Jamestown Chamber of Commerce

Located at the southeastern tip of Chautauqua Lake, Jamestown is the largest city in Chautauqua County. A city rich in historic sites and museums such as the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, Fenton History Center, and the Reg Lenna Civic Center. As home town to Lucille Ball, Jamestown boasts the Lucy-Desi Museum, The Desilu Playhouse and Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown.  Jamestown is also home of the Robert H. Jackson Center, promoting the legacy of the hometown lawyer who would become the United States Chief Prosecutor of Nazi War Criminals at Nuremberg Germany and Supreme Court Justice.

Jamestown is also the location of the world-class Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena, and the Jamestown Jammers Baseball team, downtown accommodations, dining opportunities and shopping and many special events.

Formerly known as “Pearl City”, Jamestown was named in 1815 in honor of its first settler, James Prendergast, and by 1827 was officially incorporated as a village.  Within a decade, industry was flourishing in the production of various lumber and wood products.  New crafts and skills were brought to the region in the mid-century years by an influx of Swedish settlers and the village continued to prosper and diversify with contributions from immigrants of predominantly Italian, Irish and English backgrounds.  In 1886, with a population around 15,000, Jamestown received its charter as a city by the State of New York.

Today, the City of Jamestown is an economically sound and vibrant community serving as the industrial, commercial, financial and recreational hub of Southwestern New York.  As the center of a metropolitan area of more than 70,000 residents and a market area of nearly 175,000 people, Jamestown supports a broad diversity of industry, modern commercial establishments and financial institutions, and provides a myriad of cultural and recreation opportunities for its residents.  Jamestown’s “balanced community living” reflects the commitment of both public and private sector forces to provide the highest quality of life possible.

Jamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system, with locations in Jamestown and Dunkirk offering JCC degree and certificate programs in many areas. 

Links of Interest
Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation: www.discoverjamestown.com
City of Jamestown:   www.jamestownny.net
Lucy Desi Center:   www.lucy-desi.com
Robert H. Jackson Center:  www.roberthjackson.org
Fenton History Center:  www.fentonhistorycenter.org
Roger Tory Peter Institute of Natural History: www.rtpi.org
Jamestown Audubon Society: www.jamestownaudubon.wordpress.com