The town of Jefferson is respected statewide for the quality of life it provides its residents from educating its young people, to a healthy mix of progressive industries and other business firms, to its strong professional community, and its myriad of social, religious, charitable and non-profit organizations, Jefferson is a good place to live.

Jefferson is also a great place to visit, with its growing collection of tourist attractions.

Foremost among those is the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower, located on the southwest corner of the courthouse campus. Dedicated in October 1966, the 168 foot tower was a $350,000 gift to the people of the city and county by the late Floyd and Dora Mahanay, lifetime Jefferson residents. The carillon, consisting of 14 bells from the Petit-Fritzen foundry in The Netherlands, sounds the Westminster chime every quarter hour. A popular observation tower at the 120 foot level, reached by a glassed elevator, allows visitors a panoramic view of the countryside for many miles.

Jefferson is the northern starting point of the Raccoon River Valley Trail, a hard-surfaced bicycle path that runs through communities in Greene, Guthrie and Dallas counties, and then on into the Des Moines suburbs, about
57 miles in all. Opened in 1997, the trailhead is located at the restored Milwaukee Railroad depot on the historic Lincoln Highway in Jefferson. A growing number of cyclists from all over the Midwest are discovering the trail and the community, and they return regularly.

The depot, in addition to its historical displays of train memorabilia, also serves as a gallery for the talented community of serious artists in the Jefferson area, organized as the Greene County Arts Council. Art shows are held there on a regular basis, displaying oils, watercolors, pencil and pen and ink work, fabric work, sculpture, carvings, computer art, photography, many crafts, and other media. Greene County artists have won many awards in juried exhibitions across the state and the Midwest.

Art in the broader sense plays an important role in the life of the community.

A number of buildings downtown are graced by wall-to-wall exterior murals. There are an active community theater, a youth summer theater group, several quilters’ groups, a popular garden club, and other arts-oriented organizations.

Visitors to the Mahanay Tower, the depot and the bike trail usually enjoy a stroll
through the three-story Greene County courthouse at the center of town.

The Greene County Courthouse sits in the middle of the Jefferson business district, and is constructed of Bedford stone in 1917, the handsome Greek revival building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A reproduction of the county seal, a “Horn of Plenty” cornucopia in mosaic tile, dominates the center of the rotunda floor. Lunette paintings grace the four walls of the dome.

Jefferson sits astride the original Lincoln Highway, the first coast-to-coast thoroughfare for automobiles and trucks. Immediately following World War One, the new Lincoln Highway Association and the U.S. Army promoted a cross-country military convoy that mostly followed the route designated as the Lincoln Highway, duplicating the Chicago and Northwestern route through Iowa.

Three days after the 1919 convoy, which included young Army officer Dwight David Eisenhower, who 33 years later returned to Jefferson on a whistle-stop C&NW railroad tour during his successful campaign for President, left Jefferson, Greene County voters approved a referendum that made the county the first in the state to pave the Lincoln Highway from county line to county line.

The spacious and well-designed Greene County Historical Society Museum, on the Lincoln Highway a block east of the square, is dubbed by State Historical Society officials as one of the best historical museums in rural Iowa. The museum displays “rooms” of early-day stores and professional offices, complete with original equipment and retail goods, as well as walls and cases full of old-time Greene County historical artifacts. There’s even a life-size mock-up of an early coal mine, several of which operated in the southeast part of the county until well into the 20th Century.

The unique Telephone Museum, located in the Communications Building of the Jefferson Telephone Company, displays antique telephone equipment from the early days of the communications industry. It’s a collection that exists nowhere else in the state.

Jefferson was the childhood home of the late George Gallup Jr., founder of modern polling methods. He was born here, graduated from school (where he served as player-coach for the high school football team and edited the school newspaper), and then headed for the University of Iowa. The Gallup home, a unique eight-sided house in the
South part of town, designed by George’s father, is now owned by the company that bears his name, Gallup and Robinson. The home is in the early stages of a renovation/ restoration project that will turn it into a tourist, conference and office site.

Visitors to Jefferson find comfortable accommodations for dining and lodging, with two motels, plenty of restaurants, and camping facilities nearby.

Local residents are justly proud of the Jefferson-Scranton Community School District, which includes what one state education official calls “the best comprehensive high school in the state of Iowa.” The school offers about 50 different college credit courses, and serves as a regional high school for Greene County, providing upper-level classes for dozens of students from the county’s other high schools. Nine of the 94 J-S teachers are nationally certified, one of the highest percentages of all Iowa school districts. Test scores in the district at all grade levels typically rank in the top 80 per cent nationally and above the average in Iowa.

The district recently received a glowing report from an evaluation team from the Iowa Department of Education, for the strength of both its academics and its activity programs.

Thirteen churches offer residents their respective worship opportunities, and they also contribute significant organizational and volunteer help to worthwhile civic projects: Helping Hands home improvement for the needy, Adopt-A-Family at Christmastime, and the Webb House youth center, to name just a few examples.

The Jefferson Public Library recently celebrated its Centennial, dating its origin from the Carnegie-funded building a block west of the downtown square. The library’s book collection is impressive, but the facility offers much, much more to area residents, including public computers.

