Jamestown, New York
Encyclopedia
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County
, New York
in the United States
. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.
The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott
and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake
. The town of Chautauqua
, home of the Chautauqua Institution
, is 17 miles (27.4 km) northwest of Jamestown.
The city has been a center for the manufacture of wood products such as furniture as well as a major producer of mattresses. The town was once called the "Furniture Capital of the World." Although many of these industries have migrated away from the area in recent times, Jamestown still retains a few large manufacturing plants for various multinational corporations. The city has a large concentration of citizens of Swedish and Italian ancestry.
Jamestown is noted as the birthplace of actress and comedienne Lucille Ball
, as well as the childhood hometown of the fictitious Lucy Ricardo formerly Lucy McGillicuddy, her character on the popular U.S. television
sitcom I Love Lucy
(CBS
, 1951–1960). Jamestown houses the Lucille Ball Museum and festival twice yearly, once in May and once in August. Other notable famous residents of Jamestown include Roger Tory Peterson, and the institute named after him. Robert H. Jackson
, who became Attorney General of the United States, a U.S. Supreme Court justice and the chief prosecutor at Nuremberg Trials
of Nazi war criminals, graduated from Jamestown High School in 1910 and lived and practiced law in Jamestown from then until he moved to Washington in 1934. Singer Natalie Merchant
and the band 10,000 Maniacs
also originated in Jamestown. The Maniacs' gold and platinum records
hang on the wall of Jamestown City Hall. Current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was born in Jamestown.
In 1855, Nightwatch was created for the purpose of looking out for fires.
Jamestown was incorporated into a village in 1827 and incorporated into a city on April 19, 1886. Oscar F. Price was elected as the first mayor of the city on April 13, 1886. James Murray was appointed to be the first Chief of Police and would lead a force of six police officers.
In 1887, Jamestown Electric Light and Power Company, Art Metal, and WCA Hospital were established. In 1888, Jamestown Woolen Spinning Co. established; cornerstone of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church laid. In 1889, the American Aristotype Co. was established. The first electric trolley car in Jamestown made its appearance in 1890. In 1891, a fire destroyed the Old Homestead Hotel at Third and Pine Streets and four people died. James Prendergast Library and the Municipal Light Plant were established the same year.
In 1892, Chautauqua Worsted mills was formed. In 1893, Jamestown Veneer Works was started by Nathan Wilson and Jamestown's first ice cream company started making Collins Ice Cream. In 1895, the cornerstone of City Hall was laid and the City Council decided to lay no more wooden sidewalks. Eleazer Green is elected mayor the same year. In 1896, Empire Worsted Mills was formed. In 1898, Chautauqua Towel Mills was opened. In 1899, Henry H. Cooper was elected mayor. In 1900, Tinkham Brothers established their business, the Furniture Index was published, and the Hall Textile Corporation was formed. In 1903, Jamestown purchased a water system and the J.P. Danielson Tool Co. was organized. In 1906, James L. Weeks was elected mayor. In 1907, the Crescent Tool Company was started by Karl Peterson and Charles F. Falldine. In 1908, Samuel A. Carlson
was elected mayor. Music Study Club and Jamestown Symphony Orchestra began the same year.
In 1910, the excavation began for construction of Jamestown General Hospital, which still stands in the present day. In 1911, the Norden Club was started. On August 6, actress Lucille Ball
was born in Jamestown. The first plane to ever fly over Jamestown occurred on September 28, 1911. The Norden Clubhouse was completed in 1914. On April 8, 1917, Company E left for guard duty. The Emerson Glass Company started the same year. In 1918, Jamestown Corp. formed to make airplane propellers. A steam ship, the City of Pittsburgh sank at Boatlanding, also in 1918. On July 7, 1918, the death of Ira Lou Spring marked the first Jamestown man to die in France during World War I
. In 1921, the Zonta Club was organized. In 1925, the Hotel Samuels was sold. In that same year, the Scottish Rite Temple was formally opened and taxpayers voted a $350,000 bond issue for the Third Street Bridge. The following year, Third Street Bridge was completed and it still stands today. In 1927, Jamestown celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a village. Lars Larson was elected mayor the same year. Ine 1930, Samuel A. Carlson served as mayor once again. In 1931, a fire destroyed the old Martyn Factory. Also, the city purchases Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company.
In 1932, the ground was broken for the new armory, the Erie Railroad station was dedicated, and the Community Chest was permanently formed. In 1933, Elk Furniture Company was sold. Also, Milton Carlson and Frederick Larson took over Jamestown Airport. The board of education assumed title to school forest. Also in 1933, city councilman Leon F. Roberts was elected mayor. In 1934, Jamestown Airport Corp. offered an airport to the city and the city secured the old armory as a relief center. As part of the New Deal program, the ground was broken for a new high school, which provided jobs during the Great Depression. In 1935, the Board of Education opened the new industrial arts building and City Council approved $314,000 airport for North Main Street site. In November, Jamestown High School
was formally dedicated. In 1937, the Temple Hesed Abraham was dedicated and the Alfred Collegiate Extension Center opened with 80 students. In 1938, Harry C. Erickson became mayor and Jamestown General Hospital's maternity annex opened. In 1939, twelve local plans surveyed by the government to produce supplies in wartime. Also, the city's new airport formally dedicated.
In 1940, the PONY league baseball began and Co. E was inducted into federal service. In 1941, Jamestown Municipal Stadium was dedicated and Samuel A. Stroth was elected mayor. In 1942, East Second Street widening was ordered and flames destroyed the old state armory. In 1945, Jamestown was hit by a tornado
. In 1946, Dr. Carlyle C. Ring was named superintendent of schools. C.C. Ring Elementary School presently stands, in his honor. In 1950, Jamestown Community College
was opened.
