A Trail of Museums
A Trail of Museums
Make a Trip Out to One of WNY’s Great Historical Locations
According to a 2018 survey commissioned by OnePoll and Zipcar, approximately 25 percent of people in the U.S. have not visited the biggest tourist attractions in their own city! While it’s true that not every town has landmarks comparable to the Empire State Building or Mount Rushmore, every town has something special that celebrates its unique place and history.
Spend some time this summer being a tourist in your own town and check out one of the incredible local museums that highlight our area’s unique history, culture, businesses, manufacturing, and so much more!
ELLICOTTVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM
Since 1956, the Ellicottville Historical Society & Museum has been dedicated to adding to and preserving the historical record of the town of Ellicottville and the surrounding vicinity. The museum, located at 2 Washington Street, is open every Saturday from 1:00-4:00pm during the months of June through September, and admission is free.
Society meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month (May through October) at 7:00pm at the Ellicottville Memorial Library, and all are welcome to attend. On Wednesday, July 3rd the monthly meeting will feature a surprise presentation from a special guest, and on August 7th, Don Dwyer will present “Music of the Women of the Civil War.” On September 4th, the EHS will welcome paranormal researcher, writer, and owner of Spook-Eats, Amanda Woomer, whose books will be available. Shane White Eagle of Spirit Hunters Inc. will be presenting at the last monthly meeting of the year on Wednesday, October 2nd.
Curious about the village’s historical landmarks and structures? The EHS will be offering historical walking tours around the village, led by town historian Ellen Frank. Gather at the gazebo at 1:00pm on the following dates: July 13th and 14th, August 17th and 18th and September 21st. Walking tour tickets are just $10.
Be sure to save the dates for the EHS Ghost Walks this fall on the following Friday evenings at 7:00pm: September 27th, October 4th, 18th, and 25th. Ghost walks are $15 per person. Please note that walking tour and ghost walk tickets are cash or check only. For more information, email EllicottvilleHistoricalSociety@gmail.com.
SENECA IROQUOIS NATIONAL MUSEUM
Located at 82 W. Hetzel Street in Salamanca, the Seneca Iroquois National Museum and Onohsagwe:de’ Cultural Center invite visitors to learn about Seneca history, culture, art, and more through their new exhibits. On August 3rd, the museum invites all to attend the installation of the original Cornplanter monument as part of a new permanent exhibition of Cornplanter, a chief warrior and diplomat of the Seneca. His negotiations with the U.S. government resulted in the Cornplanter Tract of land reserved for the Seneca, which was later flooded by the federal government when the Kinzua Dam was built in 1960.
Visitors can see a replica of a bark-covered longhouse outside the museum and learn about how the longhouse was central to Seneca families and clans. Other exhibits include the Kinzua Dam, the Creation Story, and traditionally crafted items, such as beadwork and carvings.
While there, be sure to check out the many handcrafted items available for sale, including baskets, antler carvings, stone carvings, and more. The museum is open daily from 10:00am-4:30pm. For more information, visit www.senecamuseum.org.
CATTARAUGUS COUNTY MUSEUM
There is so much more to explore when it comes to the history of Cattaraugus County, and the Cattaraugus County Historical Museum and Research Library is the perfect place to begin! Known as the Stone House, the museum is located on the first floor of 9824 Route 16 in Machias. Be sure to check out “Piecing Together History: Saving the 37th NY Regimental Flag”, a Civil War exhibit that highlights the history of the 37th NY Volunteer Infantry, which included two companies from Cattaraugus County.
In addition to exploring the museum, this summer, visitors can attend the Summer at the Stone House series at 7:00pm on the second and fourth Thursday nights through the end of August. Presentations include:
June 13th: 18th Century Tavern Music Volume II by Ron Cary
June 27th: Within the Cemetery Gates by Jeanette Sheliga
July 11th: The music of the Adirondacks by David Ruch
July 25th: More Haunted WNY by Amanda Woomer
August 8th: Quilting-Playing with Pre-Cuts by Linda Hunter
August 22nd: Allen Hopkins will wrap up the summer series with his presentation on Civil War music.
