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.

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.

A postcard is like capturing a moment in time that will never be exactly the same again. An added plus is if the postcard was mailed with a message and postmark. Unfortunately this card was just used as a memento.

This postcard is of the gate entrance and taken by C.S. Thomas from Warren, P.A. For those not familiar with the area Warren is about 40 minutes south of Chautauqua, N.Y.

This postcard is from the 1950’s. The vintage cars help pinpoint the time. There are gardens in the front of the building along with the traditional hanging baskets that are on almost every porch and balcony on the homes located on the Chautauqua grounds.

The stoplight, crossing lights, crosswalks and road signs are also missing.

There is also a postcard drawn by artist Jane Nelson of the gated entrance in the Vintage postcard post from Feb. 12, 2009.

The gated entrance sets a trademark for this gated community or learning, education and religion. Also during the season cars are not permitted on grounds and park across the street. The reason for this is the narrow streets lack of parking.

Groundhogs day trivia

The last postcards I found were of images drawn by Jane E. Nelson. Nelson is known for her beautiful renditions of building and scenes on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution.

This postcard by Nelson is of the main gate of the Chautauqua Institution. For those of you not familiar with the Chautauqua Institution, it is a gated community for cultural learning located in Chautauqua County NY. The Institution provides a nine week summer schedule of learning and cultural activities for all ages.

Kellogg Hall has a long and interesting history at the Chautauqua Institution. The building originally sat a few blocks from the location it occupies today.

It was used for many years for Special Studies offices and classes. Currently it houses the Chautauquan Daily Newspaper and offices while it waits for renovation for its next use.

Jane E. Nelson has produced  a large selection of postcards of homes and scenery of the Chautauqua  grounds. She  had has  many drawing in books and currently has a 2010 Chautauqua Institution calendar at the Chautauqua Bookstore for sale.

I recently picked up a 1932 newspaper from Sheffield Pa., a small town north of Chautauqua County. I also picked up several issues of the Chautauquan Daily, the summer newspaper for the Chautauqua Institution, located in Chautauqua NY.

According to the smaller heading on the Chautauquan Daily this was the 82nd year of the paper. The newspaper consisted of eight pages and the office staff had seven employees. The price was ten cents. Virgil Freed was the editor and Alfreda Locke Irwin was a member of the newspaper at this time. As a matter of fact, it was her first year at the Chautauquan Daily.

Irwin became assistant editor in 1959, and editor in 1966. She retired after 15years from the position in 1981. As editor of the Daily, she introduced daily new photos, coverage of the total program, articles by guest columnists, the question-and-answer format used for the morning lecture and the intern/apprentice system.

Reading the daily news from the Chautauquan Daily reflected change in the amount of activities offered but the daily schedule had the morning lecture and an afternoon lecture. The evening entertainment was at 8:30 pm at the Amphitheater.

One August 21 there were three art shows on the grounds and opera and theater were a strong part of the summer schedule.

The CLSC, Woman’s’ Club and Garden Club had meetings that day and the topics were much like the topics that are currently discussed.

It was interesting to see the changes in shops and restaurants on the grounds. Olga’s Tea shop was located behind the post office. The Eau-Clair Dining Room was located on Terrace. Howell’s gift shop at the corner of Simpson and Miller was proclaimed to be the oldest gift shop location at Chautauqua. These three businesses are no longer operating.

The Athenaeum served dinner at 6:30 and the cost was $3. B.C. Gifford was manager at this time. The Athenaeum is still operating and has a full schedule of activities from meeting to art shows. The hotel still offers the American plan.

The Gadfly111 offered 3 daily trips that left from the bell tower. The Gadfly111 is no longer traveling the Chautauqua Lake but the Simmer wind and Chautauqua Belle offer trips on the lake.

The variety of classes offered in continuing education was smaller but music and the arts appeared to be popular courses.

There’s a saying at the Chautauqua Institution that Chautauqua does not like change but from reading the paper, there are distinct differences in the summer schedule, most due to growth. But the underlying feel and purpose of the Institution appears to be the same.

Newspapers offer a glimpse into the past. And reading the August 21 edition of the Daily was insightful.

Maple Springs is a hamlet in Chautauqua County NY. Today it is best known for Midway Park, an amusement park with a rich history in the Chautauqua and Jamestown, NY area. Midway was given its name for being “midway” in between Jamestown, NY and Westfield, NY. It was also located across the Lake From Chautauqua, a bustling center for the “Chautauqua Movement.

Maple Springs was a busy hamlet with a Railroad stop in the past. Being midway between the two towns it served as a popular rest stop. Many tourists also crossed the lake to visit Chautauqua and attend the lectures and classes given in the summer season. Their trip across the lake was provided by one of the many steam ships that sailed Chautauqua Lake.

The Whiteside Hotel was one of the popular bed and breakfast stops for the travelers. The porches were a popular resting place on a hot day while waiting for transportation or to continue on to their next vacation stop.

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.

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

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

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