As a big promoter of Madison, there’s one thing that gives me mischievous pleasure every time it happens. I love beating out our affluent neighbor to the north, Columbus, Indiana. Sure, they have the big industrial base, and the interstate and the modern architecture. But as a friend of mine so eloquently said, when it comes to music and art, scenic beauty and historic charm … “Columbus wishes they were Madison!”
What can I say, I love our little town, perhaps even irrationally. And I know, Columbus is an awesome place in its own right. There’s probably a touch of jealousy in my attitude. They have so many jobs and so much money and the big retail stores up there. I get it. But there’s one thing they don’t have any more. Jared Anderson. Hee hee!
Jared is the new Associate Director of the Jefferson County History and Art Center, joining John Nyberg and the rest of the team there next to the old train station. We stole him away from the Bartholomew County Historical Society in Columbus, and word on the street is, they were none too pleased at all that we poached him. Ha, put that in your Cummins diesel and smoke it!
But in all seriousness, Jared is an awesome and highly-qualified addition to the History Center and our community. And truth be told, probably the main reason we got him is we already had his girlfriend (now wife) Emily McKinney who works at City Hall on the economic development team. “We met in New Orleans during a WWII history conference 8 years ago,” explains Jared. “Emily landed an internship with Madison Main Street, then the city job. We got married in 2024 so it was only natural I’d move down here from Columbus.
“My new role at the History Center is kind of a dream job for me. We’re actually the oldest history organization in the state of Indiana, since 1850, so over 175 years! In addition to being Associate Director I’m also Director of Programming and Outreach, so I’ll be planning and implementing all kinds of exciting new things in the months and years to come.
“Madison is kind of a holy grail if you are a history enthusiast like I am, which makes it all the more gratifying to be able to work here. The rich legacy of culture and history is unlike anything else in the state. So much happened here, and we have a great record of Madison’s place in America’s growth and early life.
“But make no mistake, Madison is no museum town stuck in the past. Emily and I are fortunate to live downtown and be a part of the vibrant and active lifestyle. I can walk to work, walk along the river, pretty much anywhere. There’s a great nightlife, the art scene, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
“I believe my generation has an interest in history, especially as it relates to aesthetics and architecture. It will be my goal as a program director to create opportunities for past history and present culture to intersect and move forward. I want to make history accessible and interesting, to give it context.
“A good example of this is a new concert series we have coming up this year we’re calling Tunes & Tales. We want to tap into the unique music scene in Madison, but especially as it relates to the music of the region, like bluegrass, gospel, blues and jazz. We’re going to pair these concerts with some aspect of Madison’s history and show how the two weave together. We’re still in the planning stages, but keep an eye out for future announcements, it’s going to be a popular and fun program.”
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
There’s a very exciting honky tonk show at the Red Bike this weekend, the first of a series of great events from the Kindred Folk Society, the local group keeping original Americana music alive in Madison. But the next Kindred show coming up in March also deserves your attention. In fact, it will sell out soon, so let this be your warning not to miss it. (get tix at Madtix). It’s the Bibelhauser Brothers with Grammy-winning fiddler Michael Cleveland on March 14th. Seriously, this one will be special. Also of interest this weekend is the EDM (electronic dance music) party happening at 1st Street Saloon on Saturday. This will be a total blast, with lots of energy and dancing. Grab some friends and make it a memorable night!
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