A memorial marker celebrating the 200th anniversary of Cole County's founding was placed Thursday and will be dedicated Saturday.
The bicentennial monument on the Cole County Courthouse grounds in downtown Jefferson City stands about 7 feet tall and has three sides. One side displays the Missouri Capitol dome and shows the date Oct. 1, 1826, which is when Jefferson City became the state capital. On another side is a map of Missouri and the date Aug. 10, 1821, which is when Missouri became a state. The third side has a map of Cole County and the names of the communities that were in the county along with the date Nov. 16, 1820, to mark when the county was formed.
The intersection of High and Monroe streets will be closed for Saturday's dedication ceremony to allow for social distancing among attendees, Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said. Masks will be available.
"We'll have some booths set up and open starting at 11 a.m," Bushman said. "We'll be selling last chance $50 raffle tickets for the proof Henry Golden Boy rifle. Only 50 of the 200 raffle tickets made are still left. We'll have the drawing at the dedication ceremonies."
A special Cole County Bicentennial Henry Golden Boy Rifle is among commemorative items commissioned to celebrate the county's 200th anniversary.
The Cole County Historical Society will be on hand Saturday with displays, along with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Bushman said.
"The formal dedication ceremony starts at 1 p.m., and we're going to raise a 24-star flag, which is the number of states that were in the country in 1821, when Missouri became a state," Bushman said. "Historian Bob Priddy will give the main presentation."
Central Bank has agreed to underwrite the costs for the courthouse memorial and for a second memorial as well.
The second memorial will be dedicated Nov. 16, the 200th anniversary, to honor Cole, Boone and Callaway counties, which were formed within a few days of each other. That monument will be placed in an area near the Katy Trail in North Jefferson City.