Chautauqua Township Historical Society

04/13/2026

SPRING CLEANING TIME!
We have set aside May 4,6, and 9 from 11-2. We appreciate all helping hands! Stop in the depot if you can!

03/08/2026

A little Look at Mayville’s History! This is Alfred Harvey on Morris Street at the corner of Pratt, Mayville, NY in his car with 1915 plates. Alfred is buried in Stockton, NY. Courtesy Devon Taylor, historian.

02/27/2026

Memberships/Donations:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/chautauqua-town-historical-society-membership

Support the Chautauqua Town Historical Society’s mission by becoming a member / renewing your membership! Annual dues are $5:
Go to: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/chautauqua-town-historical-society-membership
Venmo: -S-Historical
Mail / drop off a check and contact info to: Town of Chautauqua - Clerk's Office, 2 Academy St, Mayville, NY 14757.

02/26/2026

02/12/2026

Community Event outside of the festival - The Town of Chautauqua Historical Society Museum will be open on Saturday from 12-4 with great displays of our local history, including memorabilia form the past Mayville Winterfest (I.C.E. Castle Extravaganza, along with other names).

12/25/2025

Happy Holidys to all!

11/14/2025

This coming Thursday 7 pm, November 20th, local author and trail enthusiast Wendy Lewellen will be the Chautauqua Town Historical Society’s November speaker . The talks are held in the Veteran’s Memorial Meeting Room of the Chautauqua Town Hall, 2 Academy Street, Mayville, NY.
Lewellen is the secretary of Chautauqua Rails to Trails (CR2T) which is part of the national Rails to Trails Conservancy RTC. She is the author of Good Soles: Chautauqua Rails to Trails, Namesakes and Trailblazers, and Chautauqua Hostess: Winnie of the Wensley House. Lewellen, a native of western New York, will discuss the work of Chautauqua Rails to Trails, the volunteer organization that maintains a 30-mile system of recreational trails in the county. It is part of a national network of trails that have been created on the beds of former railroad tracks. All fifty states have rail-trails. The Chautauqua rail-trail runs from Sherman to Brocton with the Mayville Depot midway.
Lewellen’s talk will touch on the history of trails in the area, primarily discussing the development and current use of the CR2T system over the past 30 years. The CR2T was formed in 1991 to convert the area’s abandoned railroad corridors into recreational trails. The trail system has grown to be composed of eleven named segments or sections. Eight of these trail sections are named for individuals. Lewellen will focus on some of their stories as well as recount stories of the trails.

10/09/2025

There will NOT be a Historical Society meeting on October 16 at the Town Building.

We will have one in November.