In 1951, Stanley A. Weeks was elected mayor and the addition to the municipal power plant was opened. In 1954, Samuel A. Stroth was elected mayor and Allegheny Airlines
began east-west flight via Jamestown. In 1955, Carl F. Sanford was elected mayor. In 1956, Lucy and Desi Arnaz visited Jamestown. In 1957, a $400,000 runway improvement to Jamestown Municipal Airport was added. In 1958, a new sewage disposal plant was opened, Buffalo Street pumping station was modernized, and a new wing opened at Jamestown General Hospital. In 1959, Jamestown's new post office was started. In 1960, Jamestown celebrated the sesquicentennial of first house erected here. That same year, Mohawk Airlines
started to serve Jamestown.
In 1961, Jamestown Community College moved into new Falconer Street campus and William D. Whitehead was elected mayor. In 1963, the City's first parking ramp opened at Main and Second Streets and Frederick H. Dunn elected mayor. Additionally, Grandin Mills on Allen Street was destroyed by fire and singer Natalie Merchant
was born in Jamestown. In 1964, the Washington Street Bridge was completed, . In 1967, an addition to Jamestown High School
was completed. Also, Jamestown Community College opened a new Science and Engineering Building. In that same year, Charles B. Magnuson was elected mayor. In 1968, an addition to the James Prendergast Free Library was completed. In 1969, the Cherry Street parking ramp was opened, Rail service to Jamestown discontinued by Erie-Lackawanna Railway, Stanley N. Lundine was elected mayor, and the New Gustavus Adolphus Children's Home opened. In 1970, the Final approval was granted for the Brooklyn Square Urban Renewal Project. Throughout the 1970s, homes in Brooklyn Square were relocated as well as many stores and shops. In 1981, Burt Reynolds
visited Jamestown while filming in Buffalo. A second Urban Renewal Project was proposed in 2006, and the project began in 2007.
Jamestown has hosted thirteen Babe Ruth World Series since 1980, and hosted the 13-Year-Old Babe Ruth World Series in 2008. The James Prendergast Library has regularly ranked in the top ten in the nation among those that service populations of 25,000-49,999, according to HAPLR, with a peak ranking of fourth in 2004.
of 2000, there were 31,730 people, 13,558 households, and 7,904 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,534.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,364.3/km²). There were 15,027 housing units at an average density of 1,673.9 per square mile (646.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.52% White, 3.39% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races
, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.94% of the population. 19.7% were of Italian, 18.1% Swedish, 12.8% German
, 9.0% Irish
, 8.7% English
and 5.5% American
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,558 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,837, and the median income for a family was $33,675. Males had a median income of $30,003 versus $20,039 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,316. About 15.8% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
.
This section lists the mayors of Jamestown, New York.
, the twenty-fifth governor of New York. The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center
is dedicated to the city's best-known daughter, Lucille Ball
and is holding her 100 year birthday celebration in her honor in August 2011. The Robert H. Jackson Center exists to preserve the life and legacy of Robert H. Jackson
. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History continues the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson
by promoting the teaching and study of nature, and to thereby create knowledge of and appreciation and responsibility for the natural world.
baseball
team of the New York - Penn League
. The Jammers are the Single A Short Season affiliate of the Florida Marlins
.
Jamestown was also home to the now-defunct Jamestown Vikings of the short-lived Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
between 2007 and 2008.
Jamestown is also the current home of the Jamestown Chiefs.( Semi-Pro football team)
Currently, the city is home to the Jamestown Jets
who are members of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
(GMHL) and are the only American team in this Canadian league. The Jets had previously belonged to the Northern Junior Hockey League
(which itself was based in Jamestown) for the 2008-09 season where they won the season championship President's Cup and the United Junior Hockey League for the 2009-10 season. Both leagues are now defunct.
Jamestown High School's boys and girls basketball teams have both won numerous Sectional and Division titles, with the basketball team winning back to back Section VI titles in 2009-2010, 2010-2011 while reaching the NYSPHSAA Class AA State Championship in 2011. The High School Football team has been to four New York State Championships, losing in 1993, and winning in 1994, 1995, and 2000
Jamestown will host its 15th Babe Ruth World Series in August 2011.
Jamestown will host, at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena
, three exhibition games prior to the start of the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
.
, just west of Jamestown, but still called the Jamestown Engine Plant or JEP), SKF AeroEngine (formerly MRC Bearings), TitanX and Truck-Lite (makers of truck lighting systems) "Blackstone" (makers of sheet metal). Chain stores have opened in recent years in the surrounding area, including Walmart, KMart, Wegmans, Sam's Club, CVS, and Rite Aid. The Jamestown area used to have a chain of Grocery stores, "Quality Markets" (aka Bi-Low) , recently bankrupt, have now been bought out by TOPS Friendly Markets.
"The Connection" an outsource phone call center has become a major employer on the corner of Second and Washington Streets in Jamestown housed in the Furniture Mart building, and headquartered out of MN. Jamestown is the home of hot dog franchise "Johnny's Lunch", founded in 1936, now expanding into many other states. However, many of the places of employment are packing up and leaving at a growing rate. The unemployment rate shows this area to be one of the most economically depressed areas of NY State. Population decrease and job decrease have gone hand in hand in this area. Senior Citizens have claimed previous retail buildings in downtown area that have been revamped for senior housing.
WCA Hospital (Women's Christian Association) was founded May 23, 1885, and included a nursing school until Jamestown Community College filled the need with a 2 year RN nursing program. Though Jamestown General Hospital, still stands in the present day on Jones Hill, it is no longer public, and is now part of WCA, housing mental health units as well as laboratories. The main campus of WCA is on the corner of Allen St and Foote Avenue.
