The Tribune Staff Reports

The “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” exhibit is coming to Jennings County for six weeks beginning Dec. 14 and continuing through January 2020.

This exhibit is provided by the Smithsonian Institute through the Indiana Humanities Council, with the mission of inspiring conversation about rural America.

As part of the process, volunteers in partnership with the Jennings County Historical Society are designing a local exhibit and need artifacts that represent the community and its history.

To do that organizers are holding four different pop-up museum show and tell events for anyone to attend and bring any items that tell the story of the county.

Organizers ask all residents to start looking now for those family heirlooms, photographs, trinkets and baubles that can help tell the story of the community and bring these items to their township pop-up location (or any of the locations) to show and tell.

“We are looking for items from Jennings County and its small towns created over the last 100 years,” said Karen Chilman, who is a Jennings County High School art teacher and Crossroads committee member.

“Our exhibit will focus on changes in the following categories: transportation, education and land use. We aren’t limited to these categories as we are really looking for any interesting items that tell our story.”

The show and tells will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. July 15 at Lovett Firehouse for Lovett, Marion and Bigger townships; Aug. 19 at Brush Creek Elementary Media Center for Columbia and Campbell townships; Sept. 16 at the Hayden Historical Museum for Spencer and Geneva townships and Oct. 9 at a site to be announced for Center, Vernon, and Sand Creek townships.

All community members are encouraged to attend one or more of the events, bring items, or simply listen to others share their show and tell items and stories of Jennings County.

Information: Chris Asher with the Jennings County Historical Society at [email protected] or Karen Chilman at [email protected].