Chautauqua was born in the summer of 1896 at the old Franklin Fairgrounds with the help of local businessmen and the Rev Harper of Germantown, who ran the program the first couple of years. The program consisted of an 11-day camp meeting.

          The National Chautauqua had been founded in 1885 at Chautauqua Lake, New York, near the Pennsylvania border. The original idea was to teach the fundamentals of Christianity in a non-sectarian way.  The idea grew that soon Chautauqua became a national alliance which involved thousands from across America.  Ohio’s first Chautauqua was formed in Franklin.

          The Program expanded. A tent auditorium and dining hall were added. In 1898 a group of 16 Franklin businessmen organized the official Miami Valley Chautauqua Company.  F. Gillum Cromer, the school superintendent, was president, and J.D. Miller, a prominent attorney, was secretary.  The idea was an immediate success.  Miami Valley residents were joined by others from Indiana and Kentucky.  Entire families made the journey to the eleven day spectacle, all dress in their Sunday best.  They were treated to some of the top speakers of the day, including Booker T. Washington, Ballington Booth, and William Jennings Bryan.  Season tickets sold for $1.50 for adults or a single day for 25 cents.

          The Miami Valley Chautauqua Company grew to 40 stockholders from all over the Miami Valley.  They decided to find a permanent home for the assembly.  In 1901 the Company bought 41 acres of landing Vanderveer’s Woods. Over 1200 trees representing 40 different varieties were dug up near Crain’s Run and brought by boat across the Miami River to be planted in the park.  Chautauqua opened that year on July 26, with an open-air auditorium which would seat 3,000. Bellevue Dining Hotel had been built with 54 beds. A tent town of 200 when tents were laid out in rows parallel to the river.  A 3-span iron foot bridge was built across the Miami River. Persons traveled to the Chautauqua by horse, wagon, and surreys, the Big Four Railroad which then ran on the east side of the river, or the Southern Ohio traction line which ran from Dayton.  By 1902, 41 more acres had been purchased, lots surveyed, and nine cottages built.  In 1903, 16 cottages and a grocery store added.  1904 was the peak of the tent city with 600 tents.

          In 1905, our Chautauqua was a member of the National Chautauqua Alliance which pledged to fill moral, mental, and physical needs of its citizens.

          In 1908, 60 cottages had been built. Manger F. Gillum Cromer enforced a Puritanical Sabbath.  A U.S. Post Office began summer operation in 1909.  The cottages began to stay all summer in order to enjoy boating and swimming in the river, cycling, concerts, lectures, and the entertainment of the 14-day Assemblies.  Tents with a fly were rented for $3.00 for 18 days or $4.50 for 25 days.  Meals were sold at 25 cents each.

          In 1910 noted speakers included William Jennings Bryan and evangelist Billy Sunday. Jane Addams of Hull House drew quite a crowd.  It was reported that an audience of 18,000 heard Helen Stone, a missionary who had been held captive in the Balkans.

          The March, 1913 flood ravaged the grounds the water rose to the level of the Grand-View Hotel.  The bridge was swept away.  There was no Assembly that year because everyone was too busy repairing their own damage.

          However, in 1914 the summer camp meeting was resurrected. A temporary wooden bridge was below the dam.  The Chautauqua was expanded to a 25-day program.  There were threats of foreclosure in April, 1915, because of financial troubles from the flood repair debts.  Subsequently, Miami Valley Chautauqua Association was formed which issued bonds and paid off the debts.

          In 1928 a new manager, Mr. Wade Miller of Middletown, arrived.  The trend now was toward a summer resort with the park open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Many families from Franklin, Middletown, and Cincinnati moved to Chautauqua for the summer.  Billy Sunday drew the last old-time crowd of 6,000 with a program entitled “Crooks, Corkscrews, Bootlegger, and Whiskey Politicians They Shall Not Pass.”

