Community Directory
Dunkirk - Est. 1805
The city of Dunkirk was incorporated as a city in 1880, after being settled
around 1805 and incorporated as a village in 1837 in the town of Pomfret, until
1859 when a separate town of Dunkirk was formed.
Dunkirk was considered to be founded by Fredonian Walter Smith, and was settled
after Fredonia due to thick forest which covered the lake plain and made it more
difficult to clear for settling. Although one of the last communities in the
county to incorporate as a village, Dunkirk was the first city, beating
Jamestown by six years.
Horatio G. Brooks, founder of Brooks Locomotive Works, was the first elected
mayor. The city reached its peak population of nearly 20,000 people during the
1920s.
One of the first brick buildings built in the city was a jail, located on Third
Street east of what is now Central Avenue. Although a library had been in
operation previously, in 1903 philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated money for
the build
Salamanca/SCCS Football
Kite Festival
Halloween Pictures
DHS@FHS Boys Soccer
Brocton vs Panama
POW/MIA 2008
LHS 2008 Dog Walk-a-Thon
Steelers vs. Harbor Creek
Arkwright - Est. 1849
January 8, 2008
The town of Arkwright sits atop rolling hills that provide a wide vista of
rural landscapes and unbroken views of Lake Erie.
It was named for Sir Richard Arkwright, the inventor of a spinning ma » Full Story
Brocton - Est. 1867
January 8, 2008
The village of Brocton is well known for its historic double green metal
arches that span the village's four corners.
The arches were built in 1913 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the » Full Story
Busti - Est. 1823
January 8, 2008
The town of Busti was organized from Ellicott and Harmony, April 16, 1823,
and named for Paul Busti, general agent of the Holland Land Company.
Busti was general agent and sole director from 1 » Full Story
Carroll - Est. 1825
January 8, 2008
Carroll, located in the extreme southeast part of Chautauqua County, was
incorporated in 1825 from the town of Ellicott, and was named in honor of
Charles Carroll of Carrolton, a signer of the Dec » Full Story
Cassadaga
January 8, 2008
According to local history, Cassadaga's name comes from a Native American
word meaning 'under the rocks.'
Cassadaga's late historian Record Barris, who held a lifelong interest and love of Nativ » Full Story
Celoron
January 8, 2008
Celoron, an incorporated village in Ellicott, was once best known for the
Celoron Amusement Company and its status as a lake landing for steamships.
In September 1893, the Broadhead family purcha » Full Story
Charlotte - Est. 1809
January 8, 2008
The origins of the town of Charlotte go back to 1809 when the first
settlement was established on a northwestern tract of the town by John and
Daniel Pickett, Arva O. Austin, Abel Pryor and John a » Full Story
Chautauqua County Has Seen It All
January 8, 2008
Occasionally we get requests to publish a commentary that welcomed
then-President Bill Clinton to the Chautauqua Region when he spent a few days at
Chautauqua Institution one October. He came in t » Full Story
Chautauqua/Mayville - Est. 1804
January 8, 2008
The town of Chautauqua was created on April 11, 1804, after William Peacock
was sent to survey the area by the Holland Land Company. Dr. Alexander McIntyre
became Mayville's first settler in 1804 » Full Story
Cherry Creek - Est. 1829
January 8, 2008
The town of Cherry Creek, situated in the northern and eastern part of the
county, was set off from the town of Ellington on May 4, 1829. When Joshua Bentley Jr., found the center of the » Full Story
Clymer - Est. 1829
January 8, 2008
The Town of Clymer was established in 1829 from a division of the Town of Chautauqua. The town is named after George Clymer, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
As of the census of 2000, t » Full Story
Dunkirk - Est. 1805
January 8, 2008
The city of Dunkirk was incorporated as a city in 1880, after being settled
around 1805 and incorporated as a village in 1837 in the town of Pomfret, until
1859 when a separate town of Dunkirk was » Full Story
Ellery/Bemus Point - Est. 1808
January 8, 2008
For about 12 miles of its length, the eastern shore of Chautauqua Lake forms
the southwester boundary of Ellery. The 12 miles of lake form the most valuable
land in the town, the entire distance l » Full Story
Ellicott - Est. 1812
January 8, 2008
Ellicott, formed from Pomfret on June 1, 1812, received its name in
compliment to Joseph Ellicott, who was connected with the Holland Land Company.The town originally included Poland, Ca » Full Story
Ellington - Est. 1814
January 8, 2008
The town of Ellington is a 22,000-acre tract on the eastern border of
Chautauqua County that was formed after separating from the town of Gerry in
1824. It is originally named for Ellington, Conn. » Full Story
Falconer - Est. 1840
January 8, 2008
Falconer is an incorporated village within Ellicott, located on level ground,
surrounded by farming country.
