Dunkirk, New York
Dunkirk is a city of 12,549 people in Chautauqua County, New York, founded in 1880.
Why visit Dunkirk
Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 10 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include State University of New York at Fredonia, Spotlight Cinemas Dunkirk, Dunkirk Light and Dunkirk Post Office.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 17°F.
Weather in Dunkirk
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dunkirk
Dunkirk (Seneca: Tga’daesös) is a city in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It was settled around 1805 and incorporated in 1880. The population was 12,743 as of the 2020 census. Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie.
From the Wikipedia article Dunkirk, New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
State University of New York at Fredonia
School · 1.9 mi
Four-year liberal arts college
Fredonia Opera House
Cinema and theater · 2.7 mi
Theater in Fredonia, New York, United States
Museums and landmarks21
Dunkirk Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Lighthouse in New York, United States
Dunkirk Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic post office building located at Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, New York
Fredonia Commons Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic district in New York, United States
School No. 7
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
School building in Dunkirk, New York, United States
United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Government building in Fredonia, New York
Dunkirk Historical Museum
Museum
513 Washington Avenue, Dunkirk
Apr-Aug: Mo,We,Fr 13:00-16:00; Sep-Mar: Mo,Fr 13:00-16:00
45' Buoy Boat
Monument and historic site · 1.4 mi
A 45 foot buoy boat used by the Coast Guard for maintaining aids to navigation in lakes and rivers from 1950's to 1980's.
Veterans Museum & Light Keeper's House
Museum · 1.4 mi
235 Point Drive North, Dunkirk
9 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes10
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
92 Lake Shore Drive East, Dunkirk
Mo-We 05:00-21:00; Fr-Su 05:00-21:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.7 mi
3936 Vineyard Drive, Dunkirk
Mo-We 05:00-20:00; Fr-Su 05:00-20:00
Buddy Brewster’s Ale House
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.0 mi
10450 Bennett Road, Fredonia
History
The Iroquoian languages-speaking Erie people occupied this area of the forested lakefront along the southern shore of Lake Erie well into the 1600s, when Europeans, mostly French, started trading around the Great Lakes. They were pushed out by the Seneca people, one of the Five Nations of the powerful Haudenosaunee Confederacy, based here and further east in New York.
The European-American demarcation and settlement of Chadwick Bay began in 1826. and later the town was named after Dunkirk in France
The Dunkirk Lighthouse at Point Gratiot was built soon after and still stands. Dunkirk served as a minor railroad hub and steamship port on Lake Erie into the early 1900s. Both freight and passenger ships traveled the lakes.
The Chautauqua County Fair, which had been held sporadically over the years starting in 1821, was first held regularly in Dunkirk in 1881 on land acquired for its permanent use.
From the History section of Dunkirk, New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Clarion Hotel & Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
30 Lake Shore Drive East, Dunkirk
Churches and places of worship19
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.0 mi
970 Central Avenue, Dunkirk
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.2 mi
1032 Central Avenue, Dunkirk
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries23
Healthcare2
Map of Dunkirk
101 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 17°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 34°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 4.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 4.2 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 61°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 4.4 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 44°F | 4.8 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 34°F | 4.1 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 26°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dunkirk (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Chautauqua County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-11-20: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-12-19: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2014-12-22: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Snowstorm)
- 2014-07-08: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chautauqua County-Dunkirk Airport (DKK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Fredonia 3 mi south, about 4 min by car
- Brocton 8 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Forestville 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Silver Creek 9 mi northeast, about 15 min by car
- Cassadaga 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Sunset Bay 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Lake Erie Beach 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Buffalo 37 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Cheektowaga 42 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Depew 44 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dunkirk New York aerial view, Ken Winters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
- US Post Office—Fredonia NY Nov 10, Pubdog at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Fredonia Village Hall, Generic1139, CC BY 3.0
- School No. 7 Dunkirk NY Nov 10, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Dunkirk Post Office Nov 09, Doug Kerr from Upstate New York, CC BY-SA 2.0
- SUNY Fredonia - 20200427 - 04 - Mason Hall, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
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