Jamestown, NY: The Birthplace of Lucille Ball

I had always dreamed about visiting Jamestown, NY.  I knew that it was the town and area where Lucille Ball grew up.  Now normally I am not the type of person to chase after a celebrity just to see where they lived.  However; Jamestown, NY was home to the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum.  There was no question I had to go!

We made the drive and arrived in Jamestown mid to late afternoon.  I didn't want to be rushed in the museum so we decided to check out the town and some of the Lucille Ball locations.  What am I talking about?  I am talking about her gravesite. Lucille was originally buried in California but it wasn't long before her family had her remains moved to Jamestown, NY the place of her birth and upbringing.  Specifically, they had her remains moved to Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown.  As I pulled into the graveyard I couldn't help but let out a delighted little laugh.  Little hearts dotted the road, leading the way to the gravesite.  There was no guess work in finding my way.

The grave stone was easy to find and  landscaping was well done. I would be totally remiss if I were to not mention that this cemetery had some amazing graves and history.  We spent quite a bit of time exploring the various graves.  It was still early when we left the graveyard so we headed out to look at a few other random sites that meant something in the upbringing of such an iconic role in our television history.   We drove by the home where she was born.

We explored the town as evening approached.  We stayed at a hotel down the street to the museum and I was more than ready to settle in for the night so that I could see the museum!

​I woke up bright and early and decided to explore the town again, this time in a different manner.  I went for a run through the town.  I was able to see the various murals that the town has painted around town. A run through the town was the absolute best way to experience the town.

Finally it was time to head into the museum.  You enter through the gift shop and I knew that I would be spending money before we left, but first I wanted to see everything in the museum. It was everything I expected and more!

​The replica of the sets were amazing!

The artifacts were incredible....so recognizable!   I walked around in awe.  I would see an outfit or a prop and I was instantaneously transported straight to the tv show with the episode replaying in my mind.

And they even had an interactive place to recreate the famous Vitameatavegamin commercial!  And of course I had to take my turn with recreating that iconic scene.

As I said, this little museum was worth it!   I was on cloud nine!

​We left the museum happy. We hit some of the other tourist locations in the town before we left.  I had one last Lucille stop though!  I had to drive by the house she lived in while growing up.

This little town really packs a punch!  It was a great visit.  I would highly recommend Jamestown, NY for any fan of Lucille Ball.  Jamestown, NY is a must see travel destination for anyone that has laughed with Lucille Ball (or laughed at Lucy Ricardo on I love Lucy).  

If you like what you see, check out our visit to the site of Woodstock in NY.