December 17

— 1894: The Samuels Opera House, now known as the Lucille Ball Little Theater, opened in Jamestown, becoming a cornerstone of local cultural life.

— 1919: A predicted planetary convergence sparked end-of-world fears among some residents in Falconer–a curious example of early 20th-century celestial anxieties.

— 1924: A gas explosion in Hanover Center claimed the life of Town Supervisor Loren W. Stebbins.

— 1997: Authorities seized 11 pounds of cocaine near Jamestown, marking the area’s largest drug seizure at the time.

December 18

— 1936: Demolition began on the American Aristotype buildings in Jamestown, once a hub for pioneering photographic processes in the 1890s. The site now houses Heritage Park Nursing Home.

1961: Lakewood repealed its prohibition on dancing after midnight, signaling a shift in local cultural norms.