At present, the greater Jamestown area remains at the center of an impressive agricultural region. Among the area's leading producers are Welch's, Mogen David, Kraft Foods and Red Wing. Of all the counties in New York State, Chautauqua County has more farms than any other (about 2,200). Although its primary agricultural product is milk, Chautauqua County is also the State's greatest producer of wine and jelly grapes. The area's production of Concord grapes is one of the largest in the nation, second only to California.
which provides a two-year education. Jamestown Business College
now provides a four-year degree in many majors.
Jamestown also houses a high school, Jamestown High School
; three middle schools, Persell Middle School, George Washington Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School; as well as six elementary schools, C.C. Ring School, CV Bush School, Fletcher School, Abraham Lincoln School, Love School, and Rogers School.
The Red Raider Marching Band from Jamestown High School
is one of the most traveled high school marching bands in the country, having been as far as Hawaii, and appearing on such shows as The Late Show with David Letterman. The Marching Band won the NY State Field Band Conference Championship in 1991, and has consistently placed in the top 10 at Bands of America competitions. They also played at the pregame show at the 2004 FedEx
Orange Bowl. In December 2007 they traveled to Florida
again, to play at the Citrus Bowl
. They have traveled to New York City for the St. Patricks Day Parade. The other premiere music ensemble at JHS is the A Cappella Choir. An auditioned ensemble featuring students from grades 10-12, the A Cappella choir has had only 4 directors in their 85 year history, starting with Ebba H. Goranson in 1924, continuing with Donald B. Bube and Brian A. Bogey, all the way to the choir's current director Dr. Benjamin P. Bracey. The A Cappella has traveled and sung internationally at: Saint Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, Canada; Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria; the Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria that W.A. Mozart served as parish musician; Saint Paul's, Westminster, and Salisbury Cathedrals in England; and the Saint Anne de Beaupre and Notre Dame Basilica in Quebec City, Canada. In the United States the choir has traveled to Washington, D.C.; Boston Massachusetts; New York City; Walt Disney World, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois.
(JHW) is north of the city and provides scheduled and charter air service.
of Erie. Connections are available. to the Greyhound
service in Buffalo
. There is also a county wide bus service (CARTS) and taxi service through various companies.
provides a daily Thruway Motorcoach service between its Buffalo-Exchange Street Station and Jamestown.
Until the 1970s, four railroad companies traveled through Jamestown:
In 1976, the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad was absorbed into Conrail
, and then ultimately, by Norfolk Southern Railway
and CSX Transportation
in 1998.
The Erie Railroad's former Jamestown Station
still exists, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
railroad—Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad
(JW&NW)—connected all three above towns (Jamestown-Mayville-Westfield) and ran along the north side of Lake Chatauqua. The JW&NW ended passenger operation in 1947, continued with freight, then quit entirely in 1950. Its rails and right-of-way have slowly disappeared.
is seeking a subsidy from the United States Department of Energy
. The plant, which would have an estimated cost of over $500 million, has been criticized by environmentalists and area residents. A study by an environmental consulting firm concluded that the cost of electricity from the proposed plant would be substantially higher than that of existing power sources, and higher than the cost of energy efficiency
and wind
alternatives.
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.
The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott
Ellicott, New York
Ellicott is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 9,280 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Joseph Ellicott, an agent of the Holland Land Company....
and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately 13,000 acres . The maximum depth is about 78 feet...
. The town of Chautauqua
Chautauqua, New York
Chautauqua is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, U.S. . The population was 4,666 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Chautauqua Lake. The traditional meaning remains 'bag tied in the middle'...
, home of the Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort located on 750 acres in Chautauqua, New York, 17 miles northwest of Jamestown in the western part of New York State...
, is 17 miles (27.4 km) northwest of Jamestown.
The city has been a center for the manufacture of wood products such as furniture as well as a major producer of mattresses. The town was once called the "Furniture Capital of the World." Although many of these industries have migrated away from the area in recent times, Jamestown still retains a few large manufacturing plants for various multinational corporations. The city has a large concentration of citizens of Swedish and Italian ancestry.
Jamestown is noted as the birthplace of actress and comedienne Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
, as well as the childhood hometown of the fictitious Lucy Ricardo formerly Lucy McGillicuddy, her character on the popular U.S. television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, 1951–1960). Jamestown houses the Lucille Ball Museum and festival twice yearly, once in May and once in August. Other notable famous residents of Jamestown include Roger Tory Peterson, and the institute named after him. Robert H. Jackson
Robert H. Jackson
Robert Houghwout Jackson was United States Attorney General and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court . He was also the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials...
, who became Attorney General of the United States, a U.S. Supreme Court justice and the chief prosecutor at Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
of Nazi war criminals, graduated from Jamestown High School in 1910 and lived and practiced law in Jamestown from then until he moved to Washington in 1934. Singer Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
and the band 10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.-1981–1993:...
also originated in Jamestown. The Maniacs' gold and platinum records
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
hang on the wall of Jamestown City Hall. Current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was born in Jamestown.
History
Jamestown, New York, is named after James Prendergast, an early Chautauqua County settler. His family had purchased 3500 acres (14.2 km²) in 1806, in the area now known as Chautauqua County. James Prendergast explored the area that is now Jamestown. Prendergast saw the area to be valuable, and so he purchased 1000 acres (4 km²) of land in the area in 1808. In the fall of 1809, Prendergast and an employee, John Blowers built a log cabin, which became the first building in Jamestown. Another log cabin as well as mills and a dam were built later on.In 1855, Nightwatch was created for the purpose of looking out for fires.
Jamestown was incorporated into a village in 1827 and incorporated into a city on April 19, 1886. Oscar F. Price was elected as the first mayor of the city on April 13, 1886. James Murray was appointed to be the first Chief of Police and would lead a force of six police officers.
