I'm currently helping the
Chautauqua County Historical Society with a project to help promote the county's upcoming bicentennial (Chautauqua County was incorporated in February, 1811). It's called
"Bicentennial Biographies" and will feature the 200 most notable people from Chautauqua County over the past 200 years. Once our list is completed, the Bicentennial Biographies will be produced into one-minute radio PSAs, with a new one airing each day on radio stations throughout the county. They will also be available online on and possibly in the local newspapers.
The purpose of the project is to not only educate area residents on local history, but also promote interest in learning more about these people and their accomplishments. I always find it interesting that there really isn't an effort in public schools to teach local history, even though many of these children will stay in the area throughout their adult lives and would obviously benefit from knowing even a little bit about the past, especially if they will be involved in shaping the future.
It should be noted that not all of the people on the list had a significant impact on local history. Some were sports figures, entertainers, politicians, and industrialists who were born in Chautauqua County but made a name for themselves elsewhere. Still, these people have contributed significantly to community pride and serve as great examples of just how far you can get in life, even if you happened to be born and/or raised in Chautauqua County.
With that, I've decided to volunteer to the CCHS and assist them with this project. Joing in the effort has been County Historian Michelle Henry along with Jack Ericson and John Paul Wolfe from the Historical Society. Several county historians have also offered input. So far we've got about 150 people selected to appear on the 200 list. We've got about 75 more names to choose from and are currently awaiting feedback from historians throughout the county to determine the final 50 people to appear on the list.
In the meantime, here's a sneak peak of some of the individuals who made the cut:
As I said, we will have a total of 200 individuals, so the list will be rather extensive. I'll keep you posted on the progress of the project in the weeks and months to come. The first PSA is planned to hit the airwaves by January 12, 2011.
For more details on the early settlement and history of the county, check out this link to
Chautauqua County and Its People, a book written in 1921.
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