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Indiana Bicentennial Celebration 2016

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Explore County Bicentennial Activities > Jay County Jay County

Jay County
Q&A with County Coordinators Randy Geesaman, Gyneth Augsburger and Sandy Bubp

What do you consider the key accomplishment(s) of your county’s bicentennial celebration?

  • Reminding our residents about our rich heritage in Jay County
  • So many people working together to put together our legacy projects showing the pride we have in Jay county.
  • The turn out for the torch relay and the celebration when the relay arrived at the county fairground was outstanding

What Legacy Project do you most like to tell people about, and why?

  • Hoosier Heritage Farms

Describe a highlight or most memorable moment related to your county's bicentennial celebration.

  • The entire celebration at the Jay County fairgrounds which included a all inclusive picnic supper, presentation of te torch plaque, speakers and topped it off with fireworks.

How/where are you preserving information and artifacts related to your county's celebration?

  • Jay County Historical Society - 903 E Main St, Portland, IN 47371

Total number of volunteers who participated.

  • Too many to count from different towns.

Estimated total attendance.

  • 1500+

Estimated dollar amount raised (if applicable).

  • $26,000.00.

Estimated dollar amount spent (if applicable).

  • $24,000.00.

Jay County Legacy Projects

Jay County Facts

​Jay County is the only county in the United States named for John Jay, co-author of the Federalist Papers, Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, and first Chief Justice of the United States.

The Dunkirk Glass Museum has over 8,000 pieces of glassware…

…from 110 factories around the world currently on exhibit in the Dunkirk Glass Museum. There is glass that was made locally at Indiana Glass in Dunkirk and other area factories including 25 leaded lamps, 25 leaded windows and an exhibit of cup plates.

The museum has pressed glass-making tools including a hand press. See the leaded glass mural showing glass blowing and shaping. There are many Dagenhart, Carnival Glass, lead crystal, Milk glass, Diamond Point, King’s Crown, Albany Glass, Norse, Sandwich, Tiara, as well as household and farm items.

Jay County is home to the world’s largest gas engine and tractor show. Visit with 150 antique dealers and craft dealers. See over 400 engine and tractor parts dealers and stop in the large trading post. See over 3000 Engines and 800 Tractors, 25 years and older, featuring Ford-Fordson Tractors and Iowa Engines. 

The Fiber Fest and Spin In features a variety of fiber artists.

Don’t miss the petting zoo, sheep shearing, storyteller, Border Collie demo along with the lamb and meat goat judging contest. Vendors will have all kinds of fibers, from the common to the exotic, including wool, mohair, angora, flax, alpaca, cotton, silk and even buffalo. Pick up sweater yarn, homemade soap, and equipment for all fiber crafting needs. Visitors can bring raw wool or other fibers to be washed and processed by the Wooly Knob Fiber Mill, and learn about different kinds of fibers and what to do with them.

The “Queen of the internet” was born in Portland, Jay County. Mary Meeker is an American venture capitalist and former Wall Street securities analyst. Her primary work is on Internet and new technologies.

Meeker became known as “Queen of the Net” after Barron’s Magazine 1998 piece. She holds a B.A. in psychology from DePauw University (1981) and an M.B.A. in finance from Cornell University (1986). She also received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from DePauw University.

County Seat: Portland
Year Organized: 1836
Square Miles: 383.91

 

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