Jamestown, New York
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Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also ha ...
to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest population center in the county. Nearby Chautauqua Lake is a freshwater resource used by fishermen, boaters, and naturalists. Notable people from Jamestown include legendary comedienne
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
, U.S. Supreme Court justice and Nuremberg chief prosecutor
Robert H. Jackson Robert Houghwout Jackson (February 13, 1892 – October 9, 1954) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1941 until his death in 1954. He had previously served as Unit ...
, musician
Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...
, musician Dennis Drew, musician John Lombardo, naturalist Roger Tory Peterson, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. In the 20th century, Jamestown was a thriving industrial area, noted for producing several well-known products. They include the crescent wrench, produced by Karl Peterson's the Crescent Tool Company in Jamestown beginning in 1907. and the automatic lever voting machine, manufactured by the Automatic Voting Machine Company, which dominated the lever voting machine industry from its location on Jones and Gifford Avenue in Jamestown until its bankruptcy in 1983. Jamestown was also once called the "Furniture Capital of the World" because of the once-thriving furniture industry. People visited from all over the country to attend furniture expositions at the Furniture Mart, a building that still stands in the city and houses offices for a variety of companies. For most of the 20th century, Blackstone Corporation, led by Reginald Lenna, was Jamestown's largest employer and one of the driving cores of the local economy, manufacturing washing machines and automobile components.


History


19th century

Jamestown is named after James Prendergast, an early Chautauqua County settler. His family purchased in 1806 in the area now known as Chautauqua County. James Prendergast explored the area that is now Jamestown. and saw the area to be valuable, and so he purchased an additional 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 on the Chadakoin River later on. In 1855, a night watch was created for the purpose of looking out for fires. Jamestown was incorporated into a
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
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 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. was established and the 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, but the James Prendergast Library and the Municipal Light Plant were established the same year. In 1892, Chautauqua Worsted mills was founded. 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 was elected mayor the same year. In 1896, Empire Worsted Mills was formed; in 1898, Chautauqua Towel Mills was opened; and in 1899, Henry H. Cooper was elected mayor.


20th century

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 the 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 Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
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 steamship, the ''City of Pittsburgh'' sank at the Boatlanding, also in 1918. In 1921, the Zonta Club was organized. In 1925, the Hotel Samuels was sold. 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 {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...
of its incorporation as a village. Lars Larson was elected mayor the same year. In 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, 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, Kevin McElrath 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 was 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 A tornado is a violently 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. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...
. 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, Lucille Ball 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 the 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 Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...
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, passenger rail service to Jamestown discontinued the next year 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. 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. .


21st century

On August 1, 2018, Jamestown opened the Jamestown National Comedy Center. This became the official
National Comedy Center The National Comedy Center is an American museum dedicated to comedy. The museum and its archives are located in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York. The museum documents the history of comedy and the artists, producers, writers, c ...
, receiving national designation from Congress.


Climate

Jamestown has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
( Köppen ''Dfb''). Winters are cold and snowy, while summers are warm and humid.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
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 White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 3.39%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.64% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 1.8% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. Regarding ethnicity the largest ethnic group reported in the 2000 Census was Italian and the second largest was Swedish. 19.7% were of Italian, 18.1% Swedish, 12.8%
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
, 9.0% Irish, 8.7% English and 5.5% American ancestry.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 4.94% of the population, according to Census 2000 Historically, up until the 1980s, Jamestown comprised primarily people of Italian or Swedish descent, about fifty percent of the population being of Italian descent, and fifty percent being of Swedish descent. Jamestown's strong heritage is showcased at the local museum
The Fenton History Center
which boasts both a Swedish Room and an Italian Room. 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 age distribution of the population shows 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 (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,316. About 15.8% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, 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 government.Jamestown City Charter


Executive branch

The executive branch consists of a mayor elected to four-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.


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 six wards, and three 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.


