JCHS 54th Annual Meeting
President Leanne Chapman led the JCHS annual meeting on November 8, 2020 at the Edmonds Chapel in Old Jefferson Town. The meeting opened with singing the traditional "Thanksgiving Song" accompanied by organist, Cordella Brown. The business meeting followed consisting of the election of board members , officers, community representations, and genealogy committee, meeting minutes, treasurer's report, highlights of the past year and recognition of volunteers. The business meeting closed with singing "Home on the Range."
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A presentation by Leo Oliva titled: Railroad: The Industry That Shaped Kansas" followed the meeting. Leo is a Kansas Humanities historian with a research focus on 19th century Kansas. He shared maps and information demonstrating to participants the importance of the railroad during early development of Kansas. Some points made: Railroad replaced trails that slowed travel, provided jobs for settlers, developed cow towns and trade routes, developed a standard time common across the routes, sped up mail and message deliveries which in turn developed mail order systems.
