Jamestown NY

Welcome to Jamestown!
Our brochure’s handy map will
guide you on a walking tour
of Jamestown’s architecture,
museums, outdoor sculptures
Joni Blackman, Director
and public art. You’ll start at
Fenton History Center
the historic Gateway Station—
currently under renovation—at
Second and Lafayette Streets. As you walk through
downtown, you'll find plenty of fine restaurants to welcome you when you need to recharge.
Over two dozen Historical Markers explain Jamestown’s unique history. Pick up a copy of Jamestown,
New York Historical Markers: A Guide Book during your
visit to the Fenton History Center for an even richer
vistor experience.
Visit www.fentonhistorycenter.org for more information. We're here to help make your visit a success!
THE GATEWAY STATION
Lafayette and West Second Street
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This is Jamestown’s fourth station, the first station
built for passenger comfort. The first train came
to Jamestown in 1860. It opened up the world to
Jamestown’s products and brought fast growth in
return. Built in 1931, the Gateway station is a simple
classical design typical of the time. Currently undergoing extensive restoration, it is scheduled to re-open in
the fall of 2012.
JAMESTOWN SAVINGS BANK
ARENA
319 West Third Street
2
Joni Blackman
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Visit the 1863 mansion of former NY
State Gov. Reuben E. Fenton, home
of the Fenton History Center
Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown in 1911, and
Jamestown loves Lucy!
So much so that three large murals depict Lucy in her
most memorable roles. Located on the south side of
Third St. almost to Pine St.(look over the parking lot),
The USPS building at Prendergast Ave. and Third St.,
and on the parking ramp at Fourth and Pine Streets.
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REG LENNA CIVIC CENTER
116 East Third Street
Opened in 2002, the Arena is a dual rink facility. It
has hosted big name concerts and events, and many
national tournaments from ice-skating to hockey. The
bronze statues by the main entrance, cast by sculptor
Dave Poulin, represent the many youth athletes
making use of the Arena.
The Reg Lenna Civic Center, formerly the Palace
Theater, opened in 1923. Renovated in 1989, the
beautifully restored theater showcases the oldest
known billboard in the country – “Buffalo Bill Cody’s
Combination” from 1878.
The Civic Center features gallery exhibition space
that exhibits the work of local artists.
716/484-2624
www.jamestownsavingsbankicearena.com
716/664-2465
www.artscouncil.com
CHAUTAUQUA SPORTS HALL OF
FAME
15 West Third Street
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LUCY MURALS
5
CITY HALL & FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
200 East Third Street
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Jamestown’s current City Hall (built in 1971) is placed
where the former City Hall also stood (1895-1971).
The area around City Hall, Tracy Plaza, has a series of
Veteran’s Memorials. Across Third Street, in the next
block is the First Congregational Church, built in 1869,
it is the oldest congregation in Jamestown. Formed
in 1816. In 1889, the large lighted stained glass
Prendergast window was given in memory of Judge
Alexander Prendergast, only son of James Prendergast,
Jamestown’s founder.
Tucked in among the large hotels and retail shops
of the late 1870s is the Chautauqua Sports Hall of
Fame, honoring outstanding local athletes. (Hours
vary.) The Hotel Jamestown and Hotel Samuels (now
Covenant Manor) are exaples of the grand hotels that
housed thousands of the furniture buyers who came to
Jamestown to buy high-quality local products.
716/484-2272
www.chautauquasportshalloffame.org
LUCY DESI CENTER FOR COMEDY
2-10 West Main Street
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ROBERT H. JACKSON CENTER
305 East Fourth Street
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Welcome to the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnez Center; the
Lucy-Desi Museum and Desilu Playhouse. See priceless
costumes, TV sets, artifacts, photos and films of the
First Couple of Comedy. Shops are available in each
museum. Built on the former Prendergast block originally developed by the founding Prendergast family’s
grandson in the late 1800s to support the ongoing
work of the local public library of the same name.
The Jackson Center is committed to the legacy of the
Supreme Court Justice and US Nuremberg Prosecutor.
The Center features changing exhibits, lectures and
special programs year round.
Built by financier Alonzo Kent in 1858, the Italianate
building was the first brick home built in Jamestown.
Kent was the president of the First National Bank of
Jamestown, and a contributor to Abolitionist causes.
716/484-0800
www.lucy-desi.com
716/484-6646
www.roberthjackson.org
LOOK UP!
Downtown Jamestown
is rich in Victorian-era
storefronts
JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK
tour
a self-guided walking
W
jamestown
hat turns an afternoon
walk into an adventure? A passion for
discovery! And we’re passionate about
what you’ll discover in Jamestown.