In 1887, Jamestown Electric Light and Power Company, Art Metal, and WCA Hospital were established. In 1888, Jamestown Woolen Spinning Co. established; cornerstone of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church laid. In 1889, the American Aristotype Co. was established. The first electric trolley car in Jamestown made its appearance in 1890. In 1891, a fire destroyed the Old Homestead Hotel at Third and Pine Streets and four people died. James Prendergast Library and the Municipal Light Plant were established the same year.
In 1892, Chautauqua Worsted mills was formed. In 1893, Jamestown Veneer Works was started by Nathan Wilson and Jamestown's first ice cream company started making Collins Ice Cream. In 1895, the cornerstone of City Hall was laid and the City Council decided to lay no more wooden sidewalks. Eleazer Green is elected mayor the same year. In 1896, Empire Worsted Mills was formed. In 1898, Chautauqua Towel Mills was opened. In 1899, Henry H. Cooper was elected mayor. In 1900, Tinkham Brothers established their business, the Furniture Index was published, and the Hall Textile Corporation was formed. In 1903, Jamestown purchased a water system and the J.P. Danielson Tool Co. was organized. In 1906, James L. Weeks was elected mayor. In 1907, the Crescent Tool Company was started by Karl Peterson and Charles F. Falldine. In 1908, Samuel A. Carlson
Samuel A. Carlson
Samuel A. Carlson was mayor of Jamestown, New York. He is famous for bringing the Board of Public Utilities to life. Carlson was the sixth Mayor and the eighth Mayor of the town. Mayor Carlson was a Republican and a native of Jamestown, New York. Jamestown dedicated two memorials to Mayor...
was elected mayor. Music Study Club and Jamestown Symphony Orchestra began the same year.
In 1910, the excavation began for construction of Jamestown General Hospital, which still stands in the present day. In 1911, the Norden Club was started. On August 6, actress Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
was born in Jamestown. The first plane to ever fly over Jamestown occurred on September 28, 1911. The Norden Clubhouse was completed in 1914. On April 8, 1917, Company E left for guard duty. The Emerson Glass Company started the same year. In 1918, Jamestown Corp. formed to make airplane propellers. A steam ship, the City of Pittsburgh sank at Boatlanding, also in 1918. On July 7, 1918, the death of Ira Lou Spring marked the first Jamestown man to die in France during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1921, the Zonta Club was organized. In 1925, the Hotel Samuels was sold. In that same year, the Scottish Rite Temple was formally opened and taxpayers voted a $350,000 bond issue for the Third Street Bridge. The following year, Third Street Bridge was completed and it still stands today. In 1927, Jamestown celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a village. Lars Larson was elected mayor the same year. Ine 1930, Samuel A. Carlson served as mayor once again. In 1931, a fire destroyed the old Martyn Factory. Also, the city purchases Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company.
Jamestown High School (New York)
Jamestown High School is a public high school located in Jamestown, New York. It is the sole public high school within the city limits of Jamestown and educates high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors....
was formally dedicated. In 1937, the Temple Hesed Abraham was dedicated and the Alfred Collegiate Extension Center opened with 80 students. In 1938, Harry C. Erickson became mayor and Jamestown General Hospital's maternity annex opened. In 1939, twelve local plans surveyed by the government to produce supplies in wartime. Also, the city's new airport formally dedicated.
In 1940, the PONY league baseball began and Co. E was inducted into federal service. In 1941, Jamestown Municipal Stadium was dedicated and Samuel A. Stroth was elected mayor. In 1942, East Second Street widening was ordered and flames destroyed the old state armory. In 1945, Jamestown was hit by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
. In 1946, Dr. Carlyle C. Ring was named superintendent of schools. C.C. Ring Elementary School presently stands, in his honor. In 1950, Jamestown Community College
Jamestown Community College
Jamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system. JCC has two campuses in Chautauqua County, New York, located in Dunkirk and Jamestown. A third campus serves Cattaraugus County in Olean. A fourth site is located in Warren, Pennsylvania...
was opened.
In 1951, Stanley A. Weeks was elected mayor and the addition to the municipal power plant was opened. In 1954, Samuel A. Stroth was elected mayor and Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
began east-west flight via Jamestown. In 1955, Carl F. Sanford was elected mayor. In 1956, Lucy and Desi Arnaz visited Jamestown. In 1957, a $400,000 runway improvement to Jamestown Municipal Airport was added. In 1958, a new sewage disposal plant was opened, Buffalo Street pumping station was modernized, and a new wing opened at Jamestown General Hospital. In 1959, Jamestown's new post office was started. In 1960, Jamestown celebrated the sesquicentennial of first house erected here. That same year, Mohawk Airlines
Mohawk Airlines
Mohawk Airlines was an airline that operated in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, primarily the states of New York and Pennsylvania from the mid-1940s until its acquisition by Allegheny Airlines in 1972...
started to serve Jamestown.
In 1961, Jamestown Community College moved into new Falconer Street campus and William D. Whitehead was elected mayor. In 1963, the City's first parking ramp opened at Main and Second Streets and Frederick H. Dunn elected mayor. Additionally, Grandin Mills on Allen Street was destroyed by fire and singer Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
was born in Jamestown. In 1964, the Washington Street Bridge was completed, . In 1967, an addition to Jamestown High School
Jamestown High School (New York)
Jamestown High School is a public high school located in Jamestown, New York. It is the sole public high school within the city limits of Jamestown and educates high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors....
was completed. Also, Jamestown Community College opened a new Science and Engineering Building. In that same year, Charles B. Magnuson was elected mayor. In 1968, an addition to the James Prendergast Free Library was completed. In 1969, the Cherry Street parking ramp was opened, Rail service to Jamestown discontinued by Erie-Lackawanna Railway, Stanley N. Lundine was elected mayor, and the New Gustavus Adolphus Children's Home opened. In 1970, the Final approval was granted for the Brooklyn Square Urban Renewal Project. Throughout the 1970s, homes in Brooklyn Square were relocated as well as many stores and shops. In 1981, Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
visited Jamestown while filming in Buffalo. A second Urban Renewal Project was proposed in 2006, and the project began in 2007.
