Celebrating Jackson and 200 years of history

The city of Jackson was established in 1814 as a "seat of justice" for the newly formed Cape Girardeau County. That makes our city 200 years old, and we are really celebrating our bicentennial. We started in January with a reading of proclamations from the county commission, state Sen. Wayne Wallingford, state Rep. Donna Lichtenegger and me.

We established a time capsule, buried the razor, had a beard fashion show by the Brothers of the Brush, and many Sisters of the Swish were dressed in period costumes. In February, the Jackson Community Outreach Board sponsored a Dance Through the Ages with instruction on some of the old-time dances, but also some of the newer dances.

The March event was called the Framing and Hanging of the Mayors and gave us an opportunity to get photos (or images) of the first 13 mayors of the city who were not included in our photo gallery of mayors.

We also recognized and honored all the mayors with their histories and some interesting facts about them. Some members of their families were able to be present and give us a more personal view of their relatives.

As more and more organizations and businesses are getting the bicentennial spirit, they are planning some of their events to include historical information.

In April, the St. Louis Iron Mountain Railroad opened its season with a Civil War theme, including a Civil War era encampment, displays of weapons and toys, and some Union soldiers firing a cannon before each train ride.

Also in April, the Jackson Heritage Association, as part of the Mississippi River Scenic Valley Tour, had an event on the lawn of the Oliver House Museum with great displays featuring longbow making, quilting, tatting, weaving, arrowhead making and musical entertainment by Joyful Strings, a group of folks playing dulcimers. It was a perfect afternoon to wander through the displays.

Jackson in Bloom was an opportunity for folks to purchase plants and flowers to beautify our city for spring and see an old-time Maypole ceremony, usually performed by children at their schools to celebrate the end of the school year. There were vendors, displays, music and food -- a perfect combination for fellowship.

The Uptown Evening for Brides will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday. While this is really not a bicentennial event, Jackson is certainly a "bridal destination" with everything for a wedding, starting with getting the license to having the ceremony in one of churches, parks or historic log chapels.

Speaking of churches, our Ministerial Alliance is sponsoring the June event, recognizing the historical and cultural influence of local churches. On June 29, many of our churches will be open for tours, historical church displays and refreshments. We'll give more information on this important event as plans are finalized.

Of course, we are already planning our major July events with the Independence Day celebration on July 4 and 5 this year and our five-day Homecomers event on July 22 through 26. We will be advertising these events as well, so save the dates and plan to attend.

Barbara Lohr is the mayor of Jackson.