Robert Falconer, the first of that family, was a Scotchman who after a prosp » Full Story
Robert Falconer, the first of that family, was a Scotchman who after a prosp » Full Story
Forestville - Est. 1808
January 8, 2008
In 1808, Jehiel Moore founded Walnut Falls and built a cabin and saw mill on
Walnut Creek near the falls. In 1809 he brought his family and erected a grist
mill near the saw mill. The » Full Story
Fredonia - Est. 1804
January 8, 2008
Fredonia was first settled in 1804. In 1821, William Hart dug the first
successful gas well in what is now the village of Fredonia. It supplied enough
natural gas for lights in two stores, two sho » Full Story
French Creek - Est. 1829
January 8, 2008
The Town of French Creek covers an area of 21,832 acres, was formed from
Clymer on April 23, 1829. The town is cut up into three valleys by the creeks
that drain them, and it is this valley sectio » Full Story
Gerry - Est. 1812
January 8, 2008
Gerry was formed from Pomfret on June 1, 1812, and was named after Elbridge
Gerry, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a vice president. It lies in the southeast corner of t » Full Story
Government Directory
January 8, 2008
US Government
President George W. Bush 202-456-1111
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20500
comments@whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.gov
Sen. Hillary Clinton » Full Story
President George W. Bush 202-456-1111
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20500
comments@whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.gov
Sen. Hillary Clinton » Full Story
Hanover - Est. 1812
January 8, 2008
The area of present-day Hanover supported a large Native American settlement
- concentrated around Cattaraugus, Silver and Walnut creeks - long before the
township actually came into existence.» Full Story
Harmony - Est. 1816
January 8, 2008
Harmony was taken from Chautauqua on February 14, 1816, and included parts of
Busti until 1823 and parts of North Harmony until the early 1900s.
It's a hilly area, with much of its farml » Full Story
It's a hilly area, with much of its farml » Full Story
Jamestown - Est. 1806
January 8, 2008
The first man to seriously consider the place now Jamestown as a possible
site for settlement was James Prendergast, and it is from him the city takes its
name. The members of the Prendergast fami » Full Story
Kiantone - Est. 1807
January 8, 2008
Kiantone was first settled by Joseph L. Akin, who came from Rensselaer County
in Eastern New York, in 1807. The area consisted of about 11,228 acres, or 17.5
square miles. Not long after Akin came » Full Story
Lakewood - Est. 1870
January 8, 2008
Lakewood, which is in the northern end of Busti, began with the consolidation
of several farms, all originally part of the Holland Land Company. The village
extends along the shore of Chautauqua L » Full Story
Mina - Est. 1824
January 8, 2008
The Town of Mina covers an area of 22,028 acres, and was formed from Clymer
on March 23, 1824, and included Sherman until 1832. The town is favorably known
for its beautiful lake, Findley, being t » Full Story
Poland - Est. 1832
January 8, 2008
Poland, lying between Carroll and Ellington and directly east of Ellicott,
was formed from the town of Ellicott on April 9, 1832. It was originally covered
with large pine forests that originally » Full Story
Pomfret - Est. 1805
January 8, 2008
The first settler, Zattu Cushing, came to Pomfret in February 1805 to set up
his household. Cushing came here to settle because he had passed through the
area a few years earlier on his way home f » Full Story
Portland - Est. 1804
January 8, 2008
Acres of land in the town of Portland are covered with grape vineyards..
During the fall months, when the grapes have ripened and before they are harvested, their sweet smell hangs heavy » Full Story
During the fall months, when the grapes have ripened and before they are harvested, their sweet smell hangs heavy » Full Story
Ripley - Est. 1802
January 8, 2008
The first settler in Ripley, Alexander Cochran, came from Ireland in 1802 and
made his land purchase official two years later. Five generations later, his
descendant, A. James Cochrane, still owns » Full Story
School Directory
January 8, 2008
BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOLVernon Wetmore Jr., President 665-8264
Thom Shagla, Vice President 386-2009
Patrick Green 386-6310
Dustin Nelson 753-2128
Randy Oste 386-6288
D » Full Story
Sheridan - Est. 1802
January 8, 2008
In 1802, General Edward Paine had a rough road cleared along the path U.S.
Route 20 now takes through present-day Sheridan. Paine's road became known as
Erie Road and served as a main highway to t » Full Story
Sherman - Est. 1832
January 8, 2008
The Town of Sherman was formed April 7, 1832, from Mina, and has an area of
36 square miles. The first of the settlers was Dearing Dorman and near
relatives, who came in 1823. The region was well » Full Story
Silver Creek - Est. 1826
January 8, 2008
Silver Creek began as a small milling town when settlers - Abel Cleveland,
David Dickinson and John E. Howard - arrived from Massachusetts with their
families in 1803. More than 600 acres of land » Full Story
Sinclairville - Est. 1809
January 8, 2008
The village of Sinclairville, was originally named Sinclearvile in honor of
Major Samuel Sinclear, one of the town of Charlotte's earliest settlers. In
1809, Sinclear purchased a 'lot' in an area » Full Story
Stockton - Est. 1821
January 8, 2008
The town of Stockton and the village of Cassadaga - which is part of the town
- share similar histories.Today, for the most part, the communities have joined the bedroom settlements that » Full Story
Villenova - Est. 1809
January 8, 2008
Villenova was first settled around 1809. The town of Villenova was formed
from part of the town of Hanover in 1823. The town of Hanover was formed in 1812
from part of the town of Pomfret. The siz » Full Story
Westfield - Est. 1802
January 8, 2008
Westfield was first settled in 1802 and is considered the first permanent
settlement in Chautauqua County. The McMahan family established the settlement.
The Village of Westfield was inco » Full Story