Jamestown has hosted thirteen Babe Ruth World Series since 1980, and hosted the 13-Year-Old Babe Ruth World Series in 2008. The James Prendergast Library has regularly ranked in the top ten in the nation among those that service populations of 25,000-49,999, according to HAPLR, with a peak ranking of fourth in 2004.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 31,730 people, 13,558 households, and 7,904 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,534.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,364.3/km²). There were 15,027 housing units at an average density of 1,673.9 per square mile (646.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.52% White, 3.39% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.94% of the population. 19.7% were of Italian, 18.1% Swedish, 12.8% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 9.0% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 8.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 5.5% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,558 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,837, and the median income for a family was $33,675. Males had a median income of $30,003 versus $20,039 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,316. About 15.8% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The government of the City of Jamestown is a mayor-council form of governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
.
Executive branch
The executive branch consists of the mayor, (who is elected for 4-year terms without term limits), and the heads of the departments, most of them appointed by the mayor.This section lists the mayors of Jamestown, New York.
| # | Mayor name | Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar F. Price | April 13, 1886 | May 7, 1894 | |
| 2 | Eleazer Green | May 7, 1894 | April 11, 1898 | |
| 3 | Henry H. Cooper | April 11, 1898 | 1900 | |
| 4 | J. Emil Johnson | 1900 | 1906 | |
| 5 | James L. Weeks | 1906 | 1908 | |
| 6 | Samuel A. Carlson Samuel A. Carlson Samuel A. Carlson was mayor of Jamestown, New York. He is famous for bringing the Board of Public Utilities to life. Carlson was the sixth Mayor and the eighth Mayor of the town. Mayor Carlson was a Republican and a native of Jamestown, New York. Jamestown dedicated two memorials to Mayor... |
1908 | 1928 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
| 7 | Lars Larson | 1928 | 1930 | |
| 8 | Samuel A. Carlson Samuel A. Carlson Samuel A. Carlson was mayor of Jamestown, New York. He is famous for bringing the Board of Public Utilities to life. Carlson was the sixth Mayor and the eighth Mayor of the town. Mayor Carlson was a Republican and a native of Jamestown, New York. Jamestown dedicated two memorials to Mayor... |
1930 | 1934 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
| 9 | Leon F. Roberts | 1934 | 1938 | |
| 10 | Harry C. Erickson | 1938 | 1941 | |
| 11 | Samuel A. Stroth | 1941 | 1951 | |
| 12 | Stanley A. Weeks | 1951 | 1954 | |
| 13 | Samuel A. Stroth | 1954 | 1955 | |
| 14 | Carl F. Sanford | 1955 | 1961 | |
| 15 | William D. Whitehead | 1961 | 1963 | |
| 16 | Frederick H. Dunn | 1963 | 1967 | |
| 17 | Charles B. Magnuson | 1967 | 1969 | |
| 18 | Stanley Nelson Lundine Stan Lundine Stanley Nelson Lundine is a politician from Jamestown, New York who served as Mayor of Jamestown, a United States Representative, and lieutenant governor of New York. A Democrat, he was inaugurated Mayor in 1970 and served to 1976 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after the... |
1969 | 1976 | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
| 19 | Steven B. Carlson | 1976 | 1990 | |
| 20 | Donald W. Ahlstrom | 1990 | 1992 | |
| 21 | Carolyn Gifford Seymour | 1992 | 1994 | |
| 22 | Richard Kimball | 1994 | 2000 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
| 23 | Samuel Teresi Samuel Teresi Samuel Teresi is the 23rd Mayor of the City of Jamestown, New York. He was born to County Legislator, Anthony Teresi who died in 2007. The Teresi's resided on Prospect Street in Jamestown. Following a successful primary against Anthony Raffa for the Democratic nomination, he defeated incumbent... |
2000 | Incumbent | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Legislative branch
The legislative body of Jamestown consists of nine council members, who are elected every two years without any term limits. Six council members represent each of the city's 6 wards, and 3 additional council members are known as councilmembers-at-large, representing the entire city. The table below outlines the current members of the Jamestown City Council.| Name/Party | Elected | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gregory P. Rabb (D) | At-Large, Council President | |
| Kimberly A. Ecklund (R) | At-Large | |
| George S. Spitale (D) | At-Large | |
| Stephen Szwejbka (D) | Ward I | |
| Anthony Dolce (R) | Ward II | |
| Michael A. Taylor (D) | Ward III | |
| Vince DeJoy (D) | Ward VI | |
| Maria B. Jones (D) | Ward V | |
| Paul D. Whitford (D) | Ward VI |
Museums
The Fenton History Center is named after former resident Reuben FentonReuben Fenton
Reuben Eaton Fenton was an American merchant and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of a farmer. He was elected a colonel of the New York State Militia in 1840. He became a lumber merchant, and entered politics as a Democrat...
, the twenty-fifth governor of New York. The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center
Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center is a museum in Jamestown, New York, dedicated to the lives and careers of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The museum officially opened in 1996 "to preserve and celebrate the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love...
is dedicated to the city's best-known daughter, Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
and is holding her 100 year birthday celebration in her honor in August 2011. The Robert H. Jackson Center exists to preserve the life and legacy of Robert H. Jackson
Robert H. Jackson
Robert Houghwout Jackson was United States Attorney General and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court . He was also the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials...
. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History continues the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson , was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.-Background:...
by promoting the teaching and study of nature, and to thereby create knowledge of and appreciation and responsibility for the natural world.
Sports
This is the home city for the Jamestown JammersJamestown Jammers
The Jamestown Jammers are a minor league baseball team in Jamestown, New York, United States. The team is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Miami Marlins and plays in the New York - Penn League...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team of the New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
. The Jammers are the Single A Short Season affiliate of the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
.
Jamestown was also home to the now-defunct Jamestown Vikings of the short-lived Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions of the United States. The league began play in November 2007...
between 2007 and 2008.
Jamestown is also the current home of the Jamestown Chiefs.( Semi-Pro football team)
Currently, the city is home to the Jamestown Jets
Jamestown Jets
The Jamestown Jets are an American junior ice hockey team based in Jamestown, New York. Originally members of the United Junior Hockey League and later the Northern Junior Hockey League. The Jets played in the Canadian Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League in 2010-11.-History:The team was announced...
who are members of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League is a Canadian Developmental Junior "A" ice hockey league. The GMHL is not affiliated with the Canadian Junior Hockey League or a member by Hockey Canada...
(GMHL) and are the only American team in this Canadian league. The Jets had previously belonged to the Northern Junior Hockey League
Northern Junior Hockey League
The Northern Junior Hockey League was an independent regional junior ice hockey league based in Jamestown, New York. The league's first and only season was the 2009-2010 season it included 7 teams including former UJHL teams....
(which itself was based in Jamestown) for the 2008-09 season where they won the season championship President's Cup and the United Junior Hockey League for the 2009-10 season. Both leagues are now defunct.
Jamestown High School's boys and girls basketball teams have both won numerous Sectional and Division titles, with the basketball team winning back to back Section VI titles in 2009-2010, 2010-2011 while reaching the NYSPHSAA Class AA State Championship in 2011. The High School Football team has been to four New York State Championships, losing in 1993, and winning in 1994, 1995, and 2000
Jamestown will host its 15th Babe Ruth World Series in August 2011.
Jamestown will host, at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena
Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena
Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Jamestown, New York, USA. It hosts local sporting events and concerts. It has been the home of two short-lived minor league hockey teams: the Jamestown Titans of the North Eastern Hockey League in 2003-04 and the Jamestown Vikings of the...
, three exhibition games prior to the start of the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred to as the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 2011 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was hosted by the United States. The games were played in Western New York, at HSBC Arena in Buffalo and Niagara...
.
Major employers
The Jamestown area has a few large manufacturing plants that are major employers in this region. These include Bush Industries (makers of ready-to-assemble furniture), "Crawford Furniture" (makers of solid wood furniture) Cummins Inc. (manufacturer of diesel engines; the heavy duty engine plant is located in the Town of BustiBusti, New York
Busti is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 7,760 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Paul Busti, an official of the Holland Land Company, but its pronunciation uses a long i sound at the end, a frequent alteration in the names of several upstate New...
, just west of Jamestown, but still called the Jamestown Engine Plant or JEP), SKF AeroEngine (formerly MRC Bearings), TitanX and Truck-Lite (makers of truck lighting systems) "Blackstone" (makers of sheet metal). Chain stores have opened in recent years in the surrounding area, including Walmart, KMart, Wegmans, Sam's Club, CVS, and Rite Aid. The Jamestown area used to have a chain of Grocery stores, "Quality Markets" (aka Bi-Low) , recently bankrupt, have now been bought out by TOPS Friendly Markets.
"The Connection" an outsource phone call center has become a major employer on the corner of Second and Washington Streets in Jamestown housed in the Furniture Mart building, and headquartered out of MN. Jamestown is the home of hot dog franchise "Johnny's Lunch", founded in 1936, now expanding into many other states. However, many of the places of employment are packing up and leaving at a growing rate. The unemployment rate shows this area to be one of the most economically depressed areas of NY State. Population decrease and job decrease have gone hand in hand in this area. Senior Citizens have claimed previous retail buildings in downtown area that have been revamped for senior housing.
WCA Hospital (Women's Christian Association) was founded May 23, 1885, and included a nursing school until Jamestown Community College filled the need with a 2 year RN nursing program. Though Jamestown General Hospital, still stands in the present day on Jones Hill, it is no longer public, and is now part of WCA, housing mental health units as well as laboratories. The main campus of WCA is on the corner of Allen St and Foote Avenue.
At present, the greater Jamestown area remains at the center of an impressive agricultural region. Among the area's leading producers are Welch's, Mogen David, Kraft Foods and Red Wing. Of all the counties in New York State, Chautauqua County has more farms than any other (about 2,200). Although its primary agricultural product is milk, Chautauqua County is also the State's greatest producer of wine and jelly grapes. The area's production of Concord grapes is one of the largest in the nation, second only to California.
Education
Jamestown has one campus of Jamestown Community CollegeJamestown Community College
Jamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system. JCC has two campuses in Chautauqua County, New York, located in Dunkirk and Jamestown. A third campus serves Cattaraugus County in Olean. A fourth site is located in Warren, Pennsylvania...
which provides a two-year education. Jamestown Business College
Jamestown Business College
Established in 1886, Jamestown Business College is a for-profit institution in Jamestown, New York. The college offers business-focused certificate, associate, and bachelor degree programs, along with specialized training in business etiquette. Students may take classes in a day or...
now provides a four-year degree in many majors.
Jamestown also houses a high school, Jamestown High School
Jamestown High School (New York)
Jamestown High School is a public high school located in Jamestown, New York. It is the sole public high school within the city limits of Jamestown and educates high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors....
