Chedwel, New York facts for kids

Chedwel is a small community in Chautauqua County, New York. It sits on the north shore of Chautauqua Lake, about halfway between the towns of Bemus Point and Mayville. This quiet spot is located between State Route 430 and the lake, at an elevation of 1,335 feet (407 meters) above sea level.

The Story of Chedwel

How Chedwel Got Its Name

Chedwel got its unique name from a special person: Dr. Charles Edgar Welch. He was the youngest son of Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch. His father was famous for creating unfermented grape juice, which is the kind of grape juice we drink today. Charles Edgar's name, "Ch-ed-wel," became the name for this area.

Dr. Welch and His Grape Juice Company

Dr. Charles Edgar Welch was a dentist, just like his father. He became involved in the grape juice business when he was young. In 1875, he started running the business on his own in Vineland, New Jersey. Within 20 years, he founded the Welch's Grape Juice Company. In 1897, he moved the company to Westfield, New York, which is near Lake Erie and just a few miles from Chautauqua Lake.

The Welch Family Estate

The Welch family's estate at Chedwel was quite grand. It included two main houses built by the Welchs. There were also smaller cottages nearby for guests to stay in. For fun, the estate had a tennis court and a croquet court.

Dr. Charles Edgar Welch was a very active person in his community. He was the mayor of Westfield six times! He also ran for governor of New York in 1916. Plus, he was a trustee for the Chautauqua Institution, which is a famous educational center located right across the lake from Chedwel. By the mid-1900s, the property was divided and sold. Today, the community includes the former Welch homes and several other houses built along its two streets, Chedwel Road and Overlook Avenue.

The Unique Log Cabin

One of the original buildings on the estate was a large log cabin. What made it special was that its entire inside, including many accessories, was made from logs and tree branches! The beds, light fixtures, towel racks, and even the toilet paper holders were crafted from logs and branches. These unique pieces were collected by the brother of Elbert Hubbard, a famous artist and writer. He spent many hours searching the woods for branches that were just the right shape for different uses in the cabin.

Camp Chedwel for Girls

In the summer of 1913, a special camp for girls was started on the Welch summer estate. It was sponsored and run by the Chautauqua County YWCA and was known as Camp Chedwel. The girls, their counselors, and the cooks all stayed in nine tents.

The camp offered many activities. Girls could participate in Bible study, nature study, games, and singing. They also had talks about home economics, which is about managing a household. Every evening, the girls would light a campfire while wearing their special ceremonial outfits. They would sing songs and tell stories, ending the day with an inspiring talk.

Camp Rules and Food

Camp Chedwel had its own system for making rules. It was governed by a "Senate," which was made up of the counselors. There was also a "House of Representatives," with one girl chosen from each tent by the girls themselves. This group worked together to create the rules for the camp.

Everyone agreed that the food at the camp was excellent! The cooks prepared all the meals. However, the girls helped out by setting the tables, serving the food, washing the dishes, and cleaning the dining room and kitchen.

Dr. Welch really enjoyed having Camp Chedwel at his summer estate. It's not clear exactly how many years the camp continued to operate there.

Chedwel Grows

In later years, Chedwel grew as private land lots were sold. Many of these lots were bought by Methodist bishops and clergy, who built their summer homes in this beautiful location.