Chautauqua County

Overview - Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County is the westernmost county in New York state, in the southwest corner of the state and along the New York-Pennsylvania border. Lake Erie is on the north shore of the county and Chautauqua Lake is in the middle. The county seat is the village of Mayville, which is in the town of Chautauqua and is the largest town by size. The city of Jamestown, near the southeast corner of the county and at the southeast tip of Chautauqua Lake, is the largest municipality, with about 31,000 residents.

Much of the county is rural, but it’s a quick drive to Buffalo, the second-biggest city in New York, and to Erie, Pa., a city of 100,000 residents in northern Pennsylvania. (Chautauqua County itself has a total of about 135,000 residents.)

The county is perhaps best known for the Chautauqua Institution, an adult-education center and summer resort with program offerings in the arts, education, religion and recreation. The place also offers public events like theater, ballet, opera and visual arts. Founded as a teaching camp in 1872 for Sunday-school teachers, Chautauqua Institution has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. President Bill Clinton once came there to prepare for a debate when he was seeking re-election.



Recreation & Entertainment

Jamestown is the hometown of comedienne legend Lucille Ball, and a museum dedicated to Ball and her onetime husband Desi Arnaz is a popular attraction.

Chautauqua is a large county with 27 towns, 15 villages, the cities of Jamestown and Dunkirk (along the northern edge) and several hamlets. Along with the lakefront parcels, Chautauqua County has lots of rolling hills and valleys. Native American settled the area centuries ago, and part of the Cattaraugus Reservation is in Chautauqua County (the rest is in Erie and Cattaraugus counties).

Transportation is quick and easy. Interstate 90 (the New York State Thruway), runs through the county as does Interstate 86, which is known as the Southern Tier Expressway. For higher education, Chautauqua County has the State University of New York at Fredonia – where the Buffalo Bills for years held training camp – and two campuses of Jamestown Community College (in Jamestown and Dunkirk).

Popular outdoor attractions include Midway State Park in the town of Maple Springs and Lake Erie State Park in Portland, which has a huge sand beach overlooking Lake Erie. The county’s lakes are popular with fishermen and –women and known for walleye, bass, steelhead trout and more. Chautauqua County has a thriving Wine Trail in what officials call the “fastest-growing wine region eat of the Rockies.”

The county has plenty of warm-weather festivals and lots of museums and art galleries. The Jamestown Arena is home to a hockey team and hosts events like ice skating and roller derby. The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown is called “the showplace of the Chautauqua Region.” Chautauqua County also has three distinct Amish communities, where shoppers can buy sturdy homemade goods.