By, Carol Fisher Linn
More than just a quaint and popular tourism area, there is interesting history and there are hidden gems just below the surface.
Ellicottville has two cemeteries on the state and national list of historic places – Bryant Hill cemetery and Jefferson Street Cemetery. Cattaraugus County has many places on the National Register, even a 1903 Swiss Cottage near Rock City with a barn containing the original privy. Now, that’s worth seeing!
Chautauqua County has many vintage buildings of Colonial Revival, Greek Revival, and Italian Villa architecture, but it’s the water that gives them rarer items like three vintage lighthouses and Chautauqua Institution, all on the national historic places list.
Back in the early 1800’s, the Village of Ellicottville formed an Anti-Slavery Society even though the conservative population of the village outnumbered the anti-slavery element 50-1. It continued its mission for at least ten years according to historical records. The Underground Movement was alive and well in the area, particularly in Olean, Cadiz, Franklinville, and West Valley. In Chautauqua County, the railroad passed through Busti and Jamestown and many towns in between, moving people across Lake Erie or to Buffalo and on to Canada. Our region boasts the DNA of many unsung heroes.
It’s football season – have you ever heard of Bill Bergey? Born (1945) and raised in South Dayton, NY he is an inductee of the Eagles Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Chautauqua County boasts Celeron as being the hometown of Lucille Ball. She was the first woman to appear pregnant on television and, according to NPR was a descendant of those accused as witches during the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Lucy is buried in Lake View Cemetery (follow the path to her large black heart marker), not far from the Lucille Desi Museum and the National Comedy Center. Allegany County (North Cuba area) claims Charles “Pa” Ingalls as a local. “Pa” is the father of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the “Little House on the Prairie.”
West Valley, New York is the site of the first and, to date, only commercial nuclear reprocessing plant in the United States. It is now an official federal cleanup site. West Valley plays host to Griffis Sculpture Park, a sculpture park located between Ashford Hollow and East Otto. The 425-acre outdoor art museum, which was created by artist Larry W. Griffis Jr in 1966, was the first sculpture park in the United States. It features more than 250 works of art created by over 100 artists, and serves as a nature preserve, with 10 miles of trails. Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the scenery and the art. Yes, you can climb on it. About BIG art, stop and see if the folks are in at Real Stuff Gallery and Gifts on Route 219 in West Valley. You can’t miss the giant sculptures out front.
Who needs to drive to Letchworth when you can check out the fall colors in 65,000 acres of Allegany State Park (the largest in the state) and at Zoar Valley. The 2,978-acre Zoar Valley Area is one of the most scenic and ecologically diverse environmental areas in Western New York. It is known for the spectacular scenery created by its deep gorge, sheer cliffs, flowing waterfalls, and dense forests. 419 million years ago, things in the area began to move about and this magnificent valley was formed. Perhaps throughout all that movement, a car-sized blue quartz rock, likely brought here from Canada, got deposited off Maples Road. Can you find it?
Country living doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the more refined things in life. High Tea is a wonderful treat on a damp fall or cold winter day. There are at least two in the area: Union Tea Café in the Olean Center Mall and Alice’s Tea Room at Azalea Park Décor in Cattaraugus on 55 Main Street. Treat yourself.
Get this month’s Readers’ Digest. It has a ten-page spread about Buffalo being the Nicest City in America. Being a proud native Buffalonian, I’d agree. But we all stay where we are for a reason, so every one of us might say that our chosen place that we call home is the nicest place. And we’d be right, now, wouldn’t we?