; three middle schools, Persell Middle School, George Washington Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School; as well as six elementary schools, C.C. Ring School, CV Bush School, Fletcher School, Abraham Lincoln School, Love School, and Rogers School.
The Red Raider Marching Band from Jamestown High School
Jamestown High School (New York)
Jamestown High School is a public high school located in Jamestown, New York. It is the sole public high school within the city limits of Jamestown and educates high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors....
is one of the most traveled high school marching bands in the country, having been as far as Hawaii, and appearing on such shows as The Late Show with David Letterman. The Marching Band won the NY State Field Band Conference Championship in 1991, and has consistently placed in the top 10 at Bands of America competitions. They also played at the pregame show at the 2004 FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
Orange Bowl. In December 2007 they traveled to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
again, to play at the Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
. They have traveled to New York City for the St. Patricks Day Parade. The other premiere music ensemble at JHS is the A Cappella Choir. An auditioned ensemble featuring students from grades 10-12, the A Cappella choir has had only 4 directors in their 85 year history, starting with Ebba H. Goranson in 1924, continuing with Donald B. Bube and Brian A. Bogey, all the way to the choir's current director Dr. Benjamin P. Bracey. The A Cappella has traveled and sung internationally at: Saint Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, Canada; Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria; the Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria that W.A. Mozart served as parish musician; Saint Paul's, Westminster, and Salisbury Cathedrals in England; and the Saint Anne de Beaupre and Notre Dame Basilica in Quebec City, Canada. In the United States the choir has traveled to Washington, D.C.; Boston Massachusetts; New York City; Walt Disney World, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois.
Air
The Chautauqua County-Jamestown AirportChautauqua County-Jamestown Airport
Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport is a public airport located three statute miles north of the central business district of Jamestown, a city in Chautauqua County, New York, USA. This county-owned airport covers and has two runways...
(JHW) is north of the city and provides scheduled and charter air service.
Bus
Bus service is provided by Coach USACoach USA
Coach USA LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service...
of Erie. Connections are available. to the Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
service in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. There is also a county wide bus service (CARTS) and taxi service through various companies.
Long distance railroads
Present day Jamestown is on the mainline of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad which provides freight service. AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
provides a daily Thruway Motorcoach service between its Buffalo-Exchange Street Station and Jamestown.
Until the 1970s, four railroad companies traveled through Jamestown:
- Erie RailroadErie RailroadThe Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
- main line passing through Jamestown (New York to Chicago)
In 1976, the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad was absorbed into Conrail
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
, and then ultimately, by Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
in 1998.
The Erie Railroad's former Jamestown Station
Erie Railroad Station (Jamestown, New York)
Erie Railroad Station, also known as the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad Station, is a historic train station located at Jamestown in Chautauqua County, New York. It was constructed in 1931-1932, for the Erie Railroad, as a replacement for a much older station...
still exists, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.
Electric interurban - the Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern
An electric interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
railroad—Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad
Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad
The Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad was an electric interurban railroad that served the New York towns of Jamestown and Westfield from 1914 to 1950.-Heyday:...
(JW&NW)—connected all three above towns (Jamestown-Mayville-Westfield) and ran along the north side of Lake Chatauqua. The JW&NW ended passenger operation in 1947, continued with freight, then quit entirely in 1950. Its rails and right-of-way have slowly disappeared.
Proposed power plant
Jamestown is the site of a proposed coal-burning power plant, for which Praxair, Inc.Praxair
Praxair, Inc. is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. The company supplies atmospheric, process and specialty gases as well as high-performance coatings and related services to a wide diversity of customers around the world...
is seeking a subsidy from the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
. The plant, which would have an estimated cost of over $500 million, has been criticized by environmentalists and area residents. A study by an environmental consulting firm concluded that the cost of electricity from the proposed plant would be substantially higher than that of existing power sources, and higher than the cost of energy efficiency
Efficient energy use
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...
and wind
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
alternatives.
Notable people
- 10,000 Maniacs10,000 Maniacs10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.-1981–1993:...
, rock band - Brad AndersonBrad Anderson (cartoonist)Brad Anderson is an American cartoonist.-Life and early career:He graduated from Brocton Central School in Brocton, New York in 1943 and then served with the United States Navy until 1946 and continued to cartoon. Initially aspiring to be an industrial designer, Anderson attended Syracuse...
, cartoonist - Mitchell AndersonMitchell AndersonMitchell Ogren Anderson is an American character actor.Anderson was born in Jamestown, New York, to a retail store owner mother and a father who worked in business...
, actor from Doogie Howser, M.D.Doogie Howser, M.D.Doogie Howser, M.D. is an American television comedy-drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a 16-year-old doctor who also faces the problems of being a normal teenager. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, ABC aired the show from 1989 to 1993 for four seasons totaling 97 episodes.-Plot:Dr.... - Lucille BallLucille BallLucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
, actress and comedienne whose birthplace was Jamestown, and whose childhood home is in nearby CeloronCeloron, New YorkCeloron is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It sits on the west boundary of the City of Jamestown, New York and is surrounded by the Town of Ellicott. The population was 1,295 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. - Lorin BlodgetLorin BlodgetLorin Blodget , American physicist and writer. Blodget was born near Jamestown and attended the Jamestown Academy. He later attended a college now called Hobart College in Geneva, NY....
, climatologist and financial writer - Pandora BoxxPandora BoxxPandora Boxx is an American drag queen, comedian and reality television personality from Rochester, New York. He is best known as a contestant from the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race...
, female impersonator and reality television personality (series RuPaul's Drag RaceRuPaul's Drag RaceRuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo. RuPaul plays host, mentor and inspiration for this series, which details RuPaul's search for "America's next drag superstar."...
and RuPaul's Drag URuPaul's Drag URuPaul's Drag U is an American reality television series. Hosted by RuPaul and a team of drag queen "professors," Drag U is a spin-off of the series RuPaul's Drag Race...
