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Chautauqua County, New York

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Chautauqua County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 127,657.[2] Its county seat is Mayville,[3] and its largest city is Jamestown. Its name is believed to be the lone surviving remnant of the Erie language, a tongue lost in the 17th century Beaver Wars; its meaning is unknown and a subject of speculation. The county was created in 1808 and organized in 1811.[4] The county is part of the Western New York region of the state.

Chautauqua County
County
Chautauqua County Courthouse in Mayville
Chautauqua County Courthouse in Mayville
Flag of Chautauqua County
Flag
Official seal of Chautauqua County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Chautauqua County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°18′N 79°25′W / 42.3°N 79.41°W / 42.3; -79.41
Country United States
State New York
FoundedFebruary 9, 1811
Named forChautauqua Lake
SeatMayville
Largest cityJamestown
Area
 • Total
1,500 sq mi (4,000 km2)
 • Land1,060 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Water440 sq mi (1,100 km2)  29%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
127,657[1]
 • Density120.4/sq mi (46.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websitechqgov.com Edit this at Wikidata

Chautauqua County comprises the Jamestown–Dunkirk–Fredonia, NY Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is located south east of Lake Erie and includes a small portion of the Cattaraugus Reservation of the Seneca.

History

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Prior to European colonization, most of what is now Chautauqua County was inhabited by the indigenous Erie people prior to the Beaver Wars in the 1650s. French forces traversed the territory beginning in 1615. The Seneca Nation conquered the territory during the Beaver Wars and held it through the next century until siding with the British crown, their allies for most of the 18th century, against the American revolutionaries in the American Revolutionary War.

Chautauqua County was organized by the state legislature during the development of western New York after the American Revolutionary War and the ratification of The Treaty of Canandaigua, between the United States and the Council of the Six Nations. It was officially separated from Genesee County on March 11, 1808.[5] This partition was performed under the same terms that produced Cattaraugus and Niagara counties. The partition was done for political purposes, but the counties were not properly organized for self-government, so they were all administered as part of Niagara County.

On February 9, 1811, Chautauqua was completely organized, and its separate government was launched.[6] This established Chautauqua as a county of 1,100 square miles (2,800 square kilometres) of land. Chautauqua has not been altered since.

The first New York Chautauqua Assembly was organized in 1874 by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller in the county at a campsite on the shores of Chautauqua Lake.[7]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km2), of which 1,060 square miles (2,700 km2) is land and 440 square miles (1,100 km2) (29%) is water.[8]

Chautauqua County, in the southwestern corner of New York State, along the New York-Pennsylvania border, is the westernmost of New York's counties. Chautauqua Lake is located in the center of the county, and Lake Erie is its northern border.

Part of the Eastern Continental Divide runs through Chautauqua County. The area that drains into the Conewango Creek (including Chautauqua Lake) eventually empties into the Gulf of Mexico; the rest of the county's watershed empties into Lake Erie and via Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway into the North Atlantic Ocean. This divide, known as the Chautauqua Ridge, can be used to mark the border between the Southern Tier and the Niagara Frontier. It is also a significant dividing point in the county's geopolitics, with the "North County" being centered on Dunkirk and the "South County" centered on Jamestown each having their own interests.[9]

The county is generally composed of rolling hills and valleys, with elevations ranging anywhere between 1100 and 2100 feet, although the land within a few miles of Lake Erie is generally flat and at an elevation of 1000 feet or lower.[10] The lowest point in the county is Lake Erie, at 571 feet (174 meters), and the highest point is Gurnsey Benchmark at 2,180 feet (660 meters).[11]

Adjacent counties

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Chautauqua County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Erie County in New York and Pennsylvania).

Major highways

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
182012,568—
183034,671175.9%
184047,97538.4%
185050,4935.2%
186058,42215.7%
187059,3271.5%
188065,34210.1%
189075,20215.1%
190088,31417.4%
1910105,12619.0%
1920115,3489.7%
1930126,4579.6%
1940123,580−2.3%
1950135,1899.4%
1960145,3777.5%
1970147,3051.3%
1980146,925−0.3%
1990141,895−3.4%
2000139,750−1.5%
2010134,905−3.5%
2020127,657−5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2020[2]

2020 census

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Chautauqua County racial composition[16]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 106,063 83.08%
Black or African American (NH) 2,891 2.26%
Native American (NH) 497 0.38%
Asian (NH) 796 0.62%
Pacific Islander (NH) 49 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 5,592 4.38%
Hispanic or Latino 11,769 9.22%

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census,[17] there were 139,750 people, 54,515 households, and 35,979 families in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile (51 people/km2). There were 64,900 housing units at an average density of 61 per square mile (24/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.04% White, 2.18% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.73% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 17.3% were German, 15.1% were Italian, 11.6% were Swedish, 10.9% were English, 9.3% were Polish, 9.2% were Irish and 5.6% were of American ancestry according to Census 2000. 93.0% spoke English and 3.8% Spanish as their first language.

