Four famous people were born in Jamestown, but all the murals pay tribute to its sweetheart, Lucille Ball. Fans from around the world visit the
Lucy-Desi Museum to celebrate the first lady of comedy. You can see famous I Love Lucy sets and vintage costumes, and even “audition” for the Vitameatavegamin scene on camera. Catch a show at the nearby
Reg Lenna Civic Center, formerly the Palace Theater, where Lucy watched Vaudeville with her grandfather.
Take a cruise on Chautauqua Lake or walk the trails at the
Roger Tory Peterson Institute, named for a local who was the premier naturalist of the 20th century. Golf Digest has called Jamestown "the Best Little Golf Town in America," so allow time to play a round or two.
By the way, the other two famous residents were Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials (learn about him at the
Jackson Center) and Reuben Fenton, governor of New York in 1865.
The Fenton Center is housed in his Italian villa-style mansion. Of course, it also contains a Lucy exhibit.