The entire event series is free to attend, as is the museum. For more information, visit cattco.org/museum. Don’t miss “Family Day at the Museum” on Saturday, June 15th from 10:00am-2:00pm. This is a great day to visit the museum and learn about the fascinating history of Cattaraugus County! The WNY Fiddle Kids will be performing at 1:00pm.
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF CUTLERY
Proud to be the only cutlery museum in the western hemisphere not affiliated with a manufacturer or retailer, the American Museum of Cutlery shares a unique part of Cattaraugus County history with visitors.
Over the years, there were over 50 cutlery companies within a 100-mile radius of Ellicottville, but the museum actually traces the history of cutlery back to pre-Columbian times. Learn how edged tools were created, used, and made, and their unique production history in Cattaraugus County. For example, Little Valley’s Cattaraugus Cutlery Company was the only cutlery company in the country to exhibit at the 1901 Pan-Am Exhibition and was responsible for the creation of dozens of companies forming in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.
The museum is open from 1:00-4:00pm Thursday through Sunday. Visit www.amcut.com to learn more.
NORTHEAST VINTAGE CYCLE
For those passionate about motorcycles - especially Hondas - a visit to Northeast Vintage Cycle is a must! Located at 9505 Routes 39 and 240 in Springville, Northeast Vintage Cycle began as a hobby and grew into a business formed by self-described “Honda nuts” Mike Krzemien and Bill Miller. The store sells vintage Honda parts and has a service department, Exploration Motorsports, that repairs vintage bikes and modern bikes and ATVs.
Also housed inside the store near the front is a small museum filled with hard-to-find vintage Hondas. There are approximately two dozen vintage motorcycles on display, as well as motorcycle memorabilia. Honda fans will appreciate the Honda snowmobile on display, which is one of only a handful ever made. To see customers’ restoration project photos, vintage Honda advertising, order parts, and more, visit www.hondanuts.com.
Northeast Vintage Cycle is open from 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Friday, and 9:00am-1:00pm on Saturday.
NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER
Designated by Congress as the cultural institution dedicated to presenting the story of comedy and preserving its history for future generations, the 37,000-square feet attraction at 203 W. Second St. in Jamestown includes exhibits that appeal to the whole family and every genre of comedy - from cartoons to sitcoms to stand-up and beyond! Explore the Center’s new exhibit that celebrates the “King of Late Night” Johnny Carson and “The Tonight Show”’s influence on stand-up comedy during the 30 years that Carson served as host. This past year, the Center has become the home of Joan Rivers’ career archive, including her famous file cabinet of over 65,000 original jokes that spanned her 60+ year career.
Explore approximately 50 other exhibits that share the creative process of comedy and the history of comedy with plenty of interactive exhibits that allow visitors to try their hand at generating some laughs.
Comedy fans should be sure to check out the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 1st-4th, featuring “Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross and Nicole Byer, plus a third headliner to be announced later this month. Learn more at www.comedycenter.org.
LUCY DESI MUSEUM
Known as the “First Couple of Comedy,” Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz made history with their popular and groundbreaking show, “I Love Lucy.” Beloved for its hilarious storylines and physical comedy, “I Love Lucy” was the first television show to represent an interracial marriage and feature a pregnant actress on one of the three major networks. There’s no better place to experience the history of this show than in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY!
Enjoy exact re-creations of studio sets, screen-used costumes and props, scripts, awards, photographs, and so much more. The whole family will enjoy interactive experiences, like performing in your own Vitameatavegamin commercial! Tickets for just the Lucy Desi Museum are available or, for those planning to spend a whole day laughing in Jamestown, can be purchased as part of a dual admission package with the National Comedy Center.
Can’t get enough Lucy? Take the “LucyTown” Driving Tour throughout the Jamestown area to see important and historic locations related to Ball’s life and career, as well as I Love Lucy murals, residences, and Ball’s final resting place. The tour, which is mobile-device friendly, can be found on the museum website at www.lucy-desi.com.