~by Chuck Offenburger for the Greene County Historical Society
The Greene County Historical Society is sponsoring an excursion for members and for the public — a special visit to the James H. Andrew Railroad Museum & History Center in Boone on Thursday, June 23.
As many know, the museum was founded and funded by “Old Jim” Andrew of Jefferson, who was proclaimed “Our Mister History” by the Greene County board of supervisors before his death in September, 2014. He was as much or more an authority on railroad history as he was on local history, and his collection of railroad memorabilia is superb. Since 2012, it has been housed, interpreted and displayed in the $1.5 million museum adjacent to the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad headquarters.
For the Historical Society’s visit there, those with reservations should meet on Thursday, June 23, at the museum in Jefferson, load a school bus and leave at 1 pm for Boone. At the museum, the group will be welcomed by Old Jim’s son James O. Andrew and his wife Jacque of Jefferson, who will talk about the collection and museum, answer questions and then turn us over to docents who will take us through the facility.
Cost is $10 per person, which includes admission to the museum and bus fare. The return to Jefferson should be about 4:30 pm.
Those interested should RSVP quickly, as the bus capacity is 40 people. Historical Society members should RSVP to their community contacts, and non-members who want to go should call the society’s program director Ces Brunow at 515-370-5531. Learn more about the museum at www.iowarailwaymuseum.org
