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Chautauqua, New York

Coordinates:42°12′35″N79°28′00″W/ 42.20972°N 79.46667°W/42.20972; -79.46667
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Not to be confused withChappaqua, New York.
Chautauqua, New York
Town
View of Simpson Avenue
View of Simpson Avenue
Location of Chautauqua in Chautauqua County, New York and New York
Location of Chautauqua inChautauqua County, New YorkandNew York
Chautauqua is located in New York
Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Location of Chautauqua inNew York state
Chautauqua is located in the United States
Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua (the United States)
Coordinates:42°13′34″N79°29′2″W/ 42.22611°N 79.48389°W/42.22611; -79.48389
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountyChautauqua
Government
• TypeTown Council
•Town SupervisorDonald D. Emhardt (D)
•Town Council
Members' List
Area
[1]
• Total67.49 sq mi (174.80 km2)
• Land67.40 sq mi (174.56 km2)
• Water0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2)
Elevation
1,342 ft (409 m)
Population
(2020)[2]
• Total4,009
• Estimate
(2022)[3]
4,014
• Density59.48/sq mi (22.97/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5(Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)UTC-4(EDT)
ZIP code
14722
Area code716
FIPS code36-013-14069
GNISfeature ID0978815
Websitetownofchautauqua

Chautauqua(/ʃəˈtɔːkwə/shə-TAW-kwə) is atownand lake resort community inChautauqua County,New York.[4]The population was 4,009 at the 2020 census.[2]The town is named afterChautauqua Lake.It is the home of theChautauqua Institutionand the birthplace of theChautauquamovement.[5]

History[edit]

19th century[edit]

Chautauqua was formed on April 11, 1805, from the town ofBatavia,while still part ofGenesee County.The first settler arrived the year before, near the current village ofMayville.When Chautauqua County was created on March 11, 1808, the town's territory was increased to include the eastern tier of townships, so that the town and the new county were coextensive. The town is the "mother of towns" in Chautauqua County since all other towns in the county towns were once part of it. The town is still one of the largest in the county.[6]

The meaning of the name Chautauqua remains unknown and a source of speculation, with two longstandingfolk translationsbeing “bag tied in the middle” and “place where fish are taken out,”[7]the latter having some support based on similar words in otherIroquoian languages.[8]

20th century[edit]

In the years of theChautauqua Institution's heyday, rail transport was the chief mechanism by which long distance travelers accessed the town. To 1926, the Chautauqua Tractioninterurbanoperated several interurbans a day from Chautauqua to Mayville, and then to Westfield; to the opposite direction the interurban went to Lakewood and Jamestown.[9][10][11]To the latter 1940s, Pennsylvania Railroad offered service at nearby Mayville, on a Pittsburgh-Buffalo route.[12]From prior to the interurbans to the waning years of interurbans, steamboats provided access to different parts of the lake from Mayville and Jamestown.[13]

TheLewis Miller Cottageof the Chautauqua Institution was listed in theNational Register of Historic Placesand as aNational Historic Landmarkin 1966.[14]TheChautauqua Institution Historic Districtwas listed in 1974.[14]

Geography[edit]

According to theU.S. Census Bureau,the town has a total area of 67.2 square miles (174.0 km2), of which 67.1 square miles (173.8 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.14%, is water.[15]

Surrounding towns[edit]

(Clockwise)

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18202,518—
18302,432−3.4%
18402,98022.5%
18502,622−12.0%
18602,8378.2%
18703,0648.0%
18803,57016.5%
18903,259−8.7%
19003,59010.2%
19103,515−2.1%
19203,5330.5%
19303,8027.6%
19403,8190.4%
19504,22210.6%
19604,3763.6%
19704,341−0.8%
19804,7288.9%
19904,554−3.7%
20004,6662.5%
20104,464−4.3%
20204,009−10.2%
2022 (est.)4,014[3]0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

As of thecensus[17]of 2000, there were 4,666 people, 1,881 households, and 1,269 families residing in the town. The population density was 69.4 inhabitants per square mile (26.8/km2). There were 4,174 housing units at an average density of 62.1 per square mile (24.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.3%White,1.6%African American,0.2%Native American,0.4%Asian,0.1%Pacific Islander,0.2% fromother races,and 1.3% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 1,881 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% weremarried couplesliving together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,379, and the median income for a family was $41,923. Males had a median income of $30,767 versus $23,561 for females. Theper capita incomefor the town was $19,003. About 7.5% of families and 12.0% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation[edit]

New York State Route 394andNew York State Route 430,which intersect in Mayville, are the two primary roads in the town. Route 394 comes fromJamestownon the western side of the lake and continues on toWestfield.Route 430 comes from Jamestown on the eastern side of the lake and goes southwest from Mayville to the state line west ofFindley Lake,where it becomesPennsylvania Route 430.

