Unsure how best to maintain the village, but recognizing its value in illustrating nearly a hundred years of county history and building traditions, JCHS board member Stephanie Johnson contacted Blake Swihart, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Northwest Field Office for assistance.

Since 2023, Swihart has organized monthly meetings with nonprofit groups from Newton, White, and Jasper counties, including JCHS, at Rensselaer’s Carnegie Center to discuss preservation, local history, ideas for collaboration, and at times, to commiserate over shared setbacks. Johnson raised JCHS’s concerns for the future of Pioneer Village with the group and received great ideas for possible solutions. She then worked closely with Swihart to better understand how Indiana Landmarks approaches similar preservation challenges.

Encouraged and armed with data on maintenance costs, Johnson presented JCHS’s case to the county commissioners in summer 2026. Persuaded by the organization’s preparedness and 50-plus years of stewardship, the commissioners agreed to consider a maintenance stipend to JCHS for Jasper County Pioneer Village. If approved, these funds would help assess deferred maintenance at Pioneer Village. It will also allow JCHS to seek qualified contractors to perform the necessary work, ensuring the long-term future for a piece of Jasper County’s shared history that might have otherwise been lost. A final decision will be made in the next six months, but we are hopeful that with Indiana Landmarks’ continued advocacy and JCHS’s commitment, the proposal will be accepted.