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Jamestown, NY

Jamestown
City
Downtown Jamestown, view from Washington Street.
Downtown Jamestown, view from Washington Street.
Nickname(s): The Pearl City
Highlighted Jamestown, New York.PNG
Coordinates: 42°5′44″N 79°14′19″W / 42.09556°N 79.23861°W / 42.09556; -79.23861Coordinates: 42°5′44″N 79°14′19″W / 42.09556°N 79.23861°W / 42.09556; -79.23861
Country United States
State New York
County Chautauqua
Founded 1810
Incorporated (village) 1827
Incorporated (city) April 19, 1886
Government
 • Type Mayor-Council
 • Mayor Samuel Teresi (D)
 • Common Council
Area
 • Total 9.1 sq mi (23.5 km2)
 • Land 9.0 sq mi (22.94 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.217 km2)
Elevation 1,378 ft (420 m)
Population (Census 2010)
 • Total 31,146
 • Density 3,534.6/sq mi (1,364.3/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 14701, 14702
Area code 716
FIPS code 36-38264
GNIS feature ID 0953925
Website Official website

Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the northwest and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest population center in the county. Nearby Chautauqua Lake is a fresh water resource enjoyed by fishermen, boaters and naturalists. Chautauqua Institution is approximately 17 miles away, offering music, theater, educational classes and lectures for nine weeks during the summer.

Notable people from the Jamestown area include comedian Lucille Ball; Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson; naturalist Roger Tory Peterson; singer Natalie Merchant; and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Products developed in Jamestown include the crescent wrench and automatic voting machines.

Jamestown was once called the "Furniture Capital of the World" where people visited from all over the country to attend furniture expositions at the Furniture Mart, a building that still stands in the city and currently houses offices for a variety of companies.

Jamestown is named after James Prendergast, an early Chautauqua County settler. His family purchased 3,500 acres (14 km2) in 1806, in the area now known as Chautauqua County. James Prendergast explored the area that is now Jamestown. Prendergast saw the area to be valuable, and so he purchased 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land in the area in 1808. In the fall of 1809, Prendergast and an employee, John Blowers built a log cabin, which became the first building in Jamestown. Another log cabin as well as mills and a dam were built on the Chadakoin River later on. In 1855, Nightwatch was created for the purpose of looking out for fires.


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