Fruit and vegetable farms surround this struggling city in southwestern New York. Jamestown sits at the southern end of Chatauqua Lake and is a gateway to the numerous resorts on its eastern shore. It has a furniture manufacturing industry dating back to the 1870s. Skilled woodworkers from this early settlement began making furniture for pioneers and by the 1850s the industry had grown large enough to attract scores of Swedish immigrants. Italian craftsmen followed them in the late 1800s. The city was first established back in 1886.

Since 1975, local population has declined from a peak of 45,000 to fewer than 35,000. Those of Swedish descent still make up the majority. Furniture manufacturing faced stiff competition and the industry never managed to recover. Motor-vehicle parts and machinery manufacturing add to the present economy.

Despite its somewhat lackluster appearance, Jamestown does offer several notable attractions and the town counts Lucille Ball, naturalist Roger Tory Peterson, and the band 10,000 Maniacs among its natives. The Fenton Historical Center features exhibits on Jamestown, Chatauqua Lake, and Lucille Ball.

Other tributes to Lucy are found at the Civic Center Theater and the Lucille Ball Little Theatre. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute offers nature education, a gallery, and a library, and the Jamestown Audubon Center is a 600-acre wildlife sanctuary with a children’s discovery center. The lakeshore resort areas are more inviting for lodging and dining. Buffalo, with its Greater Buffalo International Airport, is the nearest major hub.