More than 200 people turned out for the Jefferson County Heritage and Historical Society’s grand re-opening on April 16 at its new headquarters, the former Victoria United Methodist Church off Hwy. P between Festus and De Soto.
“Oh my gosh, it was such a great day,” society president Bernard Laiben said. “It couldn’t have gone any better.”
The JCHHS relocated its headquarters to the new location after the 160-year-old church closed its doors in June 2022 and the Missouri Methodist Conference donated the property to the society.
“This event far exceeded my expectations,” Laiben said. “The first person got there an hour early, and the last one stayed an hour past the end. And the people who came stayed a long time; they looked around at everything and seemed really interested in what we have. It went fantastic.”
Laiben said everyone who attended the open house received a commemorative Jefferson County Bicentennial ornament.
“We had several dignitaries come out – State Sen. Paul Wieland, County Councilman (Charles) Groeteke, Festus Mayor Sam Richards – they all came out, and (former) Judge Timothy Patterson was here. We had a lot of folks come from the Victoria area, and Louise Miller, the widow of a former pastor of the church, came by.”
Laiben said the Rev. Stefenie Rustige, the last pastor of the church before it closed, came by with a few former church members, including 90-year-old twins Marjory Ives and Marilyn Irwin, members since 1940.
“They said they had been a little worried about how the church would be, but they loved it,” he said. “They said they’re really pleased with what we’ve done and are planning to do. That was great to hear.”
Laiben said the open house generated new interest in the society.
“We got several new members signed up, and we got a lot of donations,” he said.
Now that the group is settled into its new home, society members are looking to the future.
“We will be planning some programs for this summer and fall that I think will be a lot of fun,” Laiben said. “We have a traveling exhibit we’re trying to get, and we’re planning to do some presentations, looking into some fundraisers.”
The museum is open to the public from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
“It’s free and everyone is welcome,” Laiben said. “They can come and look around, see what we’ve got. We’re always looking for new items. Anyone who might have things that deal with the history of the county – artifacts, memorabilia, books, papers, photos – we’d love to have those. They can donate them or just lend them to us for a while. Photos and paper materials we can scan if they don’t want to give it to us outright. If they do want to lend it, we’ll display it with a tag that says, ‘On loan from’ and their name.”
The Jefferson County Heritage and Historical Society meets at 2 p.m. on the second Sunday of even-numbered months at the headquarters. Dues are $20 annually, and new members are welcome. One-time donations are always welcome and are tax-deductible.
“This (donating to the society) might be a nice way to remember someone who has passed away, instead of sending flowers or something,” Laiben said. “Everyone who donates will get their name on the donor board, and you can put ‘in the name of’ a loved one.”
For more information or to donate, go to jeffcomohistory.org or visit the Jefferson County Missouri Museum Facebook page.
