Jamestown News
TAKING IT OFFSITE
Recently, the Rotary Club of Jamestown took its regular meeting offsite to The Lawson Center located in Bemus Point, NY. President Gary Padak had the honor of introducing Craig Butler from The Lawson Center. Craig is a Trustee at The Lawson Center and was pleased to welcome Rotary members to the museum.Craig explained some of the history of The Lawson Center. Dave Lawson himself was instrumental in making The Lawson Center happen. In 2008, a group of boat and historical enthusiasts got together to explore the viability of constructing a boating history museum in Bemus Point. One of the main drivers behind TLC was Bill Baldwin. Bill was very invested in the project and one of his first tasks was to meet with Dave Lawson and explore the viability of using the Lawson building as a base for the grand plan they envisioned. After a short courtship, Dave Lawson agreed to donate the building and thus, birth The Lawson Center. Without Dave’s generous donation, the project could not have become a reality.
Armed with the good news from David Lawson, the volunteer group moved forward with plans, grant proposals, and ultimately, renovation work. TLC officially opened in May of 2012. The first official event at The Lawson Center was an Antique Auto Club event. Five years later, their history continues to grow! In fact, TLC will be celebrating their anniversary on June 9 with a Fifth Anniversary Party.
After Craig finished speaking, he introduced Ned Ward. Ned volunteers his time at TLC and has a keen interest in boating history. A true legacy of boating history exists at The Lawson Center! Ned also shared some early history of the Lawson’s and the existence of a Chris-Craft dealership in Jamestown, NY. Dave S. Lawson, Dave Lawson’s father, bought the boat livery business in 1918. The Lawson history extends almost 100 years! Chris-Craft was also growing at the time Dave S. Lawson began building his business. In fact, the business Dave owned at the time, was the sixth largest Chris-Craft dealership in the world.
The Lawson Center is doing well and they are still growing. They continue to receive tremendous support from the community and local foundations as a community asset.
After the presentation, the club was welcomed to tour the museum and space. For more information visit The Lawson Center on the web at www.thelawsoncenter.org.