Nuclear power and weapons is a topic you listen to almost an a daily basis. It shapes our government and world policies. The decisions made today will influence our world for many years to come.

The following your tube will give you a better idea of the morning lecture topics and speakers. The president of the Chautauqua Institute, Tom Becker, gives a brief rundown of the planned program.

Week 4 At Chautauqua Institution

Nuclear Power and Nuclear Weapons: The Right to Have and to Hold

Monday: Sam Nunn “The Race Cooperation and Catasrophe”

Tuesday: Graham Allison, “Nuclear Terrorism: Who Could Imagine?”

Wednesday: Jim Rogers

Thursday: Molly Williamson “Getting Beyond the Politics of Petroleum”

Friday: Joseph Cirincione

At the time this photo was taken the Chautauqua Belle was being refurbished. It is now offering sight seeing tours of the lake and is often seen docked at the Chautauqua Institution.

Each year Chautauqua has a week devoted to the topic of applied ethics. This weeks topic applies to ethics in leadership. Speakers for the 10:45 am lecture are:

Monday – David Brooks
Tuesday – David Boren
Wednesday – Cheryl Dorsey
Thursday – David Weston
Friday – Joseph Riley

The following you tube gives more information on the daily morning lectures.

The lectures are set up to encourage public discussion and debate during the day and week. As you head to a workshop, art show or afternoon lecture you will hear people debating the morning lecture on porches or Bestor Plaza.

The Religious Department or Women’s Club also presents other lectures in the afternoon or weekends.

The following list is the remaining themes for the 2010 Chautauqua Institution program:

Week 3 – July 11-17, 2010
From Asia to the Middle East: Energy, Capital, and Conflict

Week 4 – July 18-24, 2010
Nuclear Power & Nuclear Weapons: The Right to Have & to Hold

Week 5 – July 25-31, 2010
Picture This: Photography

Week 6 – August 1-7, 2010
Excellence in Public Education

Week 7 – August 8-14, 2010
Sacred Spaces

Week 8 – August 15-21, 2010
Powering the Future

Week 9 – August 22-28, 2010
The Supreme Court

Mayville has a rich and long history and to this day still offers beautiful beaches and shore lines.

The photograph below is from a souvenir booklet published in the early 1900′s that featured Jamestown New York and the Chautauqua Lake area.

This image was of the train depot in Mayville which was located near the dock.  In the past Mayville was a popular area for the arrivals and departures of tourist visiting Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake, Celeron and Chautauqua for the summer programming held on the Chautauqua grounds.

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.

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.

photo credit: lemonad

The Dunkirk Lighthouse, is located in Dunkirk NY in Chautauqua County. Besides the lighthouse there is the adjacent Veterans Park Museum. The lighthouse and museum attract visitors from all over the world and many in the city refer to it as “the jewel of Dunkirk.” The lighthouse is still a working lighthouse.

The lighthouse was built in 1827 on Point Gratiot. The lighthouse worked in conjunction with a pier head beacon to help guide ships safely into the Dunkirk harbor.

Several points of historical interest are associated with the Dunkirk lighthouse. The first shot of the “1812 War” was fired near the west side of the lighthouse. Also the first casualty of the Civil War, Cpl. Cyrus Jones of Dunkirk, was killed in the war. His final resting place is located on the lighthouse grounds.

The Lake Erie waters just off of Dunkirk has had several notorious shipwrecks that are recoded in historical reports.

1. 1. The Walk-on-Water was lost in a storm in 1818. This was Lake Erie’s first steamboat.
2. 2. The Erie burned with the loss of 141 lives in 1841. 141 lives were lost. The fire was caused by turpentine and varnish that was stored on the deck above the ship’s boilers.
3. 3. In 1893 the steamboat, Dean Richmond, sank off Dunkirk. Dunkirk residents salvaged hundreds of bags of damp flour after the wreck. Cargo also included meal, copper sheet and silver and gold bullion.
4. 4. The freighter Idaho was destroyed in 1897 just above Long Point during a gale. Nineteen lost their lives and two deckhands were rescued.

The 61-foot lighthouse tower still has its original third order Fresnel lens, which was installed in 1857. The light was made and imported from Paris France and cost $10,000 at that time. The light’s 21-mile range makes the Dunkirk lighthouse one of the most prominent on Lake Erie.

In 1874 the tower was in desperate need of repair. A 61-foot stone tower and a Victorian residence were constructed to replace the original tower in 1875-76. The original structure was damaged from erosion and needed immediate repair.

Bricks from the original keeper’s house formed the foundation for the new house. The old cylindrical tower was moved near the lighthouse keeper’s residence and a square tower was built around the old tower. These building still stand and form the lighthouse, Veteran’s Park Museum and grounds as they are known today.

photo credit: Reza Vaziri

Although the “Dunkirk” is still in use, it is again in dire need of repair and restoration. Erosion is again creating problems with the structure and the town is trying to raise the funds to complete the repairs. It is reported that 190 feet on the bank of the Lighthouse has washed away with 1 1/2 to 2 feet washing away everyday.

