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Indiana Bicentennial Celebration 2016
Jennings County
Q&A with County Coordinators Kathy Ertel, Mary Fox and Larry Wasson
What do you consider the key accomplishment(s) of your county’s bicentennial celebration?
- Bringing many volunteers together and the citizens of Jennings County recognizing our history.
What Legacy Project do you most like to tell people about, and why?
- History thru Fashion Show. Many different ages of volunteers, a large downtown event at the Historic Park Theatre Civic Centre on our new Stellar Plaza.
Describe a highlight or most memorable moment related to your county's bicentennial celebration.
- The Torch Relay, we had prepped so much but it rained. A large crowd stayed to see the torch pass thru the town.
How/where are you preserving information and artifacts related to your county's celebration?
- History thru Fashion Show. Many different ages of volunteers, a large downtown event at the Historic Park Theatre Civic Centre on our new Stellar Plaza.
What do you consider the key accomplishment(s) of your county’s bicentennial celebration?
- At the Jennings County Library and the Jennings County Historical Society.
Total number of volunteers who participated.
- 100 approx.
Estimated total attendance.
- 1,000 approx.
Estimated dollar amount spent.
- $10,000.
Jennings County Legacy Projects
- Auto Daze Gone By
- Historic Madison Railroad Loading Platform
- Jennings County Health Department Healthy Celebration
- Monarch/Pollinator Garden Project
- Pat O’Connor Memorial Marker
- Sassafras Tea Festival and Civil War Living History
- Tame the Terrain
- Threshers Dinner
- United Methodist Circuit Ride to Celebrate 200 Years
Photos of Jennings County's Bicentennial Activities and Events
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Jennings County Facts
Jennings County was formed in 1817. It was named for the first governor of Indiana and a nine-term congressman, Jonathan Jennings. Jennings was governor when the county was organized.
Indiana ‘s 43rd governor, Edgar Whitcomb is from Jennings County. During WWII, he was taken prisoner of war, but was able to evade his Japanese pursuers. He escaped by swimming all night through shark-infested waters to an island unoccupied by the Japanese army. After retiring, at age 78, he geographically sailed around the world in 1995, although he was not able to return to his exact starting point.
County Seat: Vernon
Year Organized: 1816
Square Miles: 376.58
Jennings County Bicentennial Committee
- Mary Fox
- Larry Wasson
- Barbara Kind
- Nick megel
- Chuck Waggoner
- Dan Wright
- Joanne Campbell
- Judy Ross
- Kay Vance
- Sherri Williams
- Mike Ochs
- Bob Ertel
- Mary Driver
- Chris Doran
- Kathy Ertel
