About

The Jay County Society, Inc. and the Jay County Genealogy Society have  merged. Both groups had like goals of preserving the history of Jay County. This merger allows both of us to streamline our collections and eliminates some duplication of efforts. All records are now housed at the museum.

The Jay County Historical Society is a volunteer organization of historically minded individuals who maintain the Jay County Historical Museum, who collect and preserve artifacts related to Jay County, who research and record the history and genealogy of Jay County and who safeguard the arts and cultural heritage of Jay County for future generations.

The Jay County Historical Society grew out of a continuation in 1967 of the Jay County Indiana Sesquicentennial Committee that was formed in 1966 for the 150th celebration of Indiana’s statehood.  Mrs. Hubert Hedges was the first president.  All of those who joined in 1967 were charter members. The society was given the use of one room in the John and Nancy Hawkins building located at the end of East Main Street, Portland, Indiana, in 1972.  This building belonged to a Trust Fund established by Morton Hawkins to be used for education and preservation of our Jay County heritage.