(Posted Sept. 6, 2017)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Take a trip back in time as the Madison County Historical Society presents Jonathan Alder Day from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. Admission is free; donations are encouraged.
Named for Madison County’s first white settler, the event is timed to coincide with Jonathan Alder’s birthdate. He was born on Sept. 17, 1773, and died on Jan. 30, 1844.
Alder’s cabin will be among the buildings open for tours. Others include the museum, one-room schoolhouse, Elizabeth Kitchen log house, train station and caboose, and blacksmith shop.
Visitors can expect to see volunteers dressed in period garb, manning stations dedicated to cider making, butter churning, blacksmithing, sewing, quilting and other pioneer pursuits. At 3 p.m., Garrett Monnin, a local model train and steam engine enthusiast, will give a presentation.
Children’s games are planned, and the Tri-Village Dulcimers of Columbus will perform. Bluebird Retirement Community is supplying picnic food at no cost.
In addition to the collections on display inside the museum, a conestoga wagon will be available for up-close perusal outside, as will a collection of old bicycles.
Several items will be available for purchase, including history books, greeting cards, knives, collectibles, and museum gift shop items. The Historical Society also is selling raffle tickets for a quilt. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The winner will be drawn on Oct. 13 at Bluegrass & Barbecue, presented by the Historical Society and the London Visual Arts Guild at the Della Selsor Building on the Madison County Fairgrounds in London.
Jonathan Alder Day marks the first major public event the Historical Society has hosted since completing renovation work that started in May. The museum has new doors, restored siding on the parking lot side, and a spruced up deck. The Kitchen House has been re-chinked. New paint has been applied to the Kitchen House trim, Asher House (currently used for storage), barn shutters, and signs.
This year’s Jonathan Alder Day is dedicated to the memory of Eleanor Phillips, the museum’s first director.
The Historical Society museum and grounds are located at 260 E. High St. in London. Parking is accessed off of East First Street. For more information, call the museum at (740) 852-2977.
