Door prizes will be awarded throughout the afternoon. The event will also celebrate the successful completion of the funding drive for the second phase of the Depot Museum’s modernization campaign. Phase Two will see an outdoor digital touchscreen video kiosk installed at the depot, the first for Chautauqua County. The kiosk will serve as an information node for the entire Lake Chautauqua area. Funding from grants from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the Chautauqua County Progress for Economic Growth and the village of Mayville.

The first phase of the modernization campaign was celebrated during the 2024 season opening of the museum and includes fiber optic, broadband, and ethernet for WiFi and the digital display of a series of short videos on various Mayville historical topics. For the open house, in addition to a continuous video show, the museum’s holdings will be on display.

The museum houses numerous artifacts related to former Mayville residents and businesses. Its archives also have selected holdings of genealogical material. The walls display numerous framed historical photos of local sites and artifacts.

Today, the museum occupies one half of the former Mayville railroad depot. The original two-story wooden depot was built in 1871. It served the regular rail service that passed through Mayville. On May 24, 1923, the original depot was destroyed by fire, not an uncommon occurrence for Mayville’s commercial buildings. One possible cause was that the painters had been using blow torches to burn paint off the outside of the building at the time.

Pictured is the original Mayville Depot built in 1871 and burned down May 24, 1923.

In 1925 a new one-story brick depot was rebuilt in the same location. Train service ceased on December 29, 1978, ending 112 years of rail service in Mayville. During the first century that the depot was in full operation, a number of notable figures stopped there, various politicians including Presidents Teddy and Franklin D. Roosevelt, presidential candidate Alf Landon, magician Harry Houdini, and the Liberty Bell. Over the past 45 years, various community-oriented concerns have occupied the depot building.

The museum moved into the ticket office and passenger waiting room on the east side of the former depot in June 1979. The freight room occupied the west side of the building for most of its history. As rail service declined in the 1960s and early 1970s, the west side was rented by Chautauqua Malted Milk Inc to store 100-pound bags of malted milk. Later, Access Channel 5, the public television station, set up shop there. Following this, the Rails to Trails and Historic Vessels had offices there.

Currently, it is unoccupied, but Evergreen Outfitters, a paddle sports store, will be using the space this summer as its regular building across the street is undergoing renovation, and Inspire Good WNY, a non-profit directed by Serena Gilkinson, will be organizing events Saturday evenings throughout the summer at the location.

The railroad came to Mayville in 1866, and started regular service in 1867. Mayville was a major stop on the line that went from Oil City, Pa. to Brocton. There, it linked with the Buffalo to Erie lines, and in turn, to the formerly vast North American rail system. Mayville, the county seat, benefited from the new accessibility and transport. It spawned the ice business, tourism and allowed for furniture manufacturing. According to some accounts, by the late 1880s, Lake Chautauqua, with its 20-odd tourist hotels, its fleet of steam ships, and its rail links to major Eastern cities, became a top tourist destination in the United States. Side trips to Niagara Falls were often included in the Lake Chautauqua package tours.

A number of local businesses will be sponsoring the open house with contributed door prizes. These businesses include: Door prizes will be awarded throughout the afternoon from the following sponsors: 2 Ames; Andriaccio’s Restaurant; Ashville General Store; Art Cloth & Craft; Bark Grill; Bellini Lounge; Bemus Point Golf Club; The Best of Buffalo; Big Inlet Brewing; Boxcar Barney’s Ice Cream; Brazil Lounge; Brazill’s on Main; Brigiotta’s Produce; Calarco’s Restaurant; Chautauqua Belle; Chautauqua Golf Club; Chautauqua Institution; Chautauqua Liquor & Wine; Chop House on Main; Coppola’s Pizzeria; El Jarocho; Ellicottville Brewing; Evergreen Outfitters; Fenton Historical Center; Fifties Grill & Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing; Food King Restaurant; Fuji Sushi & Steak House; Grace and Abe’s; Group Ther-Happy; Haff’s Acres Farm; Handcrafted From the Heart; Grape Discovery Center; Guppy’s; The Happy Cow; Heirloom Restaurant; Hogan’s Hut; Jack’s Barcelona Drive-In; Johnson Estate Winery; La Cucina Della Nonna; Lakeview Restaurant; Landmark Restaurant; Larry’s Cantina; Lena’s Pizza; Lighthouse Grocery; Mayville VFW Post 8647; Mayberry Jungle; Mayville Hardware; Mayville VFW Hall; M&T Bank, Music For Your Mouth; Napa Auto Center; National Comedy Center; Noble Winery; Northwest Bank; Old Corner Deli; Pearl City Hops; Pizza Express; Portage Hill Art Gallery; The Pub; Quintessential Print Shop; She Sings Café; Splash; Tap Room & Grill; Tim Hortons; Tops Market; Truffle Honey Eatery; Turner Community Center; TW Biggins Wines & Spirits; Webb’s Candies; Webb’s Miniature Golf; Westfield’s Fisheries; When Pig’s Fly BBQ; Wicked Warren’s; Willow Run Golf Course.

There will be drawings throughout the afternoon, and at the close of the event, there will be a final “crescendo drawing,” with all the remaining prizes. A centennial birthday cake and other light refreshments will be served.

The museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the summer season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends. While admission to the museum is free, modest donations are appreciated.

Both annual and lifetime memberships to the Historical Society are also available. The annual membership is $5 per year. The Historical Society meets monthly from May to October with featured speakers in the Sid Compton Room of the Chautauqua Town Hall.