Protecting a Beloved Chautauqua Landmark Preserves Our Legacy and Yours
A beautiful day on Chautauqua Lake.
From its first days, when visitors would arrive by steamboat, Chautauqua Lake has been an essential part of the Chautauqua experience. Stepping off the boats and onto the shore was, literally, the first step in what would be a transformative experience for those earliest Chautauquans, and what continues to be for so many.
Though no visitors arrive by steamboat today, generations of families have made lasting memories while swimming, boating, fishing, and enjoying the natural beauty of the lake. And countless visitors continue to feel the soul-soothing power of the lake’s serenity each year.
But much has changed since Lewis Miller and John Heyl Vincent brought the first Chautauquans ashore. Many decades of onshore development and runoff have disrupted the ecology of Chautauqua Lake, encouraging growth of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and threatening the lake’s immediate and long-term health.
Sailing class on Chautauqua Lake.
"HAB’s can be toxic, representing a threat to people and pets that could limit our ability to enjoy the lake,” says Lake Project Manager Toby Shepherd. “Building a ‘Smart Lake’ is critical to the long-term ecological health of our lake and present and future Chautauquans’ experiences with the lake. We have the opportunity now to protect the lake for future generations.”
Chautauqua Lake Project Manager Toby Shepherd teaches Chautauquans about the marvels this natural wonder, and how to ensure its future.
Chautauqua Lake is a priceless asset to the Institution and all of Chautauqua County. That’s why Chautauqua Institution has taken on the mantle of being a leading force in preserving Chautauqua Lake through a significant and continuous investment. Together with our partners at The Jefferson Project at Lake George, we are building a foundation of sustainability with cutting-edge scientific tools and analysis.
The waters of Chautauqua Lake reflect so many memories for Chautauquans both young and old. Chautauqua Lake is an integral part of the legacy that began in 1874. It is our responsibility to be dutiful stewards on behalf of the generations of Chautauquans still to come.
Including Chautauqua in your estate plan can do many wonderful things, including protecting Chautauqua Lake from environmental threats so future generations of Chautauquans can enjoy it as part of the memories they old that can be gotten nowhere else. Contact Jenny Stitely, CFRE, CAP® at 410.598.6845 or jstitely@chq.org to learn how your support can translate to powerful stewardship.