The summer vacation that never ended at Chautauqua Institution

See Related Article: Stars Come Out Over Chautauqua Lake about celebrities attending Chautauqua Institution this summer.

 

by Steve Grant 

When Henry and Clement Studebaker started the H&C Studebaker Blacksmith shop in February 1852 they were experienced blacksmiths having learned the trade from their father John C. Studebaker. With the financial assistance they received in 1858 from younger brother John M. when he returned from the California Gold Rush with eight thousand dollars he had saved they expanded the business. During the 1880s the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company was the largest maker of transportation in the world. Within a short few decades they went from simple working men to being extremely wealthy.

With wealth comes certain changes in lifestyle. Those who have visited South Bend, Indiana for Studebaker events have probably seen Tippiecanoe Place, the one time home of Clement Studebaker which he had built in 1868. Even with a beautiful home like Tippiecanoe, Clement still had the urge to get away. Here’s a bit of a look into how and where he spent his time away.

Clement Studebaker was friends with Lewis Miller, an Ohio businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the late 1800s as inventor of the first combine with the cutting blade mounted in front of the driver and to the side of the horse, rather than pulled behind. Miller had been spending his time in western New York at a retreat known as Chautauqua. In 1874 Miller, with Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent, worked to found what is now the Chautauqua Institution on the shores of Chautauqua Lake. The Chautauqua retreat attracted many famous people and Miller invited his friend Clement Studebaker and his family to visit. The Studebaker family eventually built several homes on the grounds.

On the death of Miller in 1888 Clement took over as the President of Chautauqua which he oversaw til his death in 1901. There are records showing the family continued to visit there into the 1930s when Clement Jr. was serving on the board of trustees.

The Chautauqua Institution still operates as a non-profit adult education center and summer resort and is located on 750 acres, 17 miles northwest of Jamestown in the southwestern part of New York State. The Chautauqua Institution Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The homes that the Studebaker family built on the grounds are located at 34 South Lake Drive which was built for Clement’s daughter Ann Studebaker Carlisle and her husband. Today this is the United Methodist Missionary House. 7 Foster Drive was deeded to Anna Studebaker, Clement’s wife as was common in the day. 39 North Lake Drive was built for Clement Jr. At 45 Cookman Ave is one of the older houses on the grounds and was listed as Clement’s residence during the time he spent there. You can still see all these houses today.

I learned of the Studebaker connection to Chautauqua in high school while doing my senior term paper on the history of the Studebaker Corporation. One of my classmates was doing his paper on the nearby Chautauqua Institution and ran across Clement’s name in his reference. He told me about what he had found and since then I have done more research including some time spent in the Institution’s archives which were very helpful.

In 1999 while at the York swap meet I was telling some friends about the info and we thought we should plan a weekend event for our local chapters at Chautauqua. The first year was in 2000 and we had members in attendance from the Kinzua Region Chapter, the Hamilton Chapter, Ohio Region Chapter, Ontario Chapter and Allegheny Region Chapter. We haven’t missed a year since then. Each year we get together on Labor Day weekend with good friends and enjoy the scenery, the lake, the architecture and the relaxed atmosphere. There’s plenty to do in the area with flea markets, winery tours, antique shops, and more. However if you would just like a relaxing weekend you can’t pick a better location.

This year the dates are September 3 to 6 with several people staying til Monday since it’s a holiday. Once you experience Chautauqua it’s hard to stay away. Chautauqua has become more than a beautiful Victorian setting, more than a weekend Studebaker event. It’s become a relaxing, special time to spend with friends old and new.

While at the grounds we stay at the Carey Cottage Inn. It’s a great place, centrally located with gracious hosts, a comfortable parlor and an expansive porch just made for visiting.

Anyone is welcome to join us for the weekend. Come to Chautauqua for the weekend a stranger, you will leave a dear friend to many.

Akeley resident Steve Grant writes a blog about Studebaker cars at Madd Doodler and publishes a yearly calendar featuring photos of the best from the Indiana automobile manufacturer which operated up to 1963. 

 

Article and photos are Copyright 2010 by Steve Grant and Madd Doodler Publishing.

　

Comments

[Blue Morpho Butterfly]

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