JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Jasper Regional History Museum, located across from Jasper City Park on Philips Avenue, has recently established a fundraiser via selling Christmas cards to the community.
In time for this year’s holiday season, museum president Beth Jordan and vice president Mary Haley Adams have recently established a fundraiser dedicated to the museum, the first of its kind in the facility’s history. The fundraiser revolves selling away a variety of Christmas cards, all of which themed after Marion County’s most historic landmarks.
Jordan explained the emphasis of the fundraiser is to help support the museum, particularly for several planned and key changes to the museum and its vast collection of artifacts including the addition of new cabinets, cases, and shelves to safely display artifacts. Upon the idea of selling Christmas being made, both she and Adams reached out to local artist Kristie Webb, who hand drew each set of cards and utilized photos as references for each drawing. Each set is worth $20 and contains 12 separate images sketched with the county’s most iconic landmarks.
“We really want to start doing fun stuff like this to raise money for the museum,” said Adams.
The museum first opened in 2004, founded by a board of community members and politicians, most of its original members still present within the board. Jordan explained the museum’s purpose is to preserve and educate residents and visitors not only Jasper’s history, but also the history of Marion County as well as the state.
“Our mission is to preserve and to also share and educate not only our local community, but also the region and the state in regards to how important was Marion County in the beginning of Tennessee and then moving forward,” explained Jones. “We also want to be involved in how history is preserved in the future.”
The museum is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and closes each year for the winter months. However, tours of the facility can be arranged via cell phone at 423-488-0771 for those interested in visiting the museum and browsing through its historic collection.
Orders for Christmas cards can be arranged at jasperregionalhistorymusem@gmail.com or through Facebook Messenger. Further information regarding events and Christmas cards can be found on the museum’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Jasper-Regional-History-Museum-61568549056553/.