Current


Former


Culture


Museums

* The Fenton History Center, located in the former Gov. Reuben Fenton Mansion is named for former resident Reuben Fenton, the 25th Governor of New York. * The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center is dedicated to the city's best-known daughter,
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
, and held a ceremony in honor of what would have been Ball's 100th birthday in August 2011. Washington Street Bridge has also been fully rebuilt and renovated and renamed the Lucy Desi Bridge. *The
Jamestown Gateway Train Station Jamestown station is a historic train station located at Jamestown in Chautauqua County, New York. Although no longer an active railroad station due to a lack of passenger service in the area after a restoration done in 2011 the building current ...
at 211-217 West Second Street in downtown Jamestown *The
National Comedy Center The National Comedy Center is an American museum dedicated to comedy. The museum and its archives are located in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York. The museum documents the history of comedy and the artists, producers, writers, c ...
opened on August 1, 2018. It currently holds the personal archives of
George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercul ...
,
Shelley Berman Sheldon Leonard Berman (February 3, 1925 – September 1, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, writer, teacher, and lecturer. In his comedic career, he was awarded three gold records and he won the first Grammy Award for a spoken comedy reco ...
and the Smothers Brothers.
The Robert H. Jackson Center
was built to preserve the life and legacy of
Robert H. Jackson Robert Houghwout Jackson (February 13, 1892 – October 9, 1954) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1941 until his death in 1954. He had previously served as Unit ...
while educating the community about justice and tolerance with a continuing emphasis on the Nuremberg Trials. * 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.


Sports

Jamestown was the home city for the
Jamestown Jammers The Jamestown Jammers were a minor league baseball team based in Jamestown, New York from 1994 until 2014. The team was the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the New York–Penn League. The team play ...
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
team of the New York–Penn League. The Jammers were the Single A Short Season affiliate of the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. Following the 2014 season, the Jammers announced they would be relocating to Morgantown, West Virginia. It was later announced that a new team in the Prospect League (which, in turn, has since moved to the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League) would replace the Jammers, and the team would keep the name. The Jammers played in Jamestown until 2019, when the team was moved to Milwaukee, WI. However, the franchise was donated to Jamestown Community Baseball, LLC, and has been community-owned since. The team currently plays under the name of the Tarp Skunks. The Jamestown Jackals are a professional basketball team which competes in
The Basketball League The Basketball League (TBL), formerly North America Premier Basketball (NAPB), is a minor league basketball organization. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and expanded to over 44 teams as of 2022. The Bask ...
(TBL). Founded and owned by Jamestown native Kayla Crosby in 2015, the team plays their games at Jamestown Community College. The team earned national attention from a 2021 GQ exposé detailing former Div 1 basketball star Anthony Estes' journey from homelessness to professional basketball as a member of the Jackals. Northwest Arena is a 1,900 seat ice arena in the city. Among the teams that have played in the arena as primary tenants included the
Jamestown Rebels The Philadelphia Rebels are a Tier II junior ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The team is based in Hollydell Ice Arena in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. History The franchise was originall ...
and
Jamestown Ironmen The Jamestown Ironmen were a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League. The Ironmen played their home games at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena in Jamestown, New York. History The franchise began as an expansion tea ...
of the North American Hockey League, the
Jamestown Jets The Jamestown Jets were 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 H ...
of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League, the
Jamestown Vikings The Jamestown Vikings were a professional ice hockey team that played in the now defunct Mid-Atlantic Hockey League. They were in Jamestown, New York at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena. Team history The league canceled the remainder of t ...
of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League, the Jamestown Titans of the North Eastern Hockey League, and the Southern Tier Xpress of the North American 3 Hockey League. The
Jamestown Rebels The Philadelphia Rebels are a Tier II junior ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The team is based in Hollydell Ice Arena in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. History The franchise was originall ...
will begin playing at the arena in 2018, returning the NAHL to Jamestown after a five-year absence. 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 2009–10, 2010–11 while reaching the NYSPHSAA Class AA State Championship in 2011. The High School football team has been to five New York State Championships, losing in 1993, and winning in 1994, 1995, 2000 and 2014. Jamestown hosted its 15th Babe Ruth World Series in August 2011. Jamestown hosted, at what is now Northwest Arena, three exhibition games prior to the start of the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.


