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Chamber of Commerce
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Town of Mina
The Town of Mina was taken from Clymer March 23, 1824. It included the present Town of Sherman, which separated in 1832. Alexander was born in Ireland in 1759 and emigrated to America in 1770 and grew up in Washington Co. Pa. He married in 1783 and started his family.He traveled with his family and settled in Greenfield, Erie Co. Pa. Wanting to build a saw mill he came upon 2 ponds fed from a stream flowing near by. In 1811 the same year that Chautauqua County was established he bought the land surrounding the ponds thus being the first land bought in the now Town of Mina. After serving in the War of 1812 he returned to build his saw mill. He built a dam making 2 ponds into one. At first it was called Findley's Pond then to Findley's Lake. In 1816 he made his permanent home there. The first town meeting was held April 1824 in the first school that was built During the years 1824-1831 thirty-seven families had made original purchases of lots and the school was crowded. At one time there were 12 one room school houses around Mina. In 1883 the first local run newspaper was started called "Findley's Lake Breeze" owned by Joseph and Julia Boorman it closed in 1911. During the WWlI time a group of youth started a local paper called "Snewser" for our boys in service, it ran from 1943 and became a community paper by the time it stopped in '1946. In 1896 Reverend Lilley and Dr. Langdon along with some local businessmen started a Chautauqua type movement called "Lakeside Assembly" , it was located on the west side of the lake. And consisted of a large open Amphitheater seating 2,000. A large school for various classes and a log cabin for crafts. People from all around came to enjoy professional speakers, all around entertainment and education. Cottages, hotels and refreshment places were built.
By 1915 after the 291h session it was closed. In '1911 a Fire department was started and still going strong. We had a skating rink that was attended many years by people all around the area. The anchor that now stands at the north end of the lake was moved from its first placement on North road. It originally came from a shipwreck near Ripley N.Y in 1905. lt was one of two anchors from the "Mautenne" of Bay City, Michigan. Some of the most important people that have lived in Mina were, Country Judge Arthur Ottaway and his nephew Lee L Ottaway who was Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Dana Horton Clerk of House of Representatives in Washington DC. Ebenezer Skellie was recipient of the Congressional Medal for gallantry in Civil War. David C McGraw of the McGraw Hill publishing house was principal of the Findley Lake School in the 1800's.
Starting just this year in 2011 the Town of Mina will be celebrating 187 happy years.
Submitted by Sharon Scarem: Historian
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