They live just a mile from the Chautauqua Institution, a historical village on the shores of Lake Chautauqua. It is filled with stately homes lining brick roads used only by pedestrians, no cars. For nine weeks each summer it comes alive with entertainment, interfaith services and presentations by famous speakers such as documentary film-maker, Ken Burns and Revolutionary War expert and Pulitzer Prize winner, Gordon S. Wood to name a few. This year, we thoroughly enjoyed a house tour that included 12 mostly pre-Victorian and Victorian homes. We ate dinner at the Athenaeum Hotel's Heirloom Restaurant. This is the hotel where Clinton stayed while writing his inaugural speech. Built in 1881, its wide porch complete with rocking chairs overlooks the peaceful lake. Each summer over 100,000 visitors enjoy this treasure of a place that takes you back to a kinder, gentler time period. For more information you may visit their website at http://www.ciweb.org/
About an hour north, is Buffalo, NY where my husband was born. Most of his family history is in Erie County, NY. We like to put aside a day or two for research. There are many libraries (the downtown Buffalo Public Library has a fabulous genealogy collection) and historial museums to visit and explore. (The Concord HIstorical Museum in Springville, NY is a favorite among many.) Luckily my husband is very patient. I give him research jobs when he asks or he passes the time reading books, while I am using every precious moment for research. My husband laughingly tells friends that a highlight of this summer's vacation is that the libary was open one night until 8:00 PM instead of 5:00 PM. I think you library lovers understand my excitement of having three additional unplanned hours of research.
Here is a typical vacation photo, me surrounded by books and I'm having a great time. I hope you too, enjoyed your summer vacation.
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