Retail

Chautauqua Mall Chautauqua Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Lakewood, New York. Opened in 1971, the mall's anchor stores are Planet Fitness, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Dipson Theatres, and JCPenney. The mall is owned and managed by Kohan Retail Investment Group. His ...
is in nearby Lakewood; most of the Jamestown area's
big-box store A big-box store (also hyperstore, supercenter, superstore, or megastore) is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain of stores. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store. The te ...
s are located just outside city limits in Lakewood and a stretch between Lakewood and Jamestown known by the Census Bureau as Jamestown West. While the Census Bureau refers to this stretch of area between Jamestown and Lakewood as Jamestown West, the local population refers instead to this area as Celoron. The first
Jamesway Jamesway Corporation, more commonly known as Jamesway, was a chain of discount department stores based in Secaucus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1961 with a single store in Jamestown, New York, ultimately growing into a chain that, at its peak, ...
store opened in Jamestown. It later relocated to Chautauqua Mall. Jamesway has since left the mall and was replaced by
Office Max OfficeMax is an American office supplies retailer founded in 1988. It is now a subsidiary of The ODP Corporation, which is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. As of December 2012, OfficeMax operated 941 stores in 47 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S ...
(which in turn was replaced by
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Ollie's Bargain Outlet is an American chain of Discount store, discount closeout retailers. It was founded in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1982 by Morton Bernstein and Mark L. Butler with backing from Harry Coverman and Oliver E. "Ollie" Rosenb ...
), J.C. Penney, and Sakura Chinese Buffet.


Twin towns — Sister cities

Jamestown is twinned with: * Haicheng,
Liaoning Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmo ...
, China * Jakobstad, Finland *
Cantù Cantù (; Brianzöö: ) is a city and '' comune'' in the Province of Como, located at the center of the Brianza zone in Lombardy. It is the second largest city in Brianza. History The name could stem from that of the Canturigi, a population ...
,
Lombardy (man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , ...
, Italy * Jakova, Kosovo


Geography

Jamestown is southwest of Buffalo, north of
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, and northeast of
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
. The Chadakoin River runs through Jamestown.


Major employers

The Jamestown area has a few large manufacturing plants that are major employers in this region. The area was once known as the "furniture capital of the world" for its many furniture and brass hardware manufacturers. Chain stores have opened in recent years in the surrounding area, including Walmart, KMart, Wegmans, CVS, and Rite Aid. UPMC Chautauqua is a regional hospital that was founded as WCA Hospital (Women's Christian Association) on May 23, 1885, and included a nursing school until Jamestown Community College filled the need with a two-year RN nursing program. Integrated with UPMC ( University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) in 2016, it has a school of Medical Technology and Radiology Technology. Jamestown General Hospital still stands on Jones Hill and is part of UPMC Chautauqua. It houses mental health units as well as physical, drug, and alcohol rehab units. The main campus of UPMC Chautauqua (formerly known as WCA Hospital or UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital) is located on the corner of Allen Street and Foote Avenue. Chautauqua County has about 2,200 farms. 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 nation's largest, second only to California. Jamestown is also home to the Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant. It is the largest single employer in the city, with more than 1,500 employees. They produce heavy duty diesel engines for agricultural, industrial, and military purposes.


Education

SUNY Jamestown Community College provides a two-year education and four-year degrees through matriculation agreements with several universities. Recent additions to the campus include a state-of-the-art LEED-certified science building and three residence halls.
Jamestown Business College Jamestown Business College (JBC) is a for-profit college in Jamestown, New York. It was founded in 1886. The college offers a 2-year Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree, a 4-year Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) degree and a Master ...
, near the downtown core, now offers a four-year degree. Founded in 1867, Jamestown Public Schools is the city's sole school district. The district also extends into several bordering towns. Jamestown Public Schools include: Jamestown High School; three middle schools, Persell Middle School, George Washington Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School; as well as five neighborhood elementary schools, Lincoln elementary school, Fletcher elementary school, Clinton V Bush elementary school, CC Ring elementary school, and Love elementary school. The former Rogers Elementary School now functions as a Success Academy for selected Jamestown area students. A disciplinary Tech Academy, located on Fourth Street is also part of the Jamestown Public School system. The Red Raider Marching Band won the NY State Field Band Conference Championship in 2014 and 2015.


Transportation


Air

The
Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport at Robert H. Jackson Field is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6  km) north of the central business district of Jamestown, in Chautauqua County, New York, United S ...
(JHW) is north of the city and provides charter air service.


