Chautauqua, New York

July 27

Had planned to visit the village of Chautauqua, New York then on to Corning, but I never left Chautauqua. I have always heard of the Chautauqua Institute, an educational retreat offering classes and speakers  on everything from arts, education, religion and recreation. It's all in a unique little village of 275 acres where residents share their homes with those attending the workshops and classes.

A Victorian village since 1874, it is a summer community and a National Historic Landmark.

The only negative is it is a closed gated community and the only way in if you are not taking a class is to purchase a ticket for a tram ride.  $5 later I was on the guided tour for 1 1/2 hours  soaking up the history of the place.  Afterward I wandered around on foot immersing myself in the culture of this beautiful historic little village and pretending, if only for a few hours, that I belonged here.

 Picking up a copy of the catalogue, classes run from $20 to around $100 for a few hours to a week and don't include housing. Classes are on everything from gardening to history to yoga to kite building.

Relaxing near the Bocce courts.

 Back in the day Bocce was for men only and it was Lawn Bowling, the more genteel form of Bocce.

If not rooming at one of the 19th century cottages, you can stay here at the historic Athaneum Hotel overlooking Chautauqua Lake.

It was the nation's first fully electrified hotel because Thomas Edison's wife's family lived in the village.

Cars are seldom seen on the streets with most people biking or on foot.

Most of the guest houses have wide porches where summer socialization takes place. They rock and they read and they write, and they talk in low voices so as not to disturb the music from the neighboring porch.

Scattered throughout the cottages are the great halls where classes and concerts and live entertainment takes place during the nine-week summer session.  Bill Clinton was the last president to take up residence here while he was preparing for his inauguration speech.

For those more physical than cerebral, there is huge Chautauqua Lake and a golf course.
The lake freezes 3 to 5 ft deep in the winter and back in the day huge chunks were cut out to provide ice for the hotel.



Teddy Roosevelt visited five times and called Chautauqua "the most American place in America"