(Seal of Chautauqua County displayed at the New York World's Fair 1939-1940.)
Research by Norman Carlson, Chautauqua County Historian
As we move through the final days of February and welcome March, we take a look back at some fascinating historical events that shaped Chautauqua County and beyond.
February 23
- 1898: The Iron and Oil Baseball League was formed, with Jamestown as a member team. Games were played at Celoron Park, bringing excitement to local baseball fans.
- 1899: The Chautauqua Council, No. 630, Improved Order of Heptasophs was organized in Jamestown. This fraternal organization was part of a broader movement promoting mutual aid and camaraderie.
- 1946: An oil well was brought in on the Art Donelson farm in Busti. This was just one of many oil explorations in the area during the mid-20th century.
February 24
- 1843: John Owens, a Revolutionary War and French and Indian War veteran, passed away in Carroll at the remarkable age of 107. He was known as one of the greatest storytellers of his time.
- 1886: Thomas Edison married Mina Miller in Akron, Ohio. Mina was the daughter of Lewis Miller, co-founder of the Chautauqua Institution.
- 1917: The Fenton Guards, a National Guard unit from Jamestown, returned home after serving on the Mexican border in response to Pancho Villa’s attack.
February 25
- 1870: Albert Root, formerly of Ripley, was killed and scalped in Pine Bluff, Wyoming while attempting to recover stolen cattle.
- 1940: The newly organized Busti Volunteer Fire Department answered its first emergency call at 9:20 PM.
- 1964: Work was abandoned on Chautauqua County’s deepest well in Ellery, which had reached a depth of 7,692 feet.
February 26
- 1872: The Worksburgh (now Falconer) post office was established, marking an important milestone in local communications.
- 1896: The Swedish Sisterhood of Jamestown was organized, reflecting the area’s rich Scandinavian heritage.
- 1969: Demolition began on the old City Hall in Jamestown. The new Municipal Building was dedicated on September 29, 1971.
- 1973: The first performance at the FACE Coffeehouse at Jamestown Community College took place, showcasing folk music performers for several years.
- 2016: Southern Air Express replaced Sun Air as the commercial air service provider at the Jamestown airport.
February 27
- 1871: Asa Cheney’s team of two horses broke through the ice on Chautauqua Lake during a commercial ice harvest and drowned.
- 1897: The Minerva Club was organized in Sherman as a women’s club.
- 1950: The Busti Town Picnic Association was dissolved. The town’s annual gathering was eventually replaced by the firemen’s Gala Days.
- 1952: The names of 250 known gamblers in Jamestown were mailed to the U.S. Attorney in Buffalo. Then-mayor Stanley Weeks identified gambling as a major issue in the city.
- 1963: A frigid day in Blockville saw temperatures plunge to 40 degrees below zero.
- 1976: The last JCC Jayhawks basketball game was played in the old Collegiate Center gymnasium, ending on a high note with an 89-60 victory over Morrisville.
February 28
- 1869: Peacock Lodge No. 696 (Masonic) was organized in Mayville, though it is no longer active today.
- 1871: John R. Robertson, a storekeeper from Busti, left to become County Clerk in Mayville.
- 1883: The first YMCA building in Jamestown officially opened.
- 1902: The Busti mill dam washed out, one of several such incidents over the years.
- 1994: Anderson Photo in Jamestown closed, a casualty of the digital photography revolution.
- 1995: Jay Kearney, Shirley Smith, Bill Raace, and the late Louis Collins were inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
March 1
- 1816: The town of Ripley was officially formed, with its first town meeting marking the beginning of its civic governance.
News Categories