Bus

Bus service is provided by Coach USA 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 including Rainbow Cab and UBER.


Rail

Present-day Jamestown is on the mainline of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad which provides freight service. A proposal to connect the WNYP to the
New York and Lake Erie Railroad The New York & Lake Erie is a class III railroad operating in Western New York. The NYLE was formed in 1978 to operate a portion of former Erie trackage that Conrail no longer wanted. Today, the railroad operates between Gowanda to Conewango Va ...
would allow for excursion rail service; to do so, the NYLE would need to undergo extensive rehabilitation of the rail lines near the junction between the two rail lines at Waterboro, several miles east of Jamestown.
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...
does not serve the area, except through contract with Coach USA to provide Thruway Motorcoach service along Coach USA's existing bus route to bus Amtrak passengers to and from the Exchange Street Station in Buffalo. Until 1950, two railroad companies traveled through Jamestown: *
Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake ...
– mainline passing through Jamestown (New York to Chicago), whose last trains were the '' Atlantic Express/Pacific Express'' (discontinued, 1965) and the '' Lake Cities'' (discontinued, 1970). *
Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad The Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad (JW&NW) was an electric interurban railroad that served the New York towns of Jamestown and Westfield from 1914 to 1950. History Dubbed the "Chautauqua Lake Route", the single track electri ...
- freight and passenger
interurban The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
train company, which went defunct in 1950. In 1976, the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad was absorbed into
Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do bus ...
, 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2003. It is now home to a portion of the
National Comedy Center The National Comedy Center is an American museum dedicated to comedy. The museum and its archives are located in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York. The museum documents the history of comedy and the artists, producers, writers, c ...
which opened in Summer of 2018. An electric
interurban The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
railroad—
Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad The Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad (JW&NW) was an electric interurban railroad that served the New York towns of Jamestown and Westfield from 1914 to 1950. History Dubbed the "Chautauqua Lake Route", the single track electri ...
(JW&NW)—connected all three above towns (Jamestown-Mayville-Westfield) and ran along the north side of Lake Chautauqua. 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.


Highways

The Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86/Route 17) passes to the north and east of Jamestown, with direct access to the city from Exits 12 and 13. New York State Routes 60 (Foote Avenue) and
394 __NOTOC__ Year 394 (CCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Western Europe as the Year of the Consulship of Flavianus without colleague (or, less ...
(Fairmount Avenue on the west side, Second Street on the east) pass through the city north-to-south and east-to-west, respectively; Route
430 __NOTOC__ Year 430 ( CDXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodosius and Valentinianus (or, less frequently, yea ...
(Fluvanna Avenue) begins in Jamestown and follows a westward path. U.S. Route 62 passes by Jamestown to the southeast.


Media


Broadcast stations

The following stations are licensed to Jamestown or its immediate suburbs:


AM radio

* WJTN – 1240 – gold-based
adult contemporary music Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, qu ...
(simulcast on FM 101.3) * WKSN – 1340 –
oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music (broadly characterized as classic rock and pop rock) from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as w ...


FM radio

* WUBJ – 88.1 – NPR news/talk (simulcast of WBFO in Buffalo) * WYRR – 88.9 – radio evangelism ( SonLife owned-and-operated station) * WNJA – 89.7 – Classical (simulcast of WNED-FM in Buffalo) * WCOT – 90.9 – contemporary Christian music ( Family Life Network owned-and-operated station) * WWSE – 93.3 – hot adult contemporary * WLKW – 95.3 – contemporary Christian music ( K-Love owned-and-operated station, licensed to Celoron) * W262BX – 100.3 –
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
(simulcast of
WBKX WBKX (96.5 FM) is a radio station that is based in Dunkirk, New York and also broadcasts at 100.3 FM (via translator W262BX) in Jamestown, New York. The station, along with WDOE, is owned by Alan Bishop and George Kimble. The station broadcasts a ...
in Fredonia) * WHUG – 101.9 – country * WOGM-LP – 104.7 – religious ( Fundamental Broadcasting Network) * WKZA – 106.9 –
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
(licensed to Lakewood) *
WRFA-LP WRFA-LP (107.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting in a community radio format. Licensed to Jamestown, New York, the station serves the Jamestown area. The station is currently owned by the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. The station first went ...
– 107.9 –
community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popu ...


