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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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.

From Millan.Net

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.

An update on Dave’s prediction will follow

Happy Groundhogs day!

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Chautauqua County NY offers travel, sport and entertainment year round for the entire family.

photo credit: r_bowley

Sitting along Lake Erie and Pennsylvania’s Northern border, Chautauqua County is an area that many people do not know about. But if you look into New York history, Chautauqua County has a diverse history that dates back to several Indian nations, founding exploration and the beginning of the Chautauqua movement.

Chautauqua County has been the home of many famous people including Roger Tory Peterson, former Governor Ruben Fenton, Lucille ball, Natalie Merchant and Buffalo Bills player, Shane Conlan

The following you tube will show the variety of Chautauqua County and its quaint towns and villages. I have always found the architecture in these towns to be inspiring. Each town seems to have it own area of interest. If you look closely at the buildings in Jamestown NY you will see many stained glass windows, Lily Dale has a vintage flair while the town of Chautauqua has a touch of almost every architectural style imaginable.

And while I tend to favor the summer and spending time at one of the five lakes or walking one of the many trails, winter offers a wide variety of winter sports.

Mayville, NY will host it’s winter festival “President’s Day Weekend Ice Castle Extravaganza ” in February. The building of the Ice Castle has been a tradition for many years. There are Sleigh rides offered on weekends through the quaint winding streets of the Chautauqua Institution and the ski resort, Peek-n-Peak near Findley Lake, has both winter events and summer activities.

Growing up near and area that offers so much makes me tend to overlook what all the area has to offer. I am reminded when I watch a video or entertain friends from out of town.

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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.

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.

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.

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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For those not as familiar with the Amish culture, the Amish choose to live without many of the modern conveniences that we take for granted. Electricity is one of these conveniences and automobiles are another.

photo credit: saikofish

When you pass through an Amish community you will see windows with no curtains and black Amish buggies in the farmyards. The Amish refer to us as “the English”

Growing up around many Amish communities I have become accustomed to many of their customs and beliefs. Here are a few traditions:

1.  Sunday is a day for church and family. The day begins very early and lasts until dusk. There will be no business conducted on Sunday.

2.  Amish usually dress in black or dark blue colors. Many areas are using brighter colors but in my more traditional area black and blue are still the primary colors. They also have no buttons on their clothing.

3.  Amish children can sample some of the English ways when they are young but must choose whether to follow the Amish tradition at a certain age and forgo any modern convenience. If the choose the English ways they no longer belong to the Amish community.

4.  Most Amish do not allow their photographs to be taken. They feel it captures their soul. It is ok to photograph their homes or buggies – just not their faces.

There are many more traditions in the nearby Amish communities in Chautauqua County, Cattaraugus County and Warren County. The best way to learn more about them is to shop in their local stores or take a trip to a local Amish community. It is like stepping back in time.

photo credit: cindy47452

Cherry Creek Amish Community

The largest Amish community in Chautauqua County is located near Cherry Creek NY.  Several Amish families settled just outside of Cherry Creek in 1949 and set up a community where they use no modern conveniences.

The Amish are known for their skilled craftsmanship.  Many Amish make a living by making and selling furniture, quilts, and other handmade items from shops beside their homes. Recently Amish sheds, barns and garages have also been added to the skills they provide to the surrounding “English” communities.

The Amish are continuing to harvest Hickory off of our land for creating Amish rustic furniture. They will probably be here for another two weeks. They show up when it fits in their schedule and usually let me know before hand when they will return again.

So far I have picked up a few new recipes, learned more about the Amish traditions and found a great place to purchase my plants for gardening next year.

If you would like to find out more about Amish tradition in Chautauqua, Carol Lorec, Foxe Farmhouse Bed & Barn offers an Amish Flair Tour.

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