The Jefferson County Historical Society (JCHS) and Jefferson County Genealogy Society (JCGS) have worked hand in hand for the past 50 years preserving and recording the history of Jefferson County Kansas.  The two societies share the responsibilities in maintaining Old Jefferson Town. 

Old Jefferson Town consists of 10 buildings and a prairie grassland that preserve and exhibit donated artifacts (objects, documents, photos, books, maps, etc.)  It has an extensive genealogy library open to the community on weekends throughout the year and by appointment. 

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A variety of volunteers keep the museum up and running. Recently the Genealogy and Historical society merged to better meet the needs of Old Jefferson Town.  JCHGS meets monthly to  hold a business meeting to discuss events and the needs of the facilities.   Community members are encouraged to be a part of the meetings. 

Volunteers work on accessioning and displaying objects, clipping and filing paperwork (obituaries, maps, family histories, photos etc.), planning events and connecting to the community through the local newspapers and social media.  Local school groups and 4H groups help with projects outside keeping the grounds picked up and landscaping maintained. 

The Jefferson County Historical and Genealogy Society was recently awarded a $3000 grant  from the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board (KSHRAB) to work towards bringing the Old Jefferson Town historical archives to a digitized format. The digitized format will be available online in the future to not only Jefferson County, but others across the United States and World. 

The Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board (KSHRAB) seeks to encourage Kansas organizations and individuals to preserve  records of the past by offering a digital grant to aid in the process of digitizing records into a shareable format to the public. Using funds granted from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the KSHRAB established the Kansas Digital Access to Historical Records (KDAHR) Regrant Program to enhance online access to historical records and to increase digital literacy and citizen engagement with historical records.

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Volunteers from the OJT museum have begun the work to enter the thousands of objects, photos, archives and library items into a software program purchased with the grant money.  The Past Perfect Software offers organization of the records that have been kept on paper for the past 50 years.   The digitizing of the museum artifacts will make researching easier not only at the museum, but also from the comforts of your home. 

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There are some ways that you can become involved in this transition.  Unfortunately the tasks we need help with would need to be completed at the museum. If you have an hour or two a week or every couple of weeks, we can keep you busy for awhile.   We are in need of volunteers who can scan photos and documents, file clippings, and assist with the cataloging of the numerous library books that we house in our genealogy library.  

If interested, please email:  oldjefftown@gmail.com.  Deb Case will get back to you with more information. 

Become a volunteer!

Old Jefferson Town would not be here if it weren't for its volunteers. For over 50 years, history keepers have helped to preserve Jefferson County history.  Come and be a part!

CONTACT 

ADDRESS

Jefferson County Historical Society

P.O. Box 146

Oskaloosa, KS 66066

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MUSEUM HOURS

Due to COVID, the Genealogy library and building tours are open by appointment only. 

It will reopen in February, pending COVID scores in Jefferson County.

CONTACT US

oldjefftown@gmail.com

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