Jeffersontown Historical Museum
The Jeffersontown Historical Museum is a neighborhood history museum in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. It details the history of Jeffersontown as it progressed from a small rural community with a town square to the city that it is today.[1]
 Entrance to the museum facility | |
  Location within Kentucky  Jeffersontown Historical Museum (the United States) | |
| Established | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Location | Jeffersontown, Kentucky, United States |
| Coordinates | 38.198°N 85.561°W |
| Type | History |
| Director | Beth Wilder |
| Public transit access | TARC (Route 40) |
| Website | http://www.jeffersontownky.com/122/Museum-Arts/ |
History
The original museum was established in 1972 as a collection of artifacts in a room of City Hall.[2] The follow year the Jeffersontown and Southeastern Jefferson County Historical Society was formed and became the curators of the museum. The society also worked to obtain artifacts and documents for display. The original museum remained open until 1982 when it was closed in response to artifacts being stolen.[3] All remaining items where then stored in the basement of city hall and the society was disbanded.[4]
The museum was reopened in 1996 inside the Jeffersontown Library building under the direction of the City of Jeffersontown. In response to rapid growth the museum was renovated in 1997 and again in 2000 in order to accommodate new exhibits. In 2011 at the request of city council the museum began digitizing parts of its collection so that it would be available online.[2]
Exhibits
On display are photographs, textiles, rare books, and costumes once owned by residents of Jeffersontown[2] all the way from the city's founding families to current residents.[5] The museum also boasts a large "Dolls of the World" doll collection that was donated by a former resident. The collection has over 1,250 dolls, many of which are hundreds of years old and is one of the largest such collections in the Midwestern United States.[5] It also has artifacts from the city's past such as an enamel sign from the old Jeffersontown passenger train depot[2] as well as copies of the Jeffersonian.
The museum also has a rotating exhibit that changes approximately every six months.[6] Such exhibits have included a collection of bridal gowns, Beatles memorabilia,[7] Conrad Pottery,[8] and a collection of Archie Comics memorabilia.[6]
See also
References
- Beth Wilder. Jeffersontown Historical Museum. Louisville, KY: City of Jeffersontown. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- Wilder, Beth (2017-05-30). Brown, Josh (ed.). "Jeffersontown Historical Museum Has a History of Its Own". www.townepost.com/. Towne Post Network. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- Freese, Thomas (March 4, 2012). "J-Town History on Display". smileypete.com/. Smiley Pete Publishing. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- "Jeffersontown Historical Society". www.jeffersontownky.com/. City of Jeffersontown. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- "Jeffersontown, Kentucky - Viewbook". communitylink.com/. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- Wilder, Beth (July 5, 2018). "The Archies Collection at Jeffersontown Historical Museum" (Interview). Interviewed by Tony Vanetti. Jeffersontown, KY: WHAS-TV. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- Springer, Kate (March 6, 2016). "Jeffersontown man's huge Beatles collection on display before hitting the auction block". www.wdrb.com/. WDRB. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
- "Gallery/museum exhibits for week of March 22". www.usatoday.com/. USA Today. March 19, 2015. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.