) - Nick Carter, singer from Backstreet BoysBackstreet BoysThe Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, was originally from Jamestown, though he grew up elsewhere - William FeatherWilliam FeatherWilliam A. Feather was an American publisher and author, based in Cleveland, Ohio.Born in Jamestown, New York, Feather relocated with his family to Cleveland in 1903. After earning a degree from Western Reserve University in 1910, he worked as a reporter for the Cleveland Press...
, publisher and author - Reuben FentonReuben FentonReuben Eaton Fenton was an American merchant and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of a farmer. He was elected a colonel of the New York State Militia in 1840. He became a lumber merchant, and entered politics as a Democrat...
, lumber merchant and governor of New York - Charles GoodellCharles GoodellCharles Ellsworth Goodell was a U.S. Representative and a Senator from New York, notable for coming into both offices under special circumstances following the deaths of his predecessors.-Early life and education:...
, congressman and senator - Roger GoodellRoger GoodellRoger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
, NFL commissioner, born and raised in Jamestown - Junior GuildersJunior GuildersThe Junior Guilders are a singing group associated with the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown, New York. Founded in 1983 by Helen Merrill and Lucille Miller, the Guilders get together each week to practice their singing, dancing, and acting. Their ages range from 7-16 and they use a wide...
, singing group connected with the local Lucille Ball Little TheatreLucille Ball Little TheatreLucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown is a community theatre company located in Jamestown, New York. It evolved from the Jamestown Players Club and was established as a non-profit corporation in 1936 with the name Little Theatre of Jamestown. The company has its own theatre on East Second St.... - Alva L. HagerAlva L. HagerAlva Lysander Hager was a three-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 9th congressional district in the 1890s....
, congressman - Hayward A. HarveyHayward A. HarveyHayward Augustus Harvey was an American inventor and industrialist.- Biography :Hayward Harvey is best known for inventing the Harvey process for case hardening the front surface of steel armor plate. The resulting Harvey armor was widely used on armoured ships in the 1890s. He was born in...
, inventor and industrialist - John B. HayesJohn B. HayesJohn Briggs Hayes was a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 16th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1978 to 1982....
, commandant of the U. S. Coast Guard - Robert H. JacksonRobert H. JacksonRobert Houghwout Jackson was United States Attorney General and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court . He was also the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials...
, U.S. Solicitor General, U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice & Nuremberg chief prosecutor, graduated from Jamestown High SchoolJamestown High School (New York)Jamestown High School is a public high school located in Jamestown, New York. It is the sole public high school within the city limits of Jamestown and educates high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors....
, lived and practiced law in Jamestown from 1910-1934, visited regularly when he lived in Washington from 1934-1954, and was buried following an October 1954 funeral at Jamestown's St. Luke's Episcopal Church. - Laura KightlingerLaura KightlingerLaura Kightlinger is an American actress, comedian and writer. She may be best known for her role as Nurse Sheila on Will & Grace.-Early life:Kightlinger was born and raised in Jamestown, New York...
, comedienne, writer and actress - Stanley Lundine, politician, Mayor of Jamestown, Congressman, NY Lieutenant Governor
- Natalie MerchantNatalie MerchantNatalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, musician - William ParmentWilliam ParmentWilliam L. Parment was born in Jamestown, New York, and raised in Ellington. He is a "sixth generation Chautauqua County native."Within the New York State Assembly, he represents District 150, which includes most of Chautauqua County , including the cities of...
, politician - Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school...
, children's author - Roger Tory PetersonRoger Tory PetersonRoger Tory Peterson , was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.-Background:...
, naturalist, artist, educator, photographer and inventor of the Peterson Field Guides of birdwatching - Irv NorenIrv NorenIrving Arnold Noren is a retired American professional baseball and basketball player. He played outfield in the Major Leagues from 1950-1960. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators, New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Former American professional Baseball and Basketball player - Jacob RiisJacob RiisJacob August Riis was a Danish American social reformer, "muckraking" journalist and social documentary photographer. He is known for using his photographic and journalistic talents to help the impoverished in New York City; those impoverished New Yorkers were the subject of most of his prolific...
, journalist, photographer, most known for book "How the Other Half Lives," lived and worked in Jamestown and surrounding area for several years - Jackson RohmJackson RohmJackson Rohm is an American country/pop musician. He was born in Jamestown, New York, and currently lives in Lakewood, Ohio.-Early life:Rohm graduated from Southwestern High School in West Ellicott, New York, in 1989. He considered attending Cornell University and the University of Virginia before...
, country/pop musician - Ira SpringIra SpringIra Spring was an American photographer, author, mountaineer and hiking advocate. He was the photographer and co-author, with Harvey Manning, of the "100 Hikes" series of books published by The Mountaineers. He co-founded the trails advocacy and maintenance organization Washington Trails...
, photographer, author and hiking advocate - Jud StrunkJud StrunkJud Strunk was an American singer, songwriter and comedian.-Biography:Born Justin Strunk, Jr. in Jamestown, New York, he was raised in Buffalo, New York, where as a small boy his showmanship became evident...
, singer/songwriter and comedian - Davis Hanson WaiteDavis Hanson WaiteDavis Hanson Waite , U.S. Populist Party and Democratic Party politician, served as the eighth Governor of Colorado from 1893 to 1895...
, governor of Colorado - Walter WashingtonWalter WashingtonWalter Edward Washington, was an American politician, the first home-rule mayor of the District of Columbia...
, first African American mayor of Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and its first elected mayor, grew up in Jamestown-