Vintage photographs of Jamestown, New York capture the history, manufacturing and architecture of the city. At the time of these images the population was near 25,000 people.

These images are from an old souvenir pamphlet handed out for the community. The pamphlet was not dated but the images show a town that I do not remember. Many of the images have the old trolley cars still running the streets.

Photographic Images pictured

The Erie Railroad depot is pictured on the bottom. The building was elegant and the station handled many trips during the day. The importance of the railroad for manufacturing and shipping lead to the vast variety of products produced in the area. At the time this pamphlet was assembled the Erie railroad was the only truck line direct to Jamestown and Chautauqua. The railroad also had a direct line the Buffalo and Niagara falls.

The railroad had Pullman parlor cars and the train roadbed was made of stone ballast, which made the rail line relatively free from dust.

The image on the right is the City Hall and the photo on the left is the Office of the American Aristotype Company.

Jamestown was one of the larger cities in Chautauqua County and its industry shaped the history and culture of the city and surrounding towns and villages.

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Palestine Park is a scale model of the holy land, which includes cities, hills, rivers, and seas in their approximate correct geographical location. This park is located on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York.

Vintage postcard of Palestine Park

Towards the Miller Tower in Miller Park you will find a large plaque with information on the park. This will aid you in understanding the park if a tour is not in progress.

Palestine Park is laid out along the southwestern side of Chautauqua Lake, near Miller Tower. Chautauqua Lake portrays the Mediterranean Sea. This park creates a ‘mirror-image’ of the actual land, which is on the east coast of the Mediterranean.

A large mound of stones represents Mount Hermon and an artificial stream represents the Jordan River.

There are small hills that represent biblical landmarks such as Mount Tabor and the Mount of Olives. Markers have been placed that represent sites of biblical significance which include Bethsaida, Jerusalem, Jacob’s Well and Jericho to name a few.

The park was one of Chautauqua’s first landmarks.

In 1874, Chautauqua founder Rev. John Heyl Vincent gave his friend Dr. W. W. Wythe the task of laying out Palestine Park as a visual aid for teaching Biblical history and geography to Sunday school teachers, which were some of Chautauqua’s first visitors.

The present Palestine Park is 350 feet long with a scale of 1.75 feet to the mile. Over Chautauqua’s history the park has been redone numerous times but has stayed true to scale. The park has become a featured area of the lakefront.

Educational guided tours are offered through the park each Sunday and Monday at 7 p.m. during Chautauqua’s nine-week summer season. Tours can be canceled for weather so check ahead.

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This vintage postcard of Chautauqua lake is the North shore in the town of Chautauqua.

The postcard is an art color tone postcard and is a genuine Curteich-Chicago “CT Art-colortone. It was picked up at an estate sale.

Chautauqua Lake has a unique and history laden past. It is rich in American Indian history, played important parts in wars and exploration and is a geographic heaven for geography buffs with the glacier lakes and heavy fossil deposits left from the ice age.

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It’s maple syrup weekend, March 20-21, in Chautauqua County and many of the other counties in NW New York.

photo credit: psd

At the beginning of the season, about two weeks ago, it looked like we would have one of the best seasons in quite some time. But the temperatures warmed up quickly and the snow started to melt.

In order to have the best sap for syrup you need warm days over 32 degree for the sap to rise but the night need to fall below freezing. If you have too many nights where the temperatures do not fall the sap turns yellow and the flavor of the syrup will change. And if the trend of warm days and night continue the season will be cut short.

I am afraid our syrup season is about done as our days have been unseasonably warm and in the 50’s and 60’s. And the nights have been warmer than 32 degrees.

This you tube will show you more about what trees are tapped and how the process is set up.

Making maple syrup was a project we did as children. Our property was full of sugar maple trees so you didn’t have to walk far to tap and collect sap to create maple syrup. Making syrup added fun, adventure, hard work and stories that we tell to family and friends.

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Here is another vintage postcard from the Chautauqua Lake area.

I am not sure where the location is  but you have the scenic view of Chautauqua Lake and one of the boats that the lake became know for.

Steam boats and tour boats have been a popular site on the lake for years. Many years ago they were used for shipping along with providing transportation to various  towns on the lakeshore. They built the local businesses up with trade and tourism.

Today there are two passenger boats left; The Chautauqua Belle and the Summer Wind. Both passenger boats add to the atmosphere of the lake and make a wonderful activity for a day or evening.

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