TV

WNYB, channel 26, is the only station licensed to Jamestown. It has no local operations and was, for all but its first three years of existence operated out of Buffalo. The station, a TCT owned-and-operated station, now operates the straight TCT national feed. Its transmitter is located well north of Jamestown, in Arkwright. Previous transmitters that had carried Trinity Broadcasting Network (W10BH) and WNED-TV (W46BA) have since been shut down. WNY News Now, based in Jamestown, operates a daily local newscast that is distributed online.
Lilly Broadcasting Lilly Broadcasting, LLC is a privately owned American broadcasting company owned and operated by the Lilly Brothers’ Brian Lilly and Kevin Lilly. The company was founded in September 1999 with the purchase of WENY-TV (ABC) and WENY-FM & AM ra ...
, owners of radio stations in Warren, Pennsylvania and TV stations in
Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
, signed a shared services agreement with WNY News Now in July 2021.Erie News Now & WNY News Now Partner, Strengthening Regional Coverage
/ref>


NOAA Weather Radio

* WNG541 – 162.525 (licensed to Frewsburg; operated out of the National Weather Service office in Cheektowaga)


Newspapers

The daily ''
The Post-Journal The '' Post-Journal'' is a daily newspaper, serving the area around Jamestown, New York. The current editor of the paper is John Whittaker. It is owned by Ogden Newspapers Inc. and is billed as "southwestern New York's leading newspaper" with a ...
'' is published in Jamestown. Free weekly papers distributed in the city include the ''Jamestown Pennysaver'', the Chautauqua Star, and the ''Jamestown Gazette''.


Notable people


Business

* John Jachym, businessman and sportsman * Reginald Lenna, businessman and philanthropist *
Willis R. Whitney Willis Rodney Whitney (August 22, 1868 – January 9, 1958) was an American chemist and founder of the research laboratory of the General Electric Company. He is known as the "father of industrial research" in the United States for blending the wo ...
, founder of the research laboratory of the
General Electric Company The General Electric Company (GEC) was a major British industrial conglomerate involved in consumer and defence electronics, communications, and engineering. The company was founded in 1886, was Britain's largest private employer with over 250 ...


