Driving Tour of the Old Chautauqua Trail in Cattaraugus County
Travel the route taken by early pioneers 200 years ago as they settled Cattaraugus and Chautauqua County. Imagine the thousands of families that used this road as they moved westward to Ohio. Try to picture the drovers from Ohio who brought their livestock along this road on their way to markets in New York City.
Chautauqua Trail Map, File Size: 2.48 MB, (Print in Landscape orientation)
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#1
This photo shows Joseph McCluer's tavern in McCluer's Settlement, now known as Franklinville
Starting in Angelica in Allegany County, the Old Chautauqua Road is the oldest road to traverse Cattaraugus County. It entered the county at the northeast corner of the Town of Farmersville on Kingsbury Road and passed through McCluer's Settlement (today known as the Village of Franklinville). It traveled up present day Bryant Hill Road and turned left on Route 242. The road continued through the Town and Village of Ellicottville, Mansfield, Little Valley, New Albion and Conewango on its way to Mayville in Chautauqua County.
Over the past 200 years the Chautauqua Trail has undergone changes; new sections have been added and other ones have been abandoned. This brochure follows the original road as closely as possible. Directions have been provided that use your odometer and points out sites along the route. You may choose to use the map to set up your own individual tour.
A plaque on the building explains that this was also the site of the first town meeting in Cattaraugus County in 1808.
The tour begins at the stoplight on Elm Street in Franklinville. Set your odometer at 0.0. As you start up Elm look at the white building on your left called Trash and Treasures. This was the site of Joseph McCluer's log cabin. Later he built a tavern on this site. McCluer was a surveyor who was hired by Joseph Elliott and the Holland Land Company. He chose Bryant Hill Road as a main section of the Old Chautauqua Road.
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#2
When your odometer is at 0.7, to the left are the remains of the old stone quarry. You are now on Bakerstand Road. At 1.4 follow the road straight ahead, onto Bryant Hill Road. (follow the sign for Triple R Campground.)
A horse farm is located on your left At 7.4. The county is becoming known for horse farms and equestrian activities.
The Bryant Hill Cemetery is at 8.1, the resting place of early settlers. The site is undergoing major restoration.
A tubing park is on your left at 9.3. Route 242 appears at 9.5. Turn left and proceed into Ellicottville at 12.3.
You can park and visit shops, enjoy a meal, take a tour of village homes or explore Holiday Valley Ski Resort.
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#3
Continue your trip on Route 242. At 15.0 on your right you will see a junkyard and a very old structure. This is the Fish Tavern circa 1819 where the settlers stopped to rest, eat and care for their animals.
Fish Tavern is the only remaining tavern of the many that were located on the Old Chautauqua Road in Cattaraugus County. The Chautauqua Road is indicated by the X's on the right.
IMPORTANT! At 15.1 turn right on Windsor Road. At the stop sign continue on County Road 15 (Dublin Road). At the next stop sign at 17.7 turn left on Dublin Road. Crandall Road, shown in the picture to the left, is an abandoned section of the Old Chautauqua Road and is closed to the public.
At 20.8, Dublin again meets Route 242. Go straight ahead and take Route 353 to Little Valley. On your right at 21.9 you will pass Bicentennial Park. The Cattaraugus County Buildings are located behind the Park. The County Fair Grounds are at 22.1 on your right.
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#4
Take Route 353 to County Road 5 (New Albion Road) at 23.0 and turn left. When you come to County Road 7 (Pigeon Valley Road) at 24.5 turn left.
Guy Tavern
Look to your right at 24.8 and you will see Chautauqua Road but do not take this route since it is a seasonal road. It was once a section of the original road that was abandoned. Continue straight ahead to a stop at 27.6.
Turn right onto County Road 7 and at 27.7 turn right on County Road 10. Turn left on Chautauqua Road at 30.1. The Guy Tavern was located at this intersection.
A scenic view of the Enchanted Mountains from a section of the Old Chautauqua Road is depicted in this photo to the right.
Continue on this Road to Axeville. You are now entering Amish country. Please respect the religious beliefs of the Amish and refrain from taking pictures of the people. Watch for their buggies on the road as this is their main form of transportation so drive carefully. The Amish sell quilts, toys, cheese, baked goods, furniture, cabinets and plants. They welcome your business but not on Sundays. Their homesteads are usually painted white with blue doors. Their barns are dark red. They do not use electricity.
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#5
At 31.7 you will see an Amish school as seen in the photo below.
When you come to a stop sign at 33.9 proceed straight ahead to County Road 40 (also called Seager Hill). At 34.8 veer to the right on Seager Hill. Then at 37.6 you will see an Amish business on the left and on your right will be Rutledge Cemetery.
At the stop at 37.8 proceed straight ahead to Route 62 South. The tour ends at Route 62 which is approximately 39.4 on your odometer.
You are now at the border of Chautauqua County.
Your options
- Reverse the tour route and return to Franklinville
- Take Route 62 North to Gowanda
- Turn around and go back to Conewango and take Route 241 South to Randolph and I-86.
Request a brochure
Print this page if you need a printed version of the trail tour. If you really need a brochure of this Old Chautauqua Trail tour then please contact us and we will mail you one.