Donate to the Archives & Collections

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Give a piece of the Past

The Jackson County Historical Society is the county’s attic of historical treasures you feel should see the light of day instead of the dust bunnies in your grandmother’s basement. We are constantly looking for new pieces of Jackson County history to add to our collections. A great way to support history is by donating some of yours. The Jackson County Historical Society Archives and Collections provide a temperature-controlled environment where items of the past can receive proper archival handling and conservation to remain a part of the future.

We take usual and unusual items from the past including paper documents--letters, photographs, maps, postcards, diaries, business ledgers, certificates, documents, and rare books related to Jackson County. We currently do not accept newspapers. 

Wishlist items we are actively looking to acquire:

  • American Royal memorabilia

  • Locally owned restaurant items (menus, uniforms, marketing materials, decor)

  • Items from Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown, Buckner, Greenwood, Unity Village, Sibley, Sugar Creek, Martin City, Atherton, Lake City, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, or Lone Jack.

  • Civil War artifacts related to Jackson County citizens, businesses, or battles.

  • Materials from the Great Depression related to Jackson County

  • Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latinx, Jewish, LGBTQI+ materials.

  • Sports memorabilia related to the Chiefs, Royals, Kings, Monarchs, Comets or Wizards.

  • Fire/police/medical history related to Jackson County

  • School history including yearbooks, graduation programs, school activities

  • Locally owned business history

  • Fairs/Festival memorabilia including SantaCaliGon (Independence), Fall Fun Fest (Blue Springs), Cole Younger Days (Lee’s Summit), Lickskillet Days (Oak Grove)

  • Brewery history of Jackson County

  • German or Irish history of Jackson County

If you are not sure if your donation is suitable, it never hurts to ask. You may also review our Collections Policy to see if your donation fits into our collections. 

Donations cannot be accepted without the proper paperwork and approval. We require all donations to the archives to have a Deed of Gift form that the donor has signed. All donations are tax-deductible. Materials that are mailed or dropped off at JCHS offices are subject to disposal or return without the Archivist’s approval and Deed of Gift.

JCHS does not currently purchase items.

JCHS does not accept historical properties, automobiles, homes, newspapers, or furniture.

Also consider donating to support a project or need. We are constantly fundraising for storage supplies to preserve our county’s history. If interested, contact archivist@jchs.org. 

View our Amazon Wishlist to make a fast purchase to immediately benefit our work.