Research by Norman Carlson, Chautauqua County Historian, has highlighted significant events in the history of Chautauqua County for the week of May 18 to May 24. The county’s past is marked by various historical occurrences ranging from civic developments to cultural milestones.
On May 18, several notable events occurred over the years. In 1858, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Mina Corners was formed. A decade later, in 1868, Sherman issued its last liquor license before entering a dry era that lasted until a vote in 1938. In 1898, Jamestown witnessed its first streetcar fatality with Alice Thompson. The Chautauqua County BOCES was officially chartered in 1954, and in 1975, a historical marker was unveiled at Jeremiah Griffith’s grave. In a more somber note from 1988, Kathy Wilson disappeared; her murder remains unsolved.
May 19 saw the opening of the Erie Railroad for regular business in Dunkirk in 1851 and the destruction of Brooklyn Square’s Ford Block by fire in 1889. Jamestown’s Masonic Temple was dedicated in 1922, and Ken Schroeder flew the first airmail from Jamestown in 1938. Peggy Thompson became Jamestown’s first resident to receive the Salk polio vaccine on this day in 1955.
The timeline continues on May 20 with events like the return of reservations to the Seneca Nation under the Supplemental Treaty of Buffalo Creek in 1842 and other civic developments such as Charles Samuels purchasing an opera house and Broadhead and Sons acquiring property both occurring in Jamestown during May of different years.
Significant occurrences on May 21 include a fire destroying Celoron Park’s bathhouse in 1900 and Gerald Haglund receiving an honor for promoting Swedish culture on this day in Jamestown decades later.
Dr. William B. Martin experienced an accident on May 22 when his buggy overturned in Farmington back in 1869 while Kate Stoneman made history as New York’s first woman lawyer admitted to practice law by state Supreme Court authorities later that same date but years apart.
By May end each year since early times till recent ones various incidents took place such as those recorded under dates between twenty-three through twenty-four inclusive covering vast array ranging across stages like infrastructural changes societal contributions or personal achievements worthy mention therein providing glimpses into how region evolved through ages thereby enriching collective memory regarding locale overall significance throughout larger American narrative.
