A group of neighbors and fellow county residents who
joined together in 1969 to collect, preserve, and encourage an enlightened
interest in the history and culture of Jackson County and its communities.
We now number over 300 members, a third of whom live outside the county.
Many are people from other states whose families once lived here.
The Jackson County Historical Society is open to anyone, adult or child,
with an interest in or curiosity about the past. We are located in our new
building, the Jackson County Historical Society Headquarters, at 1616 Edith Street in
Murphysboro, Illinois.
We are open to the public on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon until
3:00 p.m. and on Thursday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
JACKSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS
Our headquarters is located at 1616 Edith Street in Murphysboro, Illinois.
The Headquarters museum includes a display room, library and research room. The
library contains historical and genealogical journals and periodicals;
a card index of obituary and cemetery records; an index of society holdings;
family files of members and early Jackson County residents; a collection
of rare books; publications and documents of county interest; and a growing
photographic archive. There is a collection of county artifacts, a large
collection of Jackson County records from the court house, and a large
textile collection of early clothing. There are records of our adjoining
counties. We have microfilm readers along with microfilm of early newspapers
and census records. We have a computer system with searchable databases
and family files. No material may leave the headquarters. Our publications
of census records, early history, and cemetery records are available to
the public, and copies are available for purchase (see book list).
JCHS BUILDING FUND
JCHS is currently raising funds to improve our new building, the Jackson
County Historical Society Headquarters. The new building is located at 1616 Edith Street
across from the General John A. Logan Museum Complex. We believe that having
the Society Archives and Museum in this location will greatly enhance the
Museum complex and attract business and tourism to Jackson County and the
surrounding area.
The Society has made its library and family history collections available
to the public for many years, however, due to lack of display area, we
have been unable to develop our many other fascinating collections into
displays. The Jackson County Historical Centre will provide a home for
the Society and space to display our many valuable collections. The Society
has a number of exhibits planned for the new building. The Society has
hundreds of photographs of the 1925 Tornado which have never been exhibited.
Plans for other exhibits include a working turn-of-the-century newspaper,
our large textile collection of clothing dating from the early 1800's,
an exhibit on early coal mines (Murphysboro was the site of the first coal
mine in the state), and an exhibit on early historical trails. (The path
followed by the George Rogers Clark Expedition and the Ft. Massac to Kaskaskia
Trail ran through Murphysboro on Seventeenth Street adjacent to Society
headquarters and the Logan Museum Complex.)
The Society has already raised $140,000, but more funds are required
to develop our collections into exhibits. YOUR donation of time,
labor or materials will be greatly appreciated!!!
MEMBERSHIP
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| We invite you to join us in our efforts to preserve Jackson County
History. Our ability to continue to offer our research facilities depends on YOUR support. Please become a member of JCHS. |
|
STAFF
The staff is made up of unpaid volunteers.
There is always a need for more people willing to volunteer.
