By Kate Bartlett
Chris Flanders is a local author from Chautauqua County specializing in historical fiction and researched nonfiction, focusing on 19th-century American stories and local history. Known for works like The Book of Fretz and The Image Maker (2025), she is an active volunteer, a pilot for the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry on Chautauqua Lake, and a regular attendee of Chautauqua Institution programming.
Chris grew up in Stow, NY, and graduated from Chautauqua Central School in 1965. She studied Pre Med at Cornell University and practiced as a Nurse Practitioner for many years. She moved back to the area in 1977 and became interested in genealogy and Chautauqua County history. “My dad introduced me to genealogy,” explains Chris. “He got me interested but made me research and do the work. I found it fascinating.”
Even while practicing as a full-time Nurse Practitioner, Chris has always loved writing. In 2022, she published her first novel, The Book of Fretz: An Emigrant’s Story, a personal genealogy story aimed at understanding the grit needed to thrive in a new land. The story follows 20-year-old Jacob Fretz in 1750 along his journey from a penniless immigrant to a settled farmer.
As an active philanthropist and long-time member on the Bemus Point Stow Ferry Board, Chris sought to help raise funds and awareness for the repairs to the Ferry with her writing. “The Ferry has been an integral part of this community since 1811, over 200 years,” explains Chris. “It was essential for me to write this history in order to chronicle the evolution of this historical ferry service, in essence, share it’s story.”
The Bemus Point-Stow Ferry: A History was published in 2020 and details the development of this iconic transport as a unique and iconic part of the region. Flanders also authored Fairies on the Ferry, a children’s tale about the journey which tells an enchanted, child-eye-view story of the journey across The Narrows. “It was an honor to tell these stories”, explains Chris. “The ferry was the center of the county when it was built. Before the ferry, it took 3 days by horse to get around the end of the lake.”
The novel has helped raise funds that will help the Stow Ferry continue to be an important part of the community for years to come. “It’s great to see the ferry take on new life,” says Chris. “It’s become special again. As a ferry pilot, I love to listen to everyone’s ferry stories, and there’s certainly a lot from the past 215 years!”
The Bemus Point Stow Ferry is run solely by volunteers in the community. The ferry hosts several annual and seasonal events, including weddings, reunions, board meetings, and parties. There are also exercise, yoga, and drumming classes as well as annual 4th grade field trips. “We take over 1,000 children across the lake every year; it’s priceless to watch their faces and hear their joy riding on the ferry. Not only are they having fun, but they’re learning the history and significance of the ferry to our region.”
Last summer, Chris released The Image Maker: Three Men Follow Their Dreams in the Pennsylvania Oil Fields., a historical novel detailing the lives of three men—photographer John Mather, industrialist Charles Miller, and editor Patrick Boyle—seeking fortune during the 1860s Pennsylvania oil boom. It captures the grit of the era, exploring themes of ambition, industrial progress, and personal cost. “It was an honor to share this story,” explains Chris. “I was approached by the families of these men, and I’m proud to share their amazing lives of these Chautauqua families.”