          The Bellevue was destroyed by fire in May, 1929 by a blow torch accident.  A new dining hall was built and ready to serve meals by June15.  The swimming pool opened the same day with a sand beach, wading pool, slide a promenade and 6 beach umbrellas.  123 cottages had been built by then.

          By 1930, Assembly programs were nearly a thing of the past.  Radio and movies were popular and could provide big name speakers.  Guests and cottages were provided with the soda fountain, drug store, barber shop, gift shop, duck-pins, shelter house, coffee shop, arcade, and a Tom Thumb golf course.  The auditorium was modernized with stage equipment, dressing rooms, and discarded streetcar seats for improved seating.  Cabin Row was started with 7 cabins to rent.

          Hickory Hill Stable was built in 1932, but this proved a mistake because cottagers objected to horses on their lawns and the smell of the stable.  Horse shows were tried, but generally lost money.  Later the horse stable building was remodeled into the Community Club Building.

          Another 5 acres were purchased for a sewage disposal plant and water lines were laid from Franklin. This was a WPA project and increases assessments.

          World War II ushered in restrictions in travel. The idea of a “local resort for wholesome family fun” was stressed. The new skating rink, more cabins, and a tennis court were added.

          Debts were still a problem.  The cottagers demanded a reorganization of management.  The Miami Valley Chautauqua Association was reduced to a 24 man board, all of whom had to be cottage owners, all had to be elected by the cottage owners, and no major expenses were to be made without the cottagers’ consent.  A Cottagers Welfare Society was formed in 1940.  This was an attempt to revive the Assembly with three big names of the times for Sunday lectures.  Will Irwin, author and editor, General Hugh S. Johnson, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt brought big crowds but small profits.

          1946 was Chautauqua’s golden jubilee year.  Chautauqua talent produced a Water Pageant.  This was Wade Miller’s last year.  There were now 143 cottages, with 45 of them occupied the entire year.  A new housing area was opened in the North Woods.

          The Hutchins Plant of Dayton Power and Light was built in 1948.  The river was no longer safe for canoes, as motor boats were taking over.  From 1954 to 1957, the women, spearheaded by Stella Shera, raised funds to renovate the hotel and remodeled the stables in to a Community Building.  At this time, the women organized the active Chautauqua Community Club.  National AAU swim meets were held at Chautauqua in the only Olympic-sized pool in the area.  Professional Summer Theatre was tried in 1958. The University of Dayton held football camps, and Miami University held pre-college clinics on the grounds.

          A January, 1959 flood did much damage to the boat docks and miniature golf course.  Fish had to be removed from the swimming pool because of the flood waters.

          By 1963 the cottagers again assessed themselves as debts mounted.  A suit was brought in 1964 to force receivership upon Chautauqua.  A fund drive was attempted but failed to reach its goal. Chautauqua was sold in 1968 to the Michigan Baptist Fellowship Foundation, a group which would match the same purposes as the original deed.

          The park was sold, but Chautauqua was still a privates community, governed by members of Miami Valley Chautauqua Association, The gates were closed once a year on Beggars’ Night when only residents could enter.

          After the park had been sold to the Baptists, there were 5 arson fires in five months.  The auditorium, dining hall, coffee shop and hotel were burned down or damaged.  No arrests were ever made.

          In September, 1987, by a vote of 64-33 Chautauqua gave up its private status.  The overwhelming need for repair of streets, plus the problem of collecting back assessments persuaded the majority of vote foe Miami Township to assume that responsibility.  The Miami Valley Chautauqua Association kept two buildings: The Community Center and the WTU building which was used for Boy Scout meetings.  For the 120 property owners, annual assessments dropped from $125 to $50 a year.

Miami Valley Chautauqua was the last private community in Ohio that governed itself!

Chautauqua is currently a unique community of 213 homes, many of which are multigenerational families, with a board of trustees, an active community club comprised of interested men and women, and is a wonder place to live.

Taken from History of Carlisle, written by Jan Hamlyn, Alvena Faulkner.