Of the 54,515 households 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.10% of households were one person and 12.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 24.50% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median household income was $33,458 and the median family income was $41,054. Males had a median income of $32,114 versus $22,214 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,840. About 9.70% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2010 census, there were 134,905 people in the county. The population density was 127 people per square mile (49 people/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.57% (124,875 people) white, 2.37% (3,197 people) African-American, 0.51% (688 people) Asian, 0.51% (689 people) Native American/Alaskan, 0.03% (34 people) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.98% (2,669 people) other, and 2.04% (2,751 people) two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race was 6.11% (8,241 people). In terms of ancestry, 25% were German, 16% were Italian, 12.8% were Swedish, 16% were English, 10.6% were Polish, 14.9% were Irish and 3.2% were of American ancestry according to the 2010 Census. 92.9% spoke English and 4.1% Spanish as their first language.

The age distribution was 21.83% of the population under the age of 18, 3.82% (5,155 people) ages 18 and 19, 7.50% (10,113 people) ages 20–24, 10.37% (13,985 people) ages 25–34, 18.83% (25,406 people) ages 35–49, 21.07% (28,419 people) ages 50–64, and 16.59% (22,381 people) over the age of 65. Of the population, 49.3% (66,509 people) were male and 50.7% (68,396 people) were female.[18]

Government and politics

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All of the county is in the 150th New York State Assembly district, represented by Andy Goodell, and the New York State Senate 57th district represented by George Borrello. The entire county is within the bounds of New York's 23rd congressional district which is represented by Nick Langworthy.

The 2012 redistricting process moved all of Chautauqua County into Goodell's assembly district, while the county also rejoined the former 31st (renumbered again as the 23rd) congressional district along with Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties. Prior to 2013, the county was part of New York's 27th congressional district. Prior to 2003, the county was part of New York's 31st congressional district, but it was controversially redistricted out of that district and into what was the 27th, and was replaced in the 29th district (the old 31st) by Rochester suburbs that had never before been part of the district. Chautauqua County, at the same time, joined southern Erie County and portions of the City of Buffalo in the 27th, areas that had also never been in the same district with each other. In both cases, the suburban additions had significantly more Democratic populations than before, leading to Democrats winning both districts, which led to accusations of cracking-based gerrymandering.

Though the Republican Party has historically been dominant in Chautauqua County politics, the county had been a perfect bellwether county from 1980 to 2008, correctly voting for the winner of each presidential election in all eight elections during that time. However, in 2012, it voted for Republican Mitt Romney even as Democrat Barack Obama won re-election, marking its first miss since 1976. In 2016 the county reverted back to being solidly Republican, as Donald Trump won the county by the largest margin since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