Jamestown’s Cultural Heritage
Celebrating 200 years of progress
Jamestown, New York began as a lumbering
camp with pioneer settlers clearing primeval
forests to create farmland. It was named for
James Prendergast, Jamestown's first family.
By the Civil War, the railroad had arrived.
Within a generation or two, Jamestown
became a bustling city with robust textile mills,
world-renowned furniture factories and a rich
cultural life. The elegant Victorian-era homes
you'll see on the tour are reflections of the
hard work and past wealth of the community.
Today, this city of 30,000 citizens is a magnet
for people looking for the special qualities of a
small town, one with all the benefits of a large
city–education, culture, recreation and entertainment.
From the timeless humor you might
expect from Lucille Ball’s hometown,
to an entire community dedicated to
lifelong learning, you’ll find captivating
stories that make life wonderful—and
here it’s all just steps away.
Visit www.jamestownupclose.com
for other local attractions you’re sure
to enjoy.
Historic Jamestown. See it up close.
Discover its many wonders!
This brochure was prepared for the New York State Department
of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental
Protection Fund, with additional funding through the Chautauqua
County Occupancy Tax Program.
Underground
Railroad Tableau
in Dow Park
www.jamestownupclose.com
THE THURSTON BLOCK
Fourth Street between Pine and
Main Streets
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PRENDERGAST LIBRARY
509 Cherry Street
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The library’s namesake, James Prendergast, met an
untimely death. His family took his idea of a free
public library and made it a reality. James was the
grandson and namesake of Jamestown’s founder.
He was an accomplished attorney and real estate
developer. The library serves over 900 patrons daily. It
also sits on Jamestown’s second burial ground.
Built in the 1870s, the Thurston Block reflects
Jamestown’s rising prosperity in the 19th century. On
each end of the block are the YMCA (built in 1900) and
the YWCA (built in 1892). The first YMCA, built in 1858,
was located at the corner of Main and Third Streets. It
was built for $350,000—all donated monies.
The YWCA was formed in 1888 by a group of prominent Jamestown women to uplift young women and
their Christian values.
ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
410 North Main Street
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UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
TABLEAU IN DOW PARK
Washington at Sixth Street
14
GEORGE W. TEW HOUSE
413 North Main Street
Pioneers to this densely wooded area found travel
difficult. Keelboats were used until the late 1840s
to move cargo and necessities. The keelboat landing
was located on the banks of the “Rapids”, now the
Chadakoin River, east of the Main St. Bridge.
JAMESTOWN FURNITURE MART
Washington at West Second Street
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MARVIN COMMUNITY HOUSE
2 West Fifth Street
KEELBOAT LANDING
Main Street at Chadakoin River
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Dow Park, located across West Sixth Street from the
Prendergast Library, is named for Charles Dow whose
home stands at the corner of West Fifth and Cherry
Streets. Charles Dow was instrumental in creating
the NYS Parks system, Niagara Falls State Park and
Letchworth State Park in particular.
The Underground Railroad Tableau depicts a fugitive
slave finding safe haven at Catherine Harris’ s nearby
home with the help of conductor Silas Shearman.
Although changed over time to look more Victorian,
the mansard roof shows its original style was Second
Empire. Built in 1885 for George W. Tew, president of
the National Bank of Jamestown, it has been a popular
men’s club and the United Way office. The Tews were
the only family that lived in the home.
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Jamestown’s first theater, The Allen Opera House,
predecessor to the Lucille Ball Little Theater, was built
in 1881. The current Little Theater group is the oldest
in New York State. Vaudeville, traveling drama groups,
local theater groups , silent movies and talkies have
all been part of Jamestown’s theater past. Jamestown
has had 24 theaters over the years.
716/483-1095
www.lucilleballlittletheater.org
This is the fourth church on this site. Its first service
was held on Thanksgiving Day in 1894. It was built
in memory of Catherine Prendergast, granddaughter
of the founding father James, when she died at the
young age of ten.
St. Luke’s is known for its bells. Twelve bells in the
tower are dedicated to the twelve apostles, the largest
weighing 4,200 pounds., the smallest 418 pounds.
A new system was installed in 2005, replacing the
over 100-year-old original bells.
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LUCILLE BALL LITTLE THEATER
18 East Second Street
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JAMESTOWN’S RIVERWALK
South Main Steet at the river
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The river means power and transportation. Combine
that with dense woodlands and you have lumbering
and milling all along the river. Jamestown sprung up
to support the early cabinet and furniture making,
then tool making, and fine crafts after that. The addition of the railroads brought a cost effective way to
move raw materials and export finished product across
the country and in some cases, the world.
