From left, Quentin Johnson, Jamestown Trolley Car No. 93 volunteer; Jeff Lehman, city public works director; Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist; Noah Goodling, Fenton History Center executive director; Robert Nordin, Clark Patterson Lee principal associate; Tory Irgang, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director; and Lisa Lynde, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation donor services; in front of the restored Jamestown Trolley Car No. 93. The fund to raise money for a building to house the trolley has been named after Jim Mitchener, who helped restore the trolley. Mitchener died of cancer earlier this year. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

A fund at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation is being named after the restorer of Jamestown Trolley Car No. 93.

Bob Johnston, Jamestown Trolley Car No. 93 project founder, told The Post-Journal that the fund to collect money for a building to permanently house the restored trolley car is going to be known as the “Trolley No. 93/Jim Mitchener Memorial Fund.”

Mitchener, who passed away from cancer earlier this year, was the restoration project’s skilled carpenter.

“Jim brought the abilities of a true craftsman to the project and the newly named fund will help us carry on his efforts,” Johnston said.

Johnston said he is hopeful the community will continue to make contributions to the trolley, which can be done by visiting crcfonline.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=1750 or by contacting the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation at 661-3390.

Last year, Johnston announced that the Fenton History Center and the city of Jamestown were working on plans to possibly store the restored trolley at former Governor Reuben Fenton’s former estate, located at 67 Washington St., Jamestown. Johnston said he discussed the idea with Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Noah Goodling, Fenton History Center executive director. He said the potential location for the trolley car display building could be along Washington Street at the bottom of the hill. Johnston said CPL (Clark Patterson Lee) is assisting with the plans for the display building.

The Jamestown Street Railway ended service in 1938. Johnston said bits and pieces of the long gone local trolley era still linger, trolley car No. 93 is pretty much the last stand alone Chautauqua County trolley remaining of the hundreds of cars that once serviced the county.

“It is hoped that the new building will provide a gateway to the rest of what the Fenton History Center has to offer on their NYS Arterial property,” he said. “Noah Goodling, Fenton’s director, sees it as an opportunity to further its mission by providing a unique teaching destination to young and old alike.”

Johnston said since the beginning of the project the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation has been a major part of the long time goal of preserving and providing this large piece of local transportation history to the community.

“We also have a separate endowment fund for the trolley with them,” he said. “Almost since day one of the project, this fund has been growing with hopes that it will provide a permanent stream of income for maintaining ‘trolley operations’ for future generations. Their encouragement and support has been very much appreciated throughout the project.”

Johnston said anyone or group wishing to learn more about the project or want to see trolley car No. 93, can contact him at 338-5051 or can visit its website at jamestowntrolley.org.

“While the major part of the restoration is complete we are always interested in talking to those who want to offer their expertise and support,” he said. ” Please help us with our goal of preserving a major piece of the past for future generations.”

The restoration of the trolley car has been a project that has been ongoing for more than 25 years. However, restoration work really started to move forward on the trolley car in 2014 when Mitchener came aboard the project.

The trolley car restoration project first began in 1996 when Johnston was discussing his love of local history with a friend, Sam Lucariello. Lucariello mentioned his parents, Mauro and Harriet Lucariello, had an old Jamestown trolley car they used as a hunting camp near Dewittville. The family donated it to Johnston and the trolley car was moved back to Jamestown.

Many local businesses have provided materials and services toward the restoration, and many individuals from around the city, county and country have made contributions to both the endowment and non-endowment funds at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

The Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car No. 93, sometimes referred to as the “Swede Hill” trolley, was purchased by the street railway in 1926 and was in operation on the Willard Street Route until the end of service for the line in 1938.