The Dunkirk lighthouse today:

Light House Specifications

• Country: United States
• State: New York
• City: Dunkirk
• County: Chautauqua
• Body of Water:  Lake Erie / Great Lakes
• U.S.C.G. District: 9
• Current Use: Active – Aid to Navigation
• Latitude: 42.4936
• Longitude: 79.3537
• Lighthouse No:  USA 248
• Range:  approximately 21miles

More information is available on the lighthouse at the Dunkirk Lighthouse website

The lighthouse stands out on Lake Erie and is one of my favorite places to visit. The historical value and history of the lighthouse adds to Chautauqua County and Lake Erie.

photo credit: Conlawprof

A veranda wraps from the side all around the front of the hotel and in my opinion adds to the elegance of the hotel. This is perfect for watching the sunrise and sunset over the Chautauqua Lake. And the multicolored rockers, 40 in all, attract visitors and residents of the town of Bemus Point.

The architecture and history of the hotel has always fascinated me. Owned by the same family, since 1881 the hotel has character. During my first visit to the hotel I entered the hotel and approached the reception desk.  I was  greeted by a orange tabby who was none to happy I disturbed his nap under the lamp.

The hotel design has a main floor and three upper floors for overnight visitors. The rooms range from large parlor type rooms on the ground floor to small single bed rooms on the top floor. The feel of the older bed and breakfast boarding rooms lives on in this historic hotel. I must admit I enjoy staying at Bed and Breakfast hotels and Chautauqua county New York has many bed and breakfast accommodations.

Originally the hotel was built without plumbing or electric. With time all rooms have had an added sink, but many still do not have a bathroom. There are two private baths on each floor for those rooms without baths. I have stayed in many bed and breakfast’s where you share facilities and the atmosphere in such accommodations adds to the experience. Now, many would not agree with me on this point.

One of my favorite day trips is to head to Bemus Point have lunch or dinner at the hotel dining room and enjoy the lake. The Lamplighter Room, a cocktail lounge, is located just off the lobby and has live entertainment, a perfect ending to a relaxing day. The music is usually Big Band and the music travels the air and adds to the beauty of an evening by the water. Often times you will see the Chautauqua Belle or Summer Wind traveling on the lake.

The first Hotel Lenhart was built by Dr. J. J. Lenhart and his wife in 1881 and open for business in 1882. The hotel was known for miles and had a reputation for excellence. But ten years after being built the hotel was destroyed by fire. The following year Lenhart rebuilt the hotel, in the same location. The new hotel contained fifty-two rooms.

Bemus Point has a rugged winter and being a tourist town the hotel keeps a seasonal schedule being open from Memorial Day and closing on Labor Day.

A summer is not complete until I make a trip to the Hotel Lenhart, enjoy a meal and take in the beautiful scenery

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!

photo credit: Odalaigh

The Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail wanders through one of the largest grape growing region east of the Rockies. The trail is roughly 40 miles long and extends from Silver Creek, NY (which is in Chautauqua County) to North East, Pennsylvania.

There are over 21 commercial and estate wineries along the trail. Each has their unique history and atmosphere. For those who enjoy a wide range of flavor you are sure to find a wine fro just about any occasion. The varieties range from fruity native Labruscas to European-style wines. My favorites are the French-American wines.

One year when we had the Studebaker weekender at Chautauqua Institution, we organized a caravan of vintage Studebakers and toured the entire trail. It made for an interesting day.

photo credit: McBeth

Creation of the Chautauqua Wine area

Grapes need a particular climate to grow well. It was due to the Ice age that helped to create an area where the grapes would thrive.

Glaciers descended from the north during the Ice Age and gouged out great trenches in the Chautauqua Area. The glaciers also brought with them large quantities of Canadian soil, rocks and boulders. When the temperatures began to warm, the glaciers receded and filled the trenches with water to form the Great Lakes.

They also left behind ridges of soil and gravel along the Lake Erie shore. These glacial ridges are the basis for ideal growing conditions for wine grapes and the many fruit trees that also grow well in the area.

The moderating effect of the lake on spring and fall temperatures and glacial ridges that is comprised of a gravel-loam mix that drains well, combine to create a perfect growing environment for healthy vineyards.

The Chautauqua area is prone to early and late frosts so the area is challenging for growing a consistent grape crop each year but many families have managed a winery business for generations.

Welch’s Food Company is also located in Westfield New York,  is a small town nestled along the Lake Erie shore. Welch’s has become very well knows for their grape juice and jams and jellies, which use the Concord Grape.

A trip on the Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail in the fall will be a relaxing day. Besides the beautiful fall foliage there are still many vegetable stands open that offer an amazing variety of fruits, vegetables and crafts.

photo credit: Kevin H.