Jefferson community leaders are positioning the community for progressive, 21st Century growth. Greene County Development Corporation executive director Rick Morain puts it this way: “With strong, generous support from city and county government, the business community, and many organizations and individuals, we see our future as very bright indeed. Our location in central Iowa, just a short drive from the Des Moines metro
area and Iowa State University, is an added plus. We welcome everyone who’s looking for a great place to visit, to work, or to live.”

ABSTRACTORS Greene County Abstract Co Inc ACCOUNTING Brooker & Company, Inc. Henkel & Associates PC ACUPUNCTURE Mobley Chiropractor & Acupuncture ADVERTISING Bee & Herald ADVERTISING/SPECIALTIES The Ink Spot AIR CONDITIONING-CONTRACTORS Air-Temp Plumbing Coleman Heating & Air Systems Durlam Electric Inc Ecklund Plumbing Shop Hebenstreit Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Louk Plumbing Heating & AC Sloan Plumbing & Drain Service AIR CONDITIONING-CONTRACTORS & SYSTEMS Clark Heating AIRPORTS DB Aero Ltd Jefferson Airport - Don Monthei ALTERATIONS M&M Appliques ANTIQUES Gilroy's Antiques APPLIANCE DEALERS Durlam Electric Inc Johns Appliance & TV Cranston Repair APPLIANCE REPAIR Durlam Electric Inc APPRAISAL Hoyt Appraisals ASBESTOS REMOVAL & ABATEMENT EQUIPMENT August Enterprises LLC ASSISTED LIVING Ever Greene Ridge Jefferson Manor ATTORNEY Horak Law Offices Hoyt Law Firm Ladd, Dennis Martino, Nick Mumma Pedersen & Handley Law Firm Rasmussen Law Office Shirley Powell & Finneseth Law Firm Wilcox Polking Gerken Schwarzkopf AUCTIONEER Dagit Auction Service AUTO BODY REPAIR & PAINT Davis Auto Joe's Body & Paint Inc Pearce Auto Body AUTO DEALERS - NEW & USED Greene County Motor Company AUTO DEALERS - USED Jack's Auto Sales Jeb's Affordable Transportation Jerry's Auto Jefferson Auto Plaza Reese Automotive R T Auto AUTO PARTS Napa Auto Parts Jerry's Auto AUTO PARTS & SUPPLIES - NEW Motor Parts Warehouse AUTO RENTAL Greene County Motor Company AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SERVICES A1 Service Center Danielson Durbin Auto Trck Svc Don's Radiator Services Greene County Motor Company Higgins Repair Service Jefferson Automotive Jefferson Towing Jerrys Auto Joe's Body & Paint Inc McAtee Tire Services Inc. Mike Pittman Repair Pearce Auto Body BAKERY Bunkers Dunkers Bakery BANKING Home State Bank People's Trust & Savings Wells Fargo BANQUET FACILITIES Larry's Restaurant & Lounge BARBERS Ferrol's Place Hair Palace Head Masters BEAUTY SALONS Bridget's Bailiwick Elaine's Beauty Salon Hair Palace Hairem Head Masters Kathy's Beauty Salon Kathy's Hair Designs Lois's Beauty Salon Marty's Beauty & Barber Service Total Image By Cindy BED & BREAKFASTS Limburg House B&B BOOKKEEPING Central Iowa Farm Business Henkel & Associates PC R & M Bookkeeping Inc BOWLING Spare Time Lanes & Lounge BOXES - CORRUGATED & FIBER Genesis Development BRAKE SERVICE A-1 Service Center McAtee Tire Services Inc. BUILDING CONTRACTORS C&R Construction Craftsman Builders Ferguson Construction Gettler Construction McConnell's Custom Construction Morton Buildings Inc. Scheuermann Construction Shriver Construction Company Tri County Lumber BUILDING MATERIALS - RETAIL Tri County Lumber BUILDING MATERIALS - METAL Mobilestor Morton Buildings Inc. BUSINESS CONSULTING Said Cliff Seminars Quam & Associates CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Jefferson Telephone Company CAR WASHING Jefferson Car Wash CARPENTRY DCR Carpentry & Repair CARPET & RUG DEALERS Duraclean Carpet & Upholstery Heaven's Best Figenshaw Furniture Tri County Lumber R&N Carpet Layers CATERERS Lincoln Way Grill CELLULAR & WIRELESS SERVICE Jefferson Telephone Company CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Jefferson Chamber of Commerce CHILD CARE Greene County Early Learning Center CHIROPRACTORS D.C. Follett Chiropractic Forbes, James E. Dr. Miller Chiropractic Center Mobley Chiropractor & Acupuncture CLINICS McFarland Clinic CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES - CONSIGNMENT Treasures from the Heart CLOTHING - RETAIL Linda's Fashions Mary Ann's Suzanne Sievers Designs COCKTAIL LOUNGES Spare Time Lanes & Lounge Wet Goods Bar & Grill COMMUNITY CENTERS Greenwood Homes & Center COMPUTERS - DEALERS, SERVICE & REPAIR Compusense Inc CONCRETