Chautauqua Institution

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CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION

The name "Chautauqua" became known all over the country as a result of this unique combination of a religious, cultural, and summer resort center. It was started in 1874 as a Methodist meeting ground know as Fair Point. It consisted of some tents and wooden benches used as an open auditorium and had a strict religious and temperance atmosphere. So strict were the rules that, on Sunday, no steamboat landed or left the pier, and no person entered or left the grounds. Religious training was supplemented with schools in the arts and music, and lectures by prominent persons including the President of the United States.

Chautauqua changed with the times and today, enlarged with permanent buildings including the huge outdoor covered amphitheater and Norton Hall opera and theater building, is world famous. The fast development of Chautauqua was a reason for great expansion of steamboat fleet in the early 1880's. The Buffalo to Pittsburgh line, which later became a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, stopped at the water's edge at Mayville. From here the steamers were the only means of transportation to the Institution until the coming of the Chautauqua Traction Line in 1904. The Old First Night celebration every year commemorated the founding of Chautauqua and attracted thousands of visitors to the grounds. As part of the celebration, the steamer schedules were revised so that practically all boats, big and small, gathered offshore. The steamers were gaily decorated with lights for the Parade of the Illuminated Fleet. Prizes were given for the best decorated steamer in each size class. Then many of the boats docked and loaded passengers to return the many visitors to all the lake communities and Jamestown.

The story is told of the Saturday night around the turn of the century when the Cincinnati, making the night theater run up the lake from Celoron, grounded on Long Point in the fog. It was not until Sunday that other steamers gathered to pull her off and the problem arose as to what to do with the Chautauqua passengers. They faced the prospect of living until Monday morning in their Saturday night theater clothes unless the Sunday landing rule was waived. An exception was made and the Cincinnati steamed into Chautauqua dock on the Sabbath.