theme: Nuclear Disarmament

Week Five
Lecture Theme: Picture This: Photography
Afternoon Theme: The Ethical Dimensions of Photography

Week Six
Lecture Theme: Excellence in Public Education
Afternoon Theme: Public Education: A Moral Imperative

Week Seven
Lecture Theme: Sacred Spaces

Week Eight
Lecture Theme: Powering the Future
Afternoon Theme: Powering the Future: An Exploration of the World’s Religions

Week Nine
Lecture Theme: The Supreme Court

Colonial Inns in Upstate New York
Creative Commons License photo credit: Jerome Rothermund
Besides the daily lectures, the Chautauqua Institution offers continuing education classes, children’s activities, Opera, music and Theater, art lectures and gallery art shows, and many more cultural events.

Each day is filled with programs that will offer for all family members. Add to that the beauty of the lake, architecture and small gardens and it’s a perfect day or week for the entire family


Category: Chautauqua Institution  Tags: , ,  2 Comments
Jan
08

Chautauqua County Antique Shops

Denise

Traveling to the Antique shops and auctions in Chautauqua County can lead to wonderful finds of the history of Chautauqua county and past businesses.

In my recent stop at an antique store in West field, NY I found a few old Post cards.

This is a different look than I am used to of The St, Elmo’s Hotel located at the Chautauqua Institution. Does anyone have a time date for this image? I believe the image was taken my J.M. Bonji

This is a postcard of Bestor Plaza and the Colonnade at Chautauqua Institution.

I also picked a book that was used at the Chautauqua Institution in the opera department. The opera, “Adia” was used by one of the members of the Chautauqua Opera. A post card was tucked in the binding of the book to a member of the opera in the year 1989.

The past has a way of resurfacing and sharing moments in time. And all who know the Chautauqua Institution know its rich history.

Chautauqua County is rich in antique shops and flea markets. A few local well known antique shops are Small Emporium in Findley Lake and Landmark Acres Antiques


Category: Chautauqua County  Tags: , ,  2 Comments
Jan
05

Chautauqua County Hamlets

Denise

Chautauqua County NY has two cities, Dunkirk and Jamestown, many villages and towns and eight hamlets.
Galloping horses
Creative Commons License photo credit: revdode

I have heard the term Hamlet but I had to actually look it up to see the description. A hamlet is defined in the dictionary as a little village or a village without a church.

The term “hamlet” is not defined under New York law, but many people in the state use “hamlet” refer to a community within a town that is not incorporated as a village. Hamlets do not have a government of their own therefore they depend upon the town or village that surrounds it for municipal services and government.

Most hamlets also do not have official boundaries, but the New York State Department of Transportation does put hamlet names on rectangular green signs with white lettering at locations of its choosing.

Often if you are travelling or looking up history, the hamlet names appear and it can be confusing to figure out where they are located.

In Chautauqua County there are eight hamlets:

Ashville – located between North Harmony and Busti. The Smith Bly House, located in the hamlet is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Findley Lake – is located in the Town of Mina NY. It is nestled along the north side of Findley Lake, which is a small lake that has many many local tourist attractions. Small gift shops, summer homes and camps make up the surrounding area and the ski resort Peek’n Peak Resort is close by.

P1022849_WPMJ
Creative Commons License photo credit: gregor_y

Hamlet – Hamlet was originally an historical railroad junction. The small hamlet remains in the town of Villenova but its population is extremely small.

Irving – This hamlet is located near the east town line and the eastern county line in the Town of Hanover

Irving is the Seneca nations governmental headquarters for the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. The Seneca Gaming and Entertainment, a Seneca-owned bingo hall, is located here along with several tax-free gasoline stations and smoke shops.

Laona – Laona is a hamlet near the village of Fredonia.  It is part of the town of Pomfret.

Laona has been an area of importance to Spiritualist groups since the mid-19th century. Spiritualism began here in the winter of 1844-45. The Laona Free Association organized after 1850 and the First Spiritualist Society of Laona was formed in 1855. Lily Dale, which is just outside of the Town of Cassadaga is also a well know spiritual community.

IMG_1319
Creative Commons License photo credit: nico060475

Maple Springs – located within the town of Ellery in Chautauqua County.  It is situated along the east shore of Chautauqua Lake between the villages of Mayville and Bemus Point.

Maple Springs is the setting for Midway Park, the fifth-oldest remaining trolley park and fifteenth oldest amusement park in the nation. Many families have visited Midway Park fro generations.

Waterboro – Located in the northeast corner of the Town of Poland.  It is now a little used railroad stop.

Hamlets, although hard to find on maps today, held an important part in past history in Chautauqua County New York.


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Jan
02

Chautauqua County NY Winter Activities

Denise

Chautauqua County NY is know for its winter wonderland effect. Many areas have a high snowfall, which is great for cross county skiing, skiing, and other winter events. Peek and Peek is also one of the local ski resorts.  If you enjoy winter activities there will always be an event for you to attend.

Sis Tearing It Up - Part 2
Creative Commons License photo credit: fincher69

Chautauqua County benefits from two bodies of water, Lake Erie and Chautauqua Lake. Chautauqua Lake being a more tranquil body of water provides a winter paradise for skaters, skiers and ice-fishing enthusiasts. The beauty of the lake when it is frozen over is a must see site.

There are many places to cross-country ski. You can select groomed trails, or head out near the lakes or Chautauqua Gorge. The peace and solitude of the outdoors at this time of year is amazing. Just make sure you dress warmly – the cold seems to hit you all at once.

Another favorite event for many are the horse-drawn sleigh rides on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution. This year they began Dec 26 and will run through Feb. The Chautauqua Institution Bookstore, which is open year-round, has tickets available for the event.

The annual Ice Castle Festival in Mayville is held in February. If weather conditions are good, and if there is enough ice in the lake, a castle is made from ice. The event kicks off with a parade, followed by a variety of other activities and competitions.

In 2009 the winter weather warmed up before the event. The committee was afraid the ice castle would melt before the weekend event. So they took a lesson from the Amish community in preserving ice during the warm months of summer. They filled the ice castle with snow and brought in many barrels of hay and packed around the castle to act as insulation. The bales were left in place until the unexpected warm weather left.

When the cold weather returned, the hay bales were removed to reveal a frozen and preserved ice castle. The castle construction crew then finished the castle in record time, creating a unique castle with an almost mythical history.

The 2010 ICE Festival will be held the weekend of Feb. 12-14 at Lakeside Park in Mayville. The winter event will also have a new name beginning with the 2010 festival – the President’s Day Weekend ICE Festival.

The Cool Jazz Festival runs in conjunction with the Ice Castle Festival. It’s quite an event with a variety of music at all the area restaurants, clubs and hotels.

And last but not least is the Snowflake Festival at the Audubon Center located just outside of Jamestown NY. This event, to be held Saturday February 6 offers snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, sleigh rides, and a variety of entertainment.


Category: Chautauqua County  Tags: , ,  One Comment
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