Lawson Boating Heritage Center On Chautauqua Lake

LOVING BOATS SINCE 1918. OUR MISSION IS TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY OF BOATING ON CHAUTAUQUA LAKE, TO PRESERVE THE LAWSON FAMILY'S LEGACY, AND TO SHARE CHAUTAUQUA LAKE'S REGIONAL HISTORY.

- EXHIBIT HISTORIC BOATS, ARTIFACTS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL THAT RELATE TO CHAUTAUQUA LAKE'S RICH BOATING HISTORY.- EXHIBIT THE LAWSON FAMILY COLLECTION OF HISTORIC BOATING ARTIFACTS, WOOD-WORKING TOOLS, BOAT BUILDING TOOLS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY.- PROVIDE A VENUE FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AND EVENT FORUMS.- PROVIDE A MARINA LEARNING EXPERIENCE.- CREATE A NAUTICAL REFERENCE LIBRARY FOR USE BY THE MEMBERSHIP AND GUESTS.ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022:FOLLOWING 2 YEARS OF RESTRICTIONS DUE TO COVID WE WERE ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL HOURS AS LISTED BELOW.MUSEUM HOURS MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS: SATURDAY 10AM-5PM AND SUNDAY 1PM-5PM, ADDITIONALLY DURING JULY AND AUGUST WEDNESDAY 1PM-5PM AND AT OTHER TIMES PER REQUEST.-CURRENT AVERAGE MEMBERSHIP: 290. CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP: INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, PARTNER, CORPORATE, FRIEND OF THE LAWSON CENTER. CONTINUE MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.-WITH THE HELP OF GRANTS FROM THE CHAUTAUQUA REGION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD FACILITATED STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, PURCHASE 2 REFRIGERATORS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR VENUE USERS, AND REPLACE OUR DECK AWNINGS TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR VISITORS AND VENUE USERS.

CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, FORUMS, SEMINARS, AND WORKSHOPS CENTERED ON THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF THE LAWSON CENTER, MARITIME HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA LAKE, THE HISTORY OF WOOD BOAT BUILDING, AND THE LESSONS OF BOATING.ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022:AGAIN, AFTER THE DISRUPTION OF THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO GET BACK TO A MORE NORMAL SCHEDULE OF CLASSES, FORUMS, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS. OUR SUMMER LECTURE SERIES WAS HELD PRETTY MUCH AS NORMAL WITH GOOD ATTENDANCE AND RESPONSE. SOME SCHOOL TOURS WERE AGAIN HELD BUT NOT BACK TO PRIOR YEAR LEVEL. OUR ABILITY TO HOST NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AT OUR FACILITY WAS RESTORED TO THE LEVEL OF PRIOR YEARS. WE WERE ABLE TO RECIEVE 1,602 MUSEUM VISITORS, 250 FOR ADULT EDUCATION SEMINARS AND 2,486 ATTENDED MEMBER AND PRIVATE EVENTS AT OUR VENUE.

PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF CLASSIC BOATS THAT IN PAST YEARS GRACED OUR LAKE.ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022:WE COMPLETED THE RESTORATION OF THE 1939 CENTURY BEGUN IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND STARTED WORK ON THREE MORE CLASSIC BOATS: TWO WERE 1953 17' CHRIS CRAFTS (HANCOCK BOAT AND MARSH BOAT) AND ONE WAS A 1956 17' SEA SKIFF (DOT BOAT). ALL ARE EXAMPLES OF THE HISTORIC BOATS THAT GRACED OUR AREA OVER THE YEARS AS WELL AS THE CRAFTSMANSHIP WE ARE PRESERVING. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE HARD WORK OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.