An informative blog about Chautauqua NY, Chautauqua Institution and Chautauqua County
Dunkirk Dave, who lives in the city of Dunkirk NY in Chautauqua County will be facing off with the popular Punxy Phil to predict the outcome of winter.
It seems these two often disagree on the outcome. There is also a disagreement as to which groundhog is the the best in predictions. I myself believe it has a lot to do with which side of the state line you live on as to which groundhog you will believe.
One fact is Dunkirk Dave is the second-longest predicting groundhog. The groundhog is also the only animal honored on the calendar with his own holiday.
Fro more information on Dunkirk Dave visits Daves Home page
For additional information check out Groundhogs Day trivia.
By Steve Grant AKA – The Madd Doodler
One of the great parts of collecting is finding the unusual one of a kind piece. That’s not really easy to do when you collect Studebaker items. However in 2002 I was set up as a vendor at the International Studebaker Drivers Club Meet in South Bend Indiana and found just such an item.
It was Friday afternoon, the end of a full week of selling Studebaker toys, literature and memorabilia and I was in the process of packing my items away for the trip home. An elderly couple came into the room where the vendors were and fortunately came up to the area I was in first. As I vend alone, I set up beside a good friend from Canada so we can take turns watching the tables if one of us needs a break. The couple explained to my friend Richard and me that they had a few Studebaker items they wanted to sell. We are always on the lookout for new items to put on our tables so we took a look. They had a 10-year service pin and a copy of the Centennial album put out by Studebaker in 1952 which Richard bought. The other item they had was a hand-drawn picture of the five Studebaker brothers. This is the story of that item.
There had been several photographic images of the Studebaker Brothers made during the time they were all alive and their company was growing. They all went from being simple farmers and blacksmiths to being very wealthy men of influence. The brothers were born to John C. and Rebecca Studebaker. Along with Henry, Clement, John M, Peter and Jacob there were also five sisters in the family.
The couple selling the items had been antique dealers in South Bend with a store they had operated for more than 20 years. They told me a woman came in the store in 1964 with this picture and said her grandmother had drawn it. Her grandmother was Elizabeth Studebaker, the younger sister of the brothers that formed the Studebaker company. They had a slip of paper that had the name of the woman they bought the picture form and a newspaper clipping showing the five brothers in a familiar pose. The drawing shows the brothers in this same pose but quite a few years younger than we are used to seeing them.
If the info was correct, it was a great find, a one of a kind piece that would be a great addition to any collection. With no more info than their word and original note we struck a deal and I bought the picture. Once I returned home, I did some research and found out that the name they gave me was indeed that of Elizabeth Studebaker’s grand daughter. The time line checked out as well.
Drawing of the Studebaker Brothers
After that I took the framed picture to an appraiser to check it over. He confirmed it was from the proper era with period framing and glass. The backer is a single sheet of thin wood held in the frame with small square nails. There is a piece of heavy cord used to hang it.
The image itself was done in a soft silver which was popular medium of the age and tarnished like silver will do which then gives it the appearance of pencil. The appraiser couldn’t give me an accurate appraisal though since it is a one of a kind and there is no reference point to put a price on it. I guess the value doesn’t matter much since it’s become part of my own collection instead of going up for sale.
Why they chose our table to walk up to that day I don’t know, they did walk past a couple of other tables to get to us. They weren’t even sure why they had held onto the picture as long as they did since they had closed their antique store in the 1970s. I guess this time fate took a hand in deciding the new home for this unique piece of Studebaker history.
Above story was originally published at Madd Dooder. com
NOTE: The Studebakers had a rich history at Chautauqua in the 1900′s. Clement Studebaker served as interim president after the death of Chautauqua founder Lewis Miller, Clement Studebaker Jr. also later served on the board of trustees.
In recent years the Kinzua Region Studebaker Club has attended a fall weekender on the Chautauqua Institution Grounds. For this years weekend dates and events check the Kinzua Region SDC schedule.
Was this piece af art drawn as one of the Special Studies classes held on the Chautauqua Grounds?
Chautauqua County NY has two cities, Dunkirk and Jamestown, many villages and towns and eight hamlets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Predictions for the leaves turning are at 55% for this coming weekend in Chautauqua County and Warren County.
photo credit: psyberartist
Many people travel for hours to see the leaves peak in N.W. NY. and PA. Between Chautauqua Lake, the Allegheny reservoir, the Great Lakes and the rolling foothills each scene holds the beauty and peace of fall.
For a relaxing trip the Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine trail combines fall reflections in lake Erie with two lighthouses, one in Westfield, NY and the other in Dunkirk, NY. The Chautauqua gorge is also beautiful at this time of year.
Bemus Point is also enjoyable, particularly if you dine at one of the restaurants on the Chautauqua Lake. Often after dinner we take a walk in the village and end up sitting on the porch of the Lenhart Hotel to watch the sun set over the water. Once in a while we will see the Chautauqua Belle or Summer Wind on one of its lake tours.
And if you have time for a canoe trip, floating down the Conewango Creek and through the remains of the glacial lakes just past Jamestown NY near Akeley Pa offer a peaceful and colorful ride at this time of year. You may see the Canadian Geese gathering for their migrating flight. I haven’t seen the Blue Heron lately so they must be headed south.
Fall isn’t complete to me without a trip to the Kinzua Dam, Lookout Point and if time permits, the Tionesta Scenic point. Many throughout the history on Warren PA have admired the hills and mini waterfalls in the Kinzua area.
Check out the original article, Colors of the National Allegheny Forest at Allegheny Almanac for Fall images by Chris Lareau.
The weather look great for a weekend of fall photography. I better make sure I have extra batteries for the camera!
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