Places[edit]

  • Chautauqua– Thehamlet(andcensus-designated place) of Chautauqua, located on the west shore ofChautauqua Lakeand location of theChautauqua Institutionon Route 394
  • Chautauqua Creek– A stream forming most of the town's boundary withWestfield
  • Chautauqua Institution– a nonprofit education center and summer resort located on Route 394
  • Chautauqua Post Office–USPSfacility located on Bestor Plaza inside the gates ofChautauqua Institution
  • Cottage Park– A lakeside hamlet south of Mayville on Route 394
  • Dart Airfield (D79)– A grass runwayairfieldeast of Mayville
  • Dean– A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town on County Road 37
  • Dewittville– A lakeside hamlet on the east side of the lake on County Road 52
  • Dewittville Bay– A bay near Point Chautauqua
  • Hartfield– A hamlet in the northeast part of the town
  • Hartfield Bay– Abayat the north end of Chautauqua Lake
  • Irwins Bay– A small bay between Lighthouse Point and Wahmeda
  • Lakeside Park– A small lakeside community south of Mayville
  • Lighthouse Point– A hamlet at a projection into the lake south of Mayville on Route 394
  • Magnolia– A lakeside hamlet in the southeast corner of the town on Chautauqua Lake on Route 394.
  • Mayville– The village of Mayville is thecounty seatand is located on the northern end of Chautauqua Lake
  • Orchard Terrace– A lakeside community south of Chautauqua on Route 394
  • Pleasantville– A hamlet near the east town line on County Road 54
  • Point Chautauqua– A hamlet on a peninsula on the eastern side of the lake
  • Point Pleasant– A projection into Chautauqua Lake south of Mayville
  • Prendergast Point– A projection into Lake Chautauqua in the southeast corner of the town
  • Shorelands– A hamlet on the east side of Chautauqua Lake, east of Mayville on Route 430
  • Summerdale– A hamlet in the western part of the town onNY Route 430
  • Wahmeda– A lakeside hamlet north of Chautauqua on Route 394.
  • Wooglin– A lakeside hamlet on the east side of the lake on Route 430

Notable people[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMarch 7,2024.
  2. ^ab"Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Chautauqua town, Chautauqua County, New York".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMarch 7,2024.
  3. ^ab"City and Town Population Totals: 2020–2022".Census.gov.US Census Bureau.RetrievedMarch 7,2024.
  4. ^Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)."Chautauqua".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 19.
  5. ^"Chautauqua Movement History".chautauqua.The Colorado Chautauqua. January 22, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 8,2022.
  6. ^History of Chautauqua, NY
  7. ^"Stories behind names of many familiar places".Olean Times Herald.February 7, 2016.RetrievedAugust 29,2016.
  8. ^John Phillips Downs; Fenwick Y Hedley (1921).History of Chautauqua County, New York, and Its People.American Historical Society. p.11.RetrievedMarch 4,2013.
  9. ^"Jamestown / Olean interurbans,"http:// vizettes /kt/ne-interurbans/ny/jw.htm
  10. ^Helen G. Ebersole, "Lakeside Ledger," July 4, 2018, "The Chautauqua Traction, First Year-Round Navigable Land Route from Jmst. to CHQ."
  11. ^"Chautauqua Traction Company".Official Guide of the Railways.54(1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1921.
  12. ^"Pennsylvania Railroad, Table 160".Official Guide of the Railways.78(12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1946.
  13. ^"The Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car #93 Restoration Project".
  14. ^ab"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.March 13, 2009.
  15. ^"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Chautauqua town, Chautauqua County, New York".U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2020.RetrievedNovember 5,2014.
  16. ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
  17. ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.

External links[edit]

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42°12′35″N79°28′00″W/ 42.20972°N 79.46667°W/42.20972; -79.46667

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