New museum in Jackson showcases our history

On March 15, a new venue officially opened in Jackson that celebrates local history as it aspires to become a regional tourist destination.

The 2,000-square-foot Cape Girardeau History Center at 102 High St. began its new life in the former Andrew Jackson Bridal Co. building with an exhibit titled "Spring Into History." The installation features quilts by crafters including Lynn Taylor, whose award-winning work will be displayed until the beginning of June.

Then, from June 5 to Aug. 15, a new exhibit will rotate into the space, featuring the history of hardware and tools in the county.

But these and other amenities didn't come without months of planning and preparation, mainly by preservationist Carla Jordan and members of the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society, which is renting the space from McQuade Enterprises LLC. The center is funded by a trust from Jackson residents W. Shelby and Mildred Brown, said James Baughn, vice president of the historical society. (Baughn also is the webmaster for semissourian.com, and a popular blogger on the site.)

"I want this (center) to be the gem of Jackson," Jordan was quoted as saying in a recent Southeast Missourian article. Jordan is best known for her work at the Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum in Altenburg, Missouri, and has worked on other history centers in Kansas and Oklahoma. "I want this to be a place where everybody can come and see what's going on in the region, as far as cultural tourism goes."

That certainly was the case on opening day, when visitors Ann Crites and her husband, Bud, stopped by to admire the scenery -- and even recognized some faces on a quilt made by Idell Brown Dockins, called "The Brown Family Quilt." The quilt incorporates images of family members over time.

"They were actually friends of my parents, and I told Bud, 'I didn't think anyone probably remembered them; they've been gone such a long time,'" Crites told Missourian reporter Savanna Maue.

Indeed, nothing captures the spirit of the new center as much Crites' words. It not only is a place of remembering, but also of connecting with community members past and present. We hope you'll be able to check it out soon. The center is open everyday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free.