The Furniture Exposition building was built in 1917 to
showcase the many hardwood furniture makers in the
area to over 1,500 buyers from around the world. It is
nine stories, fire proof and 186,000 square feet.
When the Jamestown Furniture Mart was built, it
was the tallest building in the city. Over 150 furniture
companies existed in Jamestown around 1900, second
in the country.
EARLY BANKING AND RETAIL
North Main at Second Street
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The shingle style farmhouse residence built in the mid1850s for Richard Lewis was renovated extensively
in the mid-1890s for the prominent Marvin family.
Mrs. Elizabeth Marvin left the home to the women of
Jamestown in 1951 to provide a place for moral and
scholarly pursuits.
BROOKLYN SQUARE
South Main Street between river
and Route 60
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The area from the Chadakoin River to Third Street
once was the center of town. The first banks and retail
businesses were along this stretch of Main Street. In
1831, Jamestown had eleven retail stores, the first
bank, two factories, four saw mills, a grist mill, two
printing offices and a number of machinery repair
establishments for a population of 884.
Known as Prendergast’s Meadow or the Flats in 1814,
it was common pasture prone to flooding. In 1866,
the flat was raised 10 feet above grade with gravel.
By the early 1900s, immigrants from England, Ireland,
Sweden, Italy, Albania and Greece arrived to rebuild
their lives. Being on the south side of the river, it was
named Brooklyn Square after that well-known city.
Once a center of business and retail activity, Urban
Renewal in the 1970s brought many parking lots.
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E Fifth St
W Fifth St
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10
W Fourth St
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start
here!
1825
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1810–First log cabin built
at outlet of Chautauqua
Lake by Prendergast
employee.
1827–Jamestown incorporates as a Village.
Spring St
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5
E First St
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ER
N RIV
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O
K
A
CHAD
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1828–First steamboat
plies Chautauqua Lake.
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N RIVER
AKOI
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A
CH
Tour Stops
1840
5
E Second St
716/664-6256
www.fentonhistorycenter.com
1806–Jamestown’s 1816–Jamestown Post
founding family, the Office established.
Prendergasts, arrives. Furniture making
begins.
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17
Pine St
3
Cherry St
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S Main St
W Second St
amestown’s Timeline
1806
Washington St (Route 60)
2
Welcome to the home of New York State’s
25th Governor. Reuben E. Fenton (18191885) was Chautauqua County’s most
famous citizen during the last half of the
nineteenth century. He also served as
a five-term U.S. Congressman and U. S.
Senator.
His home–with its strong Italian Villa
flavor–was built in 1863 and remained in
the Fenton family until 1919, when it was
sold to the City. It was then used by local
veterans’ groups and for City government
offices. In 1963, the Fenton Historical
Society was organized and the City made
the mansion available as a center for its
museum and collections. The museum is
four floors of exhibits, artifacts, pictures
and period rooms about Jamestown.
J
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9
4
W Third St
FENTON HISTORY CENTER,
MUSEUM & RESEARCH CENTER
67 Washington Street
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8
E Fourth St
Lafayette St
The Drawing Room at the Fenton Mansion. From the
Underground Railroad to farming, from trolleys to life
at the turn of the 20th century, you’ll find it all here!
Prendergast Ave
12
Pine St
Cherry St
13
Spring St
E Sixth St
N Main St
W Sixth St
1860–First train arrives in Jamestown.
1860
1849–First Swedish,
German and Irish
immigrants arrive.
Attractions
1862–Great Fire levels
Main Street from Second
to Third Streets.
1870
1861–Civil war begins,
Village sends 400 troops
by end of war in 1865.
1879–First telephone service
begins with 12 customers.
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Suggested Route
1886–Jamestown
incorporates as a City.
1885
Washington St (Route 60
)
1900
Public Restrooms
1911–Professional fire service 1920–Jamestown
begins with 37 men replacing population tops
200 volunteers.
38,900.
1915
1900–Jamestown produces over $1.03
million in products per year.
1940–Parking meters
used in Jamestown.
1930
1929–Jamestown Municipal
Airport opens.
1945
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Public Parking
1956–25,000 people welcome Lucille Ball
to Jamestown for movie premier.
1960
1950–Jamestown
Community College
opens, the first in New
York State.
1980
1960s–Urban Renewal
changes Brooklyn Square
from neighborhoods to
industrial parks.