Calendar

  • August 18-22

    History Detectives:
    "In the Good Ole Summertime"
    Grades 4-6. Fun and learning come together at the Fenton Mansion and Long Point State Park! What was life like around Chautauqua Lake when the trolleys and steamboats were running? What was it like to vacation or work at the #2 vacation spot on the east coast in the late 1800s? Find out at the Fenton History Center Summer Camp. 1-4 each afternoon, limited space available, please register early, $50 fee.

  • September 13

    Fenton Institute - Genealogy 101 9 AM to Noon. Learn the important tools of researching your family history. This session will introduce you to the things you need to know to begin uncovering your family tree. Free for members at the Individual Level or $15 for non-members

  • October 11

    Justice Deferred: Albion Tourgee and the Fight for Civil Rights- 9 AM to 4 PM at the Robert H. Jackson Center, Jamestown NY. The day will be filled with presentations, a panel discussion and lunch concentrating on our County's forgotten civil right movement hero, Albion Tourgee and the importance of archival resources.

  • October 18

    Jr. Historians "Behind the Scenes" of the popular Lake View Cemetery Tours. Noon to 1 PM. Students in grades 2-5 are invited to learn about what it takes to put together the "Saints and Sinners Cemetery Tours" and then they can take the tour to learn about the interesting people from Jamestown's history. Limited space, please register early. Cost is only $8.50 per students, bring a friend for half price.

  • October 18

    3rd Annual Saints and Sinners Lake View Cemetery Tours. Each hour from 1 to 8 PM at Lake View Cemetery, corner of Buffalo Street and Lakeview Avenue, Jamestown. Come dressed for the weather. The tour will uncover some of the more than 43,000 personal stories at Jamestown's beautiful Lake View Cemetery. Guests are asked to wear comfortable shoes, dress for the weather, bring a flashlight for the later tours and to be ready to learn some interesting information about Jamestown and Lake View Cemetery. The cost is only $8 for adults, $2 for children and free for Fenton History Center members. Reservations are requested, please call 664-6256 to reserve your tickets.

  • October 18

    Midnight Mausoleum Tour of Lake View Cemetery - Details to be announced.

  • October 25

    3rd Annual Saints and Sinners Lake View Cemetery Tours
    See information for Oct. 18th.

  • November 26

    Start a family tradition - bring the family to the 29th Annual Holiday Exhibit - I'll Be Home for Christmas - Members Only Preview! Be the first to see the elegant Governor's Mansion decked out for the holiday season! Light refreshments, friends and memories - all at the Fenton History Center this holiday season.

  • November 28

    29th Annual Holiday Exhibit opens to the public- I'll Be Home for Christmas through January 17, 2009

  • December 6

    Fenton Family Day Start a family tradition - bring your family for crafts, cookies and fun discovering your past at the Fenton History Center! Children are half price!

Fenton Institute

The Fenton Institute, a new series of workshops offered this year, will cover a variety of topics for the curious adult learner.

The workshops are open to all who are interested in local history and saving the past. The workshops will provide the needed information and tools to explore your family histories, to learn how to preserve your treasured mementos and to learn more about our local history.

The Workshops

Session I
Managing Your Family Photographs
2 hrs.
Saturday, January 26 10 Am to 12 Noon

This workshop will be presented by Heidi Bamford. Mrs. Bamford is the Regional Archivist for the Documentary Heritage Program in six counties in Western New York. She received her BA from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and her MA from the University at Buffalo. Heidi spent over two years working at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. During that time, she worked with both civilian and military records as an Appraisal Archivist. Since 1990, she has served as Regional Archivist for the DHP, providing field services to organizations that collect, preserve and make available historical records. Her work includes developing and offering workshop training, conducting site visits and issuing site reports, providing information resources, and engaging in programs that advocate support for historical records and historical record programs. She is a member and past officer of the Society of American Archivists and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, is a member of the Field Services Alliance of the American Association for State and Local History, and has written and had published several articles based on local history collections.

From the shoebox to the computer, this workshop will help you sort, identify and set up an easy-to-use finding aid for your loose photographs. What is the best way to store them, but still be able to show off your photos? What is digitizing and how do you go about doing it? These questions and many more will be answered during the workshop.

Please register by January 22
Cost: $15 for non-members
$ 10 for members
Free elective for certain level memberships

Session II
The Right Way to Scrapbook Archival Treasures
2 hrs.
Saturday, April 19 10 AM to 12 Noon

Are you thinking of “scrap booking” your mementos? The old way of gluing and pasting your treasures into an acidic rich book is not the best environment for your artifacts. Learn the safe way to store your keepsakes.

Cost: $15 for non-members
$ 10 for members
Free elective for certain level memberships

Session III
Our County's Bicentennial
2 hrs.
Saturday, July 19 - 12 Noon to 2 PM

at the Robert H. Jackson Center, 305 E. Fourth Street, Jamestown

The Bicentennial Celebration of our County begins in 2008! Join us for an informative time to learn about our earliest history as a County.

Cost: $10 for non-members
$ 5 for members
Free elective for certain level memberships

Session IV
Genealogy 101
3 hrs.
Saturday, September 13 9 AM to 12 Noon

Learn the important tools of researching your family history. Where do you find vital records, census reports, and deeds? How important is the Internet in your search? Find out about these questions and more during this introduction to genealogy.

Cost: $15 for non-members
$ 10 for members
Free elective for certain level memberships


Download a course schedule with a mail-in registration form.

Contact us for more information or to register for a workshop.