The Chautauqua County Historical Society and Patterson Library have announced the schedule for the second half of their 2026 Fireside Lecture Series.
Launched earlier this year, the free Fireside Lecture Series was developed through a partnership between the two organizations to provide engaging presentations on local and regional history. The inaugural season has already featured lectures on Chautauqua County’s role in America’s 250th anniversary, the history of the Grange movement, Westfield native and Kentucky Derby champion Vince Powers, and the geological history of Western New York.
The remaining lectures scheduled for 2026 include:
• September 3 – The Story of Lucile M. Wright and Her Museum will be presented by Lucile M. Wright Air Museum curator Dennis Webster who will explore the unique contributions Lucile made to 20th century aviation in Western New York and the work being done by the museum that bears her name.
• October 1 – The History of Fredonia Academy, presented by Barker Museum’s Max Walters. Marking the 200th anniversary of the institution’s founding, the lecture will examine the history and impact of Fredonia Academy, which later evolved into the State University of New York at Fredonia.
• November 5 – A Dentist’s One Last Problem That Led to Our Grape Industry: A Partial History, presented by Steve Cockram, retired general manager of Growers Cooperative Grape Juice Co. Cockram will discuss the development of Chautauqua County’s renowned Grape Belt and the region’s long-standing role in grape cultivation and the production of juice and wine.
• December 3 – The History of the Chautauqua School of Nursing, presented by Joel Potash, physician and professor emeritus at Upstate Medical University. Potash will trace the history of the nursing school founded in Jamestown in 1900 and its contributions to healthcare education in the region.
All lectures are free and open to the public. They will be held at 6:00 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the Patterson Library, located at 40 South Portage Street in Westfield.
For more information about the Fireside Lecture Series and either CCHS or the Patterson Library, visit CCHSMcClurg.org or PattersonLib.org.
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