(Seal of Chautauqua County displayed at the New York World's Fair 1939-1940.)
Research by Norman Carlson, Chautauqua County Historian
From pioneer land deals and tornadoes to religious milestones, forgotten swamps, and the fading echoes of steamships and old markets — this week in local history tells a rich story of Chautauqua County's evolving legacy.
May 11
1791 – A monumental real estate transaction: Massachusetts deeded the "pre-emption rights" (the authority to extinguish Native land claims) for all of Western New York to financier Robert Morris.
1897 – Efforts began to drain the Conewango Swamp, changing the landscape forever.
1900 – The Jamestown Driving Club re-organized to promote harness racing and equestrian activities.
1945 – Carl J. Lundstead and 16 others gathered in Lakewood to establish American Legion Post 1286.
May 12
1854 – Passenger pigeons from Tamarack Swamp were seen swarming over Jamestown. The species is now extinct.
1898 – Formation of the Busti Willing Workers, a neighborhood women’s club focused on fellowship and community service.
1914 – Ashville Fire Department was officially organized.
1916 – A powerful windstorm half-demolished the Pittsburgh Consolidated Ice Company’s ice house in Mayville.
1968 – St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Jamestown was consecrated.
2002 – Demolition began on Lakewood's once-popular Red Coach Inn, built in the summer of 1960.
May 13
1913 – Lakewood Methodist Episcopal Church was organized (correcting earlier records that listed May 6).
1947 – The 125th annual meeting of the Chautauqua Baptist Association commenced in Busti.
1988 – A wave of "Satanic Panic" swept parts of the county, with rumors of an impending virgin sacrifice sparking community alarm.
May 14
1944 – The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Chautauqua was launched. It would serve in the Pacific until its retirement in the early 1970s.
1948 – WBEN-TV (now WIVB, Channel 4) went on air — the first television station serving the region.
1961 – Samuel A. Carlson, widely regarded as Jamestown’s greatest mayor, passed away.
1962 – Chautauqua County’s Farmers’ Home Administration office opened in Jamestown to support rural development.
1988 – Comedian George Carlin delivered a controversial and memorable performance in Jamestown.
2024 – The Red Lobster restaurant in West Ellicott closed its doors.
May 15
1817 – The First Baptist Church of Blockville was organized.
1835 – Joseph Damon was publicly hanged in Mayville before a massive crowd, one of the last legal public executions.
1851 – Dunkirk was officially incorporated as a village.
1868 – The Mayville Academy building was conveyed to the Mayville Union School, marking a shift from private to public secondary education.
1898 – Dedication of the Swedish Mission Church in Jamestown.
1901 – Jamestown Street Railway employees organized a union under the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees.
1907 – Busti Lutheran Church was officially incorporated (after organizing in 1906).
1909 – A grim discovery: the body of an infant was found in a suitcase at the Erie Railroad station in Jamestown.
1929 – The Lois Fenton Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution was established in Jamestown. (It was later deactivated in 1974 and reactivated in 1989.)
May 16
1885 – The YMCA was organized in Jamestown.
1895 – The Protective Home Circle, Chautauqua No. 202, was instituted.
1909 – The body of an unidentified man was recovered from Chautauqua Lake.
1949 – The smokestack on the steamboat City of Jamestown was replaced as part of upkeep on the historic vessel.
1965 – A tornado tore through the Panama and Stedman areas, causing significant damage.
1998 – The beloved Stockton Antique Sales were liquidated by auction.
1999 – Nelson & Butts Florist, a longtime local greenhouse and floral shop in Jamestown, closed.
2002 – Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist delivered a public lecture in Jamestown.
May 17
1863 – The steamer Chautauqua made its maiden voyage on Chautauqua Lake.
1879 – The Sinclairville Union School was organized.
1886 – The Jamestown Furniture Board of Trade was formed, representing a key era in the local furniture boom.
1949 – Robert N. Rowland of Ripley, Chautauqua County’s last surviving Civil War veteran, passed away.
1969 – Sinclairville was struck by a tornado.
1999 – Fresh Cut Meats and More opened in the former Pearson’s Swedish Market location on Forest Avenue, Jamestown. (A smoke shop now operates at the site.)
