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WESTFIELD — The Chautauqua County Historical Society and Patterson Library continue their 2026 Fireside Lecture Series on Thursday with a presentation exploring how and why Thomas Welch and his son, Charles, helped develop an industry based on grape juice.
The program begins at 6 p.m. at Patterson Library, 40 S. Portage Street in Westfield and is free and open to the public.
"A Dentist’s One Last Problem That Led to Our Grape Industry: A Partial History," will be presented by Steve Cockram, retired general manager of Growers Cooperative Grape Juice Co. Cockram will discuss the development of Chautauqua County’s renowned Grape Belt and the region’s long-standing role in grape cultivation and the production of juice and wine.
After earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at Cornell University, Cockram started his professional career with Seneca Foods, which once operated a grape processing plant in Westfield.
Prior to his 21-year career with Growers Co-op, Cockram was a corporate troubleshooter, identifying and solving juice processing issues for different fruit processors throughout the country.
Cockram served on the Westfield Academy & Central School board for 11 years, which included eight years as president, and the NorthLake Family Recreation Center board.
The presentation is part of the 2026 Fireside Lecture Series, a collaboration between the historical society and library. The series focuses primarily on local and regional history, with presentations exploring the people, places, institutions, and events that have shaped Chautauqua County and western New York.
For more information about the Fireside Lecture Series, visit CCHSMcClurg.org or PattersonLib.org. The Chautauqua County Historical Society can also be reached at 716.326.2977 or info@cchsmcclurg.org.