The Grain Valley Historical Society is, like most everyone else, gearing up for November’s presidential election.
Only their approach is a little different.
There’s no mention of Barack Obama or John McCain in any of their display cases.
Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater and Hubert Humphrey?
They’re there.
As is a newspaper with the headline “Dewey Defeats Truman” and many other memories of bygone races.
The six-month exhibit at the society’s headquarters at 506 S. Main in Grain Valley is the exception to the rule that all displays emphasize Grain Valley history.
“It’s an election year,” Mary Harper said. “I can assure you that all the clippings and artifacts are from local residents, though.”
A former schoolteacher at Fort Osage and Grain Valley, Harper is the society’s vice president and is responsible for acquiring items for each exhibit, which occurs many months before the show begins.
“We brainstorm ideas for the next exhibit as soon as the new one begins,” Harper said. “Once we know our theme, I place the call.”
Aside from contacting society members, Harper puts an article in the Grain Valley Pointe and makes an announcement at the monthly senior citizen luncheon at the Grain Valley Community Center. Since space is limited, Harper can only accept items small enough to fit inside the display cases. While most of the items are loaned, some are given to the society for permanent safekeeping in their archives, which account for a substantial portion of their building’s back room.
Past exhibits include: a collection of prom dresses and suits worn by former Grain Valley High School students (the earliest dated to 1924), a cane mill along with its original patent, quilts and a history of Beanie Babies.
But Harper isn’t alone in her work for the society. Her husband, Lon, may work long weeks as an independent contractor, but he still finds time to help whenever he can. From 1999 to 2001, he served as the society’s president. In addition to being the society’s Mr. Fix-It, Lon Harper takes on the responsibility one week each month of keeping the building clean (the society’s headquarters also functions as a space that may be rented for events; revenue from rentals provides a bulk of the money to cover basic utilities).
For their devotion to the society, Mary and Lon Harper were honored in January with a Pillar of the Community award by the Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Mary and Lon Harper joined the society in 1998, the year it moved to its current location. From the beginning, the couple immersed themselves in youth outreach.
“I think our young people believe you need to be old before you get interested in history,” Mary Harper said. “They don’t realize that they are the history.”