United States presidential election results for Chautauqua County, New York[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 34,528 60.53% 22,085 38.71% 433 0.76%
2020 34,853 58.77% 23,087 38.93% 1,364 2.30%
2016 31,594 58.25% 19,091 35.20% 3,549 6.54%
2012 27,971 52.92% 23,812 45.05% 1,069 2.02%
2008 28,579 48.60% 29,129 49.54% 1,094 1.86%
2004 32,434 53.22% 27,257 44.72% 1,253 2.06%
2000 29,064 49.49% 27,016 46.01% 2,642 4.50%
1996 21,261 37.77% 26,831 47.67% 8,198 14.56%
1992 21,222 33.80% 22,645 36.07% 18,922 30.14%
1988 31,642 54.68% 25,814 44.61% 411 0.71%
1984 39,597 63.13% 22,986 36.65% 141 0.22%
1980 30,081 51.20% 22,871 38.93% 5,804 9.88%
1976 33,730 54.90% 27,447 44.68% 259 0.42%
1972 37,158 58.44% 26,253 41.29% 172 0.27%
1968 28,561 48.82% 26,431 45.18% 3,515 6.01%
1964 19,069 30.73% 42,924 69.17% 63 0.10%
1960 37,836 57.30% 28,143 42.62% 52 0.08%
1956 44,149 68.54% 20,269 31.46% 0 0.00%
1952 42,043 64.14% 23,427 35.74% 79 0.12%
1948 29,969 57.47% 20,683 39.67% 1,492 2.86%
1944 32,824 59.49% 22,086 40.03% 264 0.48%
1940 35,536 62.00% 21,524 37.55% 256 0.45%
1936 30,435 55.41% 23,283 42.39% 1,209 2.20%
1932 30,479 60.62% 16,914 33.64% 2,882 5.73%
1928 38,220 72.68% 13,223 25.15% 1,141 2.17%
1924 29,757 71.25% 5,560 13.31% 6,447 15.44%
1920 27,618 71.57% 6,781 17.57% 4,188 10.85%
1916 14,782 62.19% 7,153 30.09% 1,835 7.72%
1912 7,899 36.16% 4,954 22.68% 8,991 41.16%
1908 15,739 65.62% 6,158 25.67% 2,088 8.71%
1904 15,891 69.77% 5,295 23.25% 1,589 6.98%
1900 15,318 67.62% 6,660 29.40% 674 2.98%
1896 14,325 66.61% 6,581 30.60% 601 2.79%
1892 11,595 58.37% 6,397 32.20% 1,874 9.43%
1888 12,108 62.92% 6,178 32.10% 958 4.98%
1884 10,670 60.96% 5,861 33.49% 971 5.55%

Chautauqua County is one of nineteen “charter counties” in New York, which grants the county greater leeway in conducting its own affairs. A board of supervisors governed Chautauqua County until 1975, when a new county charter went into effect with provisions for a county executive and a 13-seat county legislature.[20] The county council currently consists of 19 members each elected from single-member districts. As of 2024, there are 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats.[21]

Chautauqua County Executives
Name Party Term
Joseph Gerace Democratic January 1, 1975 – May 10, 1983
David Dawson (acting) Democratic May 10, 1983 – November 25, 1983
John A. Glenzer Republican November 25, 1983 – December 31, 1989
Andrew W. Goodell Republican January 1, 1990 – December 31, 1997
Mark W. Thomas Democratic January 1, 1998 – December 31, 2005
Gregory J. Edwards Republican January 1, 2006 – November 15, 2013
Stephen M. Abdella (acting) UKN November 15, 2013 – December 31, 2013
Vincent W. Horrigan Republican January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2017
George M. Borrello Republican January 1, 2018 – November 26, 2019
Stephen M. Abdella (acting) UKN November 26, 2019 – December 31, 2019
Paul J. Wendel Republican January 1, 2020 – present
Chautauqua County Legislature
District Legislator Party
1 Kevin Muldowney Republican
2 Robert Bankoski Democratic
3 Bob Scudder Republican
4 Christine Starks Democratic
5 Terry Niebel Republican
6 Thomas R. Harmon Republican
7 Mark Odell Republican
8 Pierre Chagnon Chairman Republican
9 Chuck Nazzaro Democratic
10 Ken Lawton Republican
11 Robert Whitney Democratic
12 Elisabeth Rankin Republican
13 Paul Whitford Democratic
14 Daniel Pavlock Republican
15 Lisa Vanstrom Republican
16 John Davis Republican
17 Frank[22] Jay Gould Republican
18 Bill Ward Republican
19 John Hemmer Republican

New York State Assembly

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Prior to changes in representation of the New York State Assembly, each county had a given number of representatives. The following were representatives of Chautauqua County.

Name Term Start Term End Legislatures Notes
Ebenezer Walden July 1, 1811 June 30, 1812 35th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Jonas Williams July 1, 1812 June 30, 1814 36th, 37th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Joseph McClure July 1, 1814 June 30, 1815 38th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Elias Osborn July 1, 1815 June 30, 1816 39th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Jediah Prendergast
Richard Smith 		July 1, 1816 June 30, 1817 40th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Robert Fleming
Isaac Phelps 		July 1, 1817 June 30, 1818 41st Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Philo Orton
Isaac Phelps 		July 1, 1818 June 30, 1819 42nd Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Elial T. Foote
Oliver Forward 		July 1, 1819 June 30, 1820 43rd Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Jediah Prendergast
William Hotchkiss 		July 1, 1820 June 30, 1821 44th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties
Thomas B. Campbell July 1, 1821 December 31, 1822 45th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara Counties
David Eason July 1, 1821 January 5, 1822 45th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara Counties
Isaac Phelps January 5, 1822 December 31, 1822 45th Represented Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara Counties
James Mullett Jr. January 1, 1823 December 31, 1824 46th, 47th First to only represent Chautauqua County
Nathan Mixer January 1, 1825 December 31, 1825 48th
Elial T. Foote January 1, 1826 December 31, 1827 49th, 50th
Samuel A. Brown January 1, 1827 December 31, 1827 50th
Nathaniel Fenton January 1, 1828 December 31, 1828 51st
Nathan Mixer January 1, 1828 December 31, 1829 51st, 52nd
Abner Hazeltine January 1, 1829 December 31, 1830 52nd, 53rd
Squire White January 1, 1830 December 31, 1832 53rd, 54th, 55th
John Birdsall January 1, 1831 December 31, 1831 54th
Theron Bly January 1, 1832 December 31, 1832 55th
Nathaniel Gray January 1, 1833 December 31, 1833 56th
Alvin Plumb January 1, 1833 December 31, 1833 56th

Education

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Jamestown Community College has two campuses in the county at Jamestown and Dunkirk. The State University of New York at Fredonia is located in the northern part of the county. Jamestown Business College offered two year degrees, certificates, and a four-year degree in Jamestown, prior to its decision to cease new enrollments in 2024.

Communities

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# Location Population Type Area
1 Jamestown 31,146 City Southeast
2 Dunkirk 12,563 City Lake Shore
3 Fredonia 11,230 Village Lake Shore
4 Westfield 3,224 Village Lake Shore
5 Lakewood 3,002 Village Southeast
6 Silver Creek 2,656 Village Lake Shore
7 Falconer 2,420 Village Southeast
8 Ripley 2,415 CDP Lake Shore
9 Jamestown West 2,408 CDP Southeast
10 Frewsburg 1,906 CDP Southeast
11 †Mayville 1,711 Village Southwest
12 Brocton 1,486 Village Lake Shore
13 Celoron 1,112 Village Southeast
14 Sherman 730 Village Southwest
15 ††Forestville 697 Hamlet/CDP Lake Shore
16 Sunset Bay 660 CDP Lake Shore
17 Cassadaga 634 Village Southeast
18 Sinclairville 588 Village Center-East
19 Panama 479 Village Southwest
20 Kennedy 465 CDP Southeast
21 ††Cherry Creek 461 Hamlet/CDP Center-East
22 Busti 391 CDP Southeast
23 Bemus Point 364 Village Southeast
24 Chautauqua 191 CDP Southwest

† - county seat

†† - former village

Towns

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Other hamlets

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Indian reservation

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Unorganized territory

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In literature

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Joyce Carol Oates' 1996 novel, We Were the Mulvaneys is set in rural Chautauqua County, near the fictional town of Mt. Ephraim.

See also

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ "US Census 2020 Population Dataset Tables for New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chautauqua County, New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "New York: Individual County Chronologies". New York Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  5. ^ New York. Laws of New York.;31st Session; Chapter 40; Sections1—2; Page 266.
  6. ^ Doty, William J., et al. ;Historic Annals of Southwestern New York.; 3 Volumes; New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company; 1940; Volume 1; Page 360.
  7. ^ Feinman, Peter (May 2010). "Chautauqua America". The American Interest. Vol. 5, no. 5. pp. 83–88.
  8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  9. ^ Dean, Nicholas (August 30, 2009). "Legislators Cite North-South Discrepancies" Archived September 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, The Post-Journal, Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  10. ^ "U.S. Board on Geographic Names". www.usgs.gov.
  11. ^ "New York County High Points". Archived from the original on August 8, 2013.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  16. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chautauqua County, New York".
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  18. ^ "2010 US Census". Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  20. ^ "3 MORE COUNTIES ADOPT CHARTERS", The New York Times, New York, New York, p. 59, November 25, 1973
  21. ^ Post Journal
  22. ^ "Legislature - Chautauqua County, NY - Official Website". chautauqua.ny.us.
  23. ^ "Unorganized Territory of Chautauqua Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. February 19, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2021.

Further reading

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42°18′N 79°25′W / 42.30°N 79.41°W / 42.30; -79.41

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