Do you remember years in which winter lasted until mid-April and then it was 90 degrees by mid-May?

Those were years in which spring lasted about a month.

Not by the calendar, of course, but by the weather.

Following the heavy-snow winters of decades ago, some snow banks took until May to melt.

But daffodils and tulips were barely out before summer weather arrived.

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Not so this year.

The snow from this past winter, though not heavy by the standards of decades ago, was heavy compared to recent years.

Yet by the same standards, it melted fairly early.

Meanwhile, summer is taking its time to arrive, so this has been an unusually long spring here in Western New York.

We’ve had several nice days for outdoor activities, yet summer weather has yet to take a firm hold.

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Before it fully arrives–or even after it fully arrives–there’s plenty to do in Chautauqua County.

For those who enjoy museums, the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau’s website highlights 12:

â–Ź The Dunkirk Lighthouse, Park and Veterans Museum is an “historical site with a working lighthouse and a veterans museum.” The museum has “an extensive collection of military and maritime artifacts.” And you’ll enjoy a great view of Lake Erie from the lighthouse-observation deck.

â–Ź The Fenton History Center in Jamestown is in the 1863 home of New York’s 22nd governor. The museum has local-history exhibits and a reference/genealogy library.

â–Ź The Grape Discovery Center in Westfield is the official visitors center for the Lake Erie Concord-grape belt. There “you can experience and learn about all things grape.”

â–Ź The Lawson Center Boat Museum in Bemus Point showcases Chautauqua Lake boating history.

â–Ź The Lily Dale Assembly Museum has “artifacts and memorabilia from the first days of the Spiritualist movement and the founding of Lily Dale.” The museum includes the Susan B. Anthony women’s suffrage display.

â–Ź The Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Museum in Jamestown “honors the legacy of ‘The First Couple of Comedy’ (and) features replica sets, Lucille Ball’s Emmy awards, costumes, rare memorabilia from I Love Lucy and other shows, and much more.”

â–Ź The McClurg Museum in Westfield houses the Chautauqua County Historical Society. “The museum features period displays on three floors. Displays include some of the earliest artifacts and archival materials relating to the settlement and subsequent development of the county. The collection features fine art, antique furnishings, textiles, and much more. Children especially enjoy the Victorian nursery with its delightful doll collection.”

â–Ź Midway State Park in Maple Springs was “established in 1898 as a trolley park.” A 1915 building included “a kitchen, a large dining room, and space for dancing and roller skating. Today, this building is home to a museum, gift shop, concession stands and other facilities.”

â–Ź The National Comedy Center in Jamestown “showcases comedy’s great minds and unique voices in ways that engage, inspire, educate, and entertain. Over 50 immersive exhibits within the 37,000-square-foot facility enable visitors to take a laugh-filled journey through comedy history, from early vaudeville to the latest viral memes.”

â–Ź The Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, dedicated to its namesake Supreme Court justice, has “collections, exhibits, and program and meeting facilities housed in an historic 1858 Italianate mansion.”

â–Ź The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown has the largest collection of its namesake’s “original artwork, films, slides and papers.”

â–Ź The Yorker Museum in Sherman has “six historical buildings representing a general store, schoolhouse, chapel, buggy shed, log dwelling, and simple home.”

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How many of these have you never visited?

Pick one or more, and go this year.

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This newspaper doesn’t publish next Friday, so Randy Elf’s column will return in two weeks.

COPYRIGHT © 2026 BY RANDY ELF