Entertainment and arts

* Douglas Ahlstedt, opera singer *
Theodore Albrecht Theodore Albrecht (born September 24, 1945) is a music historian who specializes in the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven. Biography Albrecht was born in Jamestown, New York, and grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He is a 1967 graduate of St. ...
, music historian * Brad Anderson, cartoonist *
Mitchell Anderson Mitchell Ogren Anderson (born August 21, 1961) is an American character actor and chef. Anderson was born in Jamestown, New York, to a retail store owner mother and a businessman father. He attended Jamestown High School and Williams College ...
, notable character actor *
Marshall Arisman Marshall Arisman (October 14, 1938 – April 22, 2022) was an American illustrator, painter, storyteller, and educator. Biography Arisman was born in Jamestown, New York, on October 14, 1938, where he grew up on a dairy farm. He studied advertis ...
, illustrator *
Fred Ball Frederick Henry Ball (July 17, 1915 – February 5, 2007) was an American movie studio executive and younger brother of Lucille Ball. Biography Early life Ball was born on July 17, 1915, to Henry Durrell Ball (1887–1915) and Désirée "Dede" ...
, movie studio executive, actor, brother of Lucille Ball *
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
, actress, comedian, and businesswoman was born in Jamestown and raised in nearby Celeron; two life-size statues of her are in Celoron Park. *
Suzan Ball Suzan Ball (born Suzanne Ball; February 3, 1934 – August 5, 1955) was an American actress. She was a second cousin of fellow actress Lucille Ball. She was married to actor Richard Long. She had her leg amputated in January 1954, as a result of ...
, actress and second cousin of Lucille and Fred Ball * Rob Buck, founding member of 10,000 Maniacs * Nick Carter, singer, member of the Backstreet Boys * Dennis Drew, keyboardist for 10,000 Maniacs * William Feather, publisher and author * Vagn F. Flyger, wildlife biologist, one of the world's foremost authorities on squirrels *
Gilbert Dennison Harris Gilbert Dennison Harris (October 2, 1864 – December 4, 1952) was an American geologist and paleontologist. He was a professor of paleontology and stratigraphic geology at Cornell University and proprietor and editor of two scientific journa ...
, notable geologist * Hayward A. Harvey, inventor of the Harvey process *
Shawn Higbee Shawn Higbee (born 1970 in Jamestown, New York) is an American professional motorcycle racer in the AMA Daytona and Superbike Series. He also races with the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club ( Rosamond, CA). Currently riding as a privateer (a sel ...
, professional motorcycle racer * Harry Pratt Judson, second President of the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
*
Laura Kightlinger Laura Kightlinger (born June 13, 1964) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She was a writer and consulting producer on ''Will & Grace'', while also occasionally appearing on the show as the character Nurse Sheila. She was also a write ...
, actress, comedian, writer * John Lombardo, founding member of 10,000 Maniacs *
Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...
, singer; her band 10,000 Maniacs originated in Jamestown; their gold and platinum records hang in Jamestown City Hall * The Mighty Wallop!, rock band *
Pandora Boxx Michael R. Steck (born May 2, 1972), better known by the stage name Pandora Boxx, is an American drag queen, comedian, and reality television personality from Rochester, New York. Boxx competed in the second season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', pl ...
, drag queen, contestant on second season of reality-television series '' RuPaul's Drag Race'' *
Marc Parnell Marc Parnell is an ornithologist, author, and wildlife photographer. He is best known for ''The Birding Pro's Field Guides'', a series of photographic identification guides to the birds of North America, and is the second-most published ornithol ...
, author and ornithologist * Julie Anne Peters, author * Roger Tory Peterson, naturalist *
Charles Pitts Charles "Skip" Pitts (April 7, 1947 – May 1, 2012) was an American soul and blues guitarist. He is best known for his distinctive "wah-wah" style, prominently featured on Isaac Hayes' title track from the 1971 movie ''Shaft''. He is widely consi ...
, radio engineer and LGBTQ+ freeform radio pioneer * Jackson Rohm, country/pop musician * Elliott Fitch Shepard, owner of the ''Mail and Express'' newspaper *
Ira Spring Ira Spring (1918–2003) was an American photographer, author, mountaineer and hiking advocate. He was the photographer and co-author, with Harvey Manning and his brother Bob Spring, of the ''"100 Hikes"'' series of books published by The Moun ...
, photographer, author * Jud Strunk, singer/songwriter * Dale Willman, award-winning journalist * Thomas B. Woodworth, newspaper publisher, lawyer


Military

* Wilfred Beaver, World War I flying ace * John B. Hayes, retired US Coast Guard Admiral * Harriet L. Leete, Red Cross nurse in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...


Science and technology

* Louis W. Roberts, microwave physicist


Sports

*
Cheryl Bailey Cheryl Bailey (née Marra from Jamestown, New York) is the former Executive Director of the National Women's Soccer League. She formerly served as general manager of the United States women's national soccer team from 2007 to 2011. Early caree ...
, Executive Director of the National Women's Soccer League *
Hugh Bedient Hugh Carpenter Bedient (October 23, 1889 – July 21, 1965) was a starting pitcher who played in the American League for the Boston Red Sox (1912–1914) and with the Buffalo Blues of the Federal League (1915). Bedient batted and threw right-hande ...
, former MLB pitcher * Walter Brown, former MLB player * Leon Carlson, former MLB relief pitcher *
Stephen Carlson Stephen Carlson (born December 12, 1996) is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Princeton. Professional career After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Carlson signed with the Clevel ...
, NFL tight end *
Parke H. Davis Parke Hill Davis (July 15, 1871 – June 5, 1934)"PARKE H. DAVIS BURIED.; Many Prominent Men at Funeral of Football Authority", special to ''The New York Times'', June 9, 1934 was an American football player, coach, and historian. Shortly befo ...
, football player and coach *
Michael G. Foster Michael G. Foster (19 April 1940February 11, 2021) was a U.S. karate pioneer and the founder and head of Yoshukai International, a world-wide organization of Yoshukai Karate schools. Yoshukai is a Japanese karate style adapted from Chito-ryu b ...
, karate pioneer * Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, born and raised in Jamestown *
Dwight Lowry Dwight Lowry (October 23, 1957 – July 10, 1997), born Dwight Lowery was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers (1984–1987) and Minnesota Twins (1988). He won a World Series champi ...
, former MLB catcher * Jim McCusker, retired NFL player *
Irv Noren Irving Arnold Noren (November 29, 1924 – November 15, 2019) was an American professional baseball and basketball player. He was an outfielder in the Major Leagues from 1950 through 1960 for the Washington Senators, New York Yankees, Kansas C ...
, former professional baseball and basketball player *
Nick Sirianni Nicholas John Sirianni (born June 15, 1981) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts fro ...
, NFL head coach


