(The 2025 Chautauqua County History Expo will be modeled after the successful Chautauqua County Bicentennial History Fair in 2011 (pictured), with a wide variety of historical groups and exhibits related to local history on display.)
MAYVILLE, NY – A showcase of local history will be on full display later this year in Chautauqua County. The Chautauqua County History Expo will take place at the Fluvanna Community Church in Jamestown on Saturday, August 23, and will feature dozens of local history organizations, historians, and museums from across the Chautauqua Region and surrounding areas. The event is being organized by the Chautauqua County Historian’s Office, with assistance from other groups from across the county.
“This event is intended to help promote our local historians and historical organizations, which play a vital role in preserving and promoting our region’s history,” explained Norman Carlson, Chautauqua County Historian and chair of the History Expo committee. “We’ll have representatives from dozens of historical groups and municipalities on hand to exhibit historical artifacts, share details of the work they do, and encourage the public to support their efforts. There will also be a series of lectures focusing on various historical topics.”
There are more than two dozen historical organizations in Chautauqua County, and most will be represented at the event. In addition, each of the county’s municipal historians have been invited to attend, along with all the county’s public libraries. Groups and organizations focusing on genealogy will also be on hand. The expo will also include a few groups from beyond Chautauqua County’s borders, including those located in Erie County and Cattaraugus County, New York, along with Erie County and Warren County, Pennsylvania. Authors who’ve written books focusing on local and regional history have also been invited.
“Chautauqua County, of course, is connected to the rest of the world in many ways and always has been,” Carlson explained.
There will also be four separate lectures focusing on local and regional history, scheduled to take place throughout the day. These lectures will focus on the opening of the Erie Canal and its impact on Western New York, Chautauqua County's connection to the Revolutionary War, Lafayette's 1825 visit to Western New York and Chautauqua County, and Arthur Wellington Anderson (Chautauqua County's first explicitly, though not officially designated, County Historian).
The Chautauqua County History Expo is modeled after the county’s Bicentennial History Fair in 2011, along with a follow up History Fair that occurred in 2016. A similar event was tentatively scheduled for 2021 until the COVID 19 pandemic put plans on hold.
“The past history fairs were very successful and proved that people are interested in learning more about our local history and all the groups and individuals who work to preserve and share that history. We’re excited to rebrand and relaunch this event in 2025 and are confident that it will garner enough interest to ensure it takes place on an annual basis,” said Jason Sample, Chautauqua County Historical Society president and member of the History Expo committee.
The Chautauqua County History Expo will take place on Saturday, August 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fluvanna Community Church. There is no cost to attend and the event is made possible through funding from the event sponsors, including the Jean Vandewark Olson Stowell Genealogy Research & Education Fund. Additional sponsors are also welcome.
A complete rundown of activities, including featured speakers and lecture topics, will also be announced in the coming weeks and months, with all details for the History Expo also available at CHQHistoryExpo.com.
For more information on the History Fair, to volunteer or make suggestions, or to register as a participant free-of-charge, contact the County Historian’s Office at (716) 753-4857 or email CarlsonN@chqgov.com.
ABOUT: The Chautauqua County History Expo is a dynamic event designed to showcase the rich history and diverse heritage of Chautauqua County and nearby communities. Organized by the Chautauqua County Historian’s Office and supported by a planning committee composed of representatives from various historical organizations and groups from across the county, this expo aims to promote local history through the active participation of museums, historical societies, municipal historians, libraries, genealogy organizations, local history authors, and other historical entities. Scheduled for August 23, 2025, at the Fluvanna Community Church in Jamestown, NY, the event is free of charge for residents and visitors to the Chautauqua Region. Attendees are invited to explore vendor tables featuring artifacts, displays, books, literature, video presentations, and more. A series of lectures focusing on local and regional history will also take place. For more information, visit CHQHistoryExpo.com.
