The Cole County Historical Society has holdings beyond what is on display for the public in its museum in Jefferson City. It has the potential to help more people with its genealogy and local history library. And it could do more with its programs and public events.
The major constraint has been the lack of a full-time professional.
Since 1941, the society has grown its holdings and upheld its purpose through diligent volunteer efforts.
This fall, the society, for the first time ever, will ask the community for financial support to take the next step.
Nearly $300,000 has been raised privately in the last three years, which will help toward the goal of $1 million for an endowment. The interest alone from this fund, donated to the Cole County Historical Society Foundation, would be used to provide a salary and benefits to a director.
A full-time employee would give the society a consistent face in building community partnerships. The future director also would be responsible for writing grants to help expand and improve the museum.
This follows the society's motto: "Ensuring a better future for our past."
With a designated person, whose first priority is the society, so much more can be accomplished, said committee member Michelle Hataway. For society members, it will allow one person to have the answers for a variety of organizational questions.
"With the volume of work, we need somebody to hand the mantle to, to ramp up our speed and daily focus," said committee member Jackson Hataway. "There are exponential benefits."
The Director's Fund committee has prepared a PowerPoint presentation, which it hopes to share with local civic organizations and other interested groups, that can be tailored to a group's interests.
The fundraising project is also an opportunity to further educate the community about what the society does.
"Most people don't even know what this museum has to offer them," Michelle said.
The committee also will send personalized letters to special interest groups and businesses.
"This is not us asking for a one-way gift," said committee member Clay Broughton. "We have content to share; this is for you."
The society's special collections include the parlor and bedroom pieces from the mansion of Thomas Lawson Price, the city's first mayor; the Zuendt portraits, nine oil paintings from the 1700s by Ernst Anton Zuendt; the First Ladies' Gowns, 93 gowns including 12 inaugural gowns; the Jim McHenry Memorial Civil War Room, hundreds of artifacts with direct local stories; Grannie's Attic, thousands of smaller objects and photos, including toys and baby furniture; the Cybis collection, 18 limited-edition porcelains; the quilt collection, 19 quilts dating back to the 1800s; the Revolutionary War collection, includes items once belonging to President George Washington; Zeal Wright negatives, more than 80,000 images from 1952-96 of Jefferson City events and families; the Givens glassware, 315 wine glass from around the world; more than 2,500 photos and 1,200 books and directories, as well as personal correspondence and obituaries.
"Cole County is not just lines drawn on a map," said committee member Clay Broughton. "It is the people, places and artifacts that form our understanding of yesterday, while providing enrichment for our lives tomorrow."
The society's goal is to reach a broad portion of the population. For some, it's the idea of giving back to their community, and for others it's about preserving the past. Some simply respect history, and others are keen on the details.
Whether someone is a generational native or a transplant from another state, the history of Cole County shares a common thread with the history of the nation, such as the influx of German immigrants in the mid-1800s or the impacts of the Civil War.
"Before I joined the Cole County Historical Society, I didn't realize what kind of treasure we have," said committee member Jim Weber. "We need to preserve it and make sure it's available for generations to come.
"We need a director to make this an even better place."