Politics

* Augustus F. Allen, former US Congressman * Alfred W. Benson, former US Senator from Kansas * Samuel A. Carlson, former mayor of Jamestown * Reuben Fenton, congressman, senator, and Governor of New York was born in the nearby Town of Carroll and made his
home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. ...
in Jamestown. * Andy Goodell, New York State Assemblyman *
Charles Goodell Charles Ellsworth Goodell Jr. (March 16, 1926January 21, 1987) was an American politician who represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1959 to 1968 and the United States Senate from 1968 to 1971. In both case ...
, former US Senator, father of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell *
Mihal Grameno Mihal Grameno (13 January 1871 – 5 February 1931) was an Albanian nationalist, politician, writer, freedom fighter, and journalist. He was one of the four initial appointed delegates from Korçë to the Albanian National Congress that pro ...
, Albanian '' rilindas'', politician, writer, freedom fighter, journalist * Alva L. Hager, former US Congressman from Iowa *
Abner Hazeltine Abner Hazeltine (June 10, 1793 – December 20, 1879) was a politician from New York State, New York. Biography Born in Wardsboro, Vermont, Hazeltine attended the common schools. He graduated from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachu ...
, former U.S. Congressman *
Robert H. Jackson Robert Houghwout Jackson (February 13, 1892 – October 9, 1954) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1941 until his death in 1954. He had previously served as Unit ...
, U.S. Solicitor General, U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice and Nuremberg chief prosecutor, graduated from Jamestown High School, lived and practiced law in Jamestown from 1910–1934, was buried following an October 1954 funeral at Jamestown's St. Luke's Episcopal Church * Stanley Lundine, politician, Mayor of Jamestown, Congressman, Lieutenant Governor of New York * Richard P. Marvin, former US Congressman *
Francis W. Palmer Francis Wayland Palmer (October 11, 1827 – December 3, 1907) was an American politician, publisher, printer, editor and proprietor from New York, Iowa and Illinois. Early life and education Born in North Manchester, Indiana, Palmer moved ...
, former US Congressman *
William Parment William L. Parment (born March 5, 1942) is an American politician from New York. Parment was born on March 5, 1942, in Jamestown, New York, and raised in Ellington. He is a "sixth generation Chautauqua County native". He graduated A.A.S. from ...
, former New York State Assemblyman * Jess Present, former New York State Senator * Porter Sheldon, former US Congressman * George Stoneman, born in nearby Busti, New York, and studied at the Jamestown Academy, became a Civil War General and the 15th Governor of
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. *
Samuel Teresi Samuel Teresi (born 1960) is an American politician. He was the 24th Mayor of the City of Jamestown, New York, serving from 2000 to 2020. Running for the Democratic Party, he defeated incumbent Republican mayor Richard Kimball Jr. to become may ...
, mayor of Jamestown *
Davis Hanson Waite Davis Hanson Waite (April 9, 1825 – November 27, 1901) was an American politician. He was a member of the Populist Party, and he served as the eighth Governor of Colorado from 1893 to 1895. Biography Early years Davis Hanson Waite was bor ...
, 8th Governor of
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
* Walter Washington, first African-American Mayor of Washington, D.C., raised in Jamestown


References


Sources

*


Bibliography

* * * *


Further reading

*


External links

*
Jamestown Up Close

Jamestown Historic Timeline
{{Authority control Cities in New York (state) Western New York Populated places established in 1810 Cities in Chautauqua County, New York 1810 establishments in New York (state)