Jeffersontown Historical Museum facts for kids
Entrance to the museum facility
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| Established | 1972 |
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| Location | 10635 Watterson Trail Jeffersontown, Kentucky 40299-3750 |
| Type | History |
| Public transit access | TARC (Route 40) |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The Jeffersontown Historical Museum is a cool place in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, where you can explore the past of this town! It shows how Jeffersontown grew from a small farming community with a town square into the lively city it is today.
A Look Back: The Museum's Story
The Jeffersontown Historical Museum first opened its doors in 1972. Back then, it was just a small collection of old items in a room at City Hall. The next year, a group called the Jeffersontown and Southeastern Jefferson County Historical Society was formed. They took care of the museum and helped find more cool things to show.
Sadly, the first museum closed in 1982. This happened to keep its treasures safe after some items went missing. All the remaining historical pieces were then stored away. The society that ran the museum also stopped its work for a while.
But good news! The museum reopened in 1996. It found a new home inside the Jeffersontown Library building. The City of Jeffersontown took over running it. As the museum grew, it was updated in 1997 and again in 2000. This made space for even more exciting exhibits! In 2011, the museum started putting parts of its collection online. This means more people can see these historical items from anywhere.
What You Can See: Awesome Exhibits
At the museum, you can see lots of interesting things! There are old photographs, special fabrics (called textiles), rare books, and even clothes. These items once belonged to people who lived in Jeffersontown. Some are from the very first families who settled the city, and others are from more recent residents.
The museum also has a huge collection of dolls called "Dolls of the World." A former resident kindly donated this amazing collection. It has over 1,250 dolls, and many of them are hundreds of years old! This is one of the biggest doll collections in the Midwestern United States.
You can also find other cool items from Jeffersontown's past. For example, there's an old enamel sign from the city's train station. You can also see copies of The Jeffersonian, which was the local newspaper.
The museum also has special exhibits that change often. These "rotating exhibits" usually switch every six months. In the past, they have shown collections of wedding dresses, items from The Beatles, special pottery, and even Archie Comics memorabilia! It's always fun to see what new things they will display next.
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