Greene County Historical Society is partnering with Jefferson Matters: Main Street to host a unique event around the downtown square in Jefferson.

A “Historical Plaque Walk” will feature actors and actresses portraying the notable people, places and organizations that are on the ten bronze plaques on brick pillars around the square.  George H. Gallup, Jr. will be played by Rob Hoyt; Greene County’s early physicians Drs. George Grimmell and August Grimmell will be played by Darren Jackson and Jean Van Gilder; Don Van Gilder will play the role of Jefferson’s first mayor Mahlon Head and Mahlon’s brother Albert Head, who was the former Speaker of the Iowa House, will be played by Curt Nelson.

Other figures include Guy Richardson playing his grandfather Guy C. Richardson, who was the founder of the Jefferson airport; the Broadway star Eva Leonard will be played by Nicole Friess-Schilling; Judge Robert Montgomery Rippey will be played by Dick Bardole; Mahanay Bell Tower donors Floyd and Dora Mahanay will be played by Don and Bonnie Orris; as well as Alan Robinson talking about the Lincoln Highway; Rose Olhausen and LeeAnn Monaghan explaining the Friday Club, which is the oldest actively remaining organization in Jefferson since 1888 and Amy Roberts will talk about the oldest water tower in Iowa that’s still in use with the Scranton water tower.

The walking tours will start and end at the historical museum on Lincoln Way.  Jefferson Matters Program Director Peg Raney explains some of the other details of the event.

“We’ll be dividing into groups so that everybody is not at the same place at the same time and we’ll have a guide that will take the groups around.  We’re to have about ten minutes on each different place.  It will probably take about an hour (to) an hour-and-a-half, depending on how long each one of them (the actors) will talk.”

At the end of the tour, the historical society will accept donations to purchase another historical plaque.  The public is invited to the free event, which starts at 2pm on Sunday.  In case of inclement weather, the presentations will be held at the museum.