Chautauqua County is named for a Seneca word meaning “where the fish are taken out”.
Surrounding County and Canada Courthouses:
N – Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada and Erie County
S – Warren County, Pennsylvania and Erie County, Pennsylvania
W – Erie County, Pennsylvania, Lake Erie and Ontario, Canada
Created: March 11, 1808 
County Seat:
Mayville 1811 – present
County Courthouse – Mayville
Location: 1 North Erie Street / East Chautauqua Street
Built: 1907 – 1908
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: William J Beardsley of Poughkeepsie
Contractor: Ernest J Bailey of Shellberg, Linquist & Bailey
Description: The building faces southwest and is a two story buff colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Mayville. The building has a raised basement and is built of Ohio sandstone. The southwest front has a large portico supported by four high columns with wide pediment above at the roof line. The recessed entrance and the windows on either side, have small pediments at the top. On the center of the roof is a round dome with black colored copper roof. The roof is hipped. In the interior there is quartered oak, marble wainscoting and tile floors. A winding marble staircase ascends to the second story where the courtroom is located. The building houses the County Supreme Court, County Court and County Surrogate’s Court of the 8th Judicial District.
See: The architect, William J Beardsley of Poughkeepsie , designed courthouses in Dutchess County, Franklin County,,Greene County and Sullivan County.
Chautauqua Municipal Building – Mayville
Location: 2 Academy Street / West Chautauqua Street
Built: 1923 – 1924
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Beck and Tinkham
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story buff colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Mayville to the southwest of the courthouse. The northeast front has a large central portico with four columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The building was originally the Mayville Central School. The building was purchased in 2004 and is now the Chautauqua Municipal Building. The building houses the County Family Court of the 8th Judicial District.
See: Chautauqua County in Kansas was named after this county.
See: The 8th Judicial District includes Alleghany County, Cattaraugus County, Erie County, Genesee County, Niagara County, Orleans County and Wyoming County.
History: The county was created in 1808 and Mayville was selected as the county seat in 1811 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was built in 1812 to 1815. The second courthouse was constructed by Benjamin Rayburn in 1834. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1907 to 1908.
County Administration Building – Mayville
Location: 3 North Erie Street / East Chautauqua Street
Built: 1967 – 1968
Style: Modern
Architect: Naetzker-Thorsell and Dove
Contractor: Hydro Construction Company
Description: The building faces northwest and is a four story glass and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Mayville on the northwest side of the courthouse.The northwest front has a one story entrance section with rounded roof. The building was originally constructed as the Health and Welfare Building and now named as the Gerace Office Building. The courthouse is located along the southeast side of the building. On the south side is an old Land Records Vault built in 1810.
County Courthouse – Mayville
County Administration Building – Mayville
Old Land Records Vault 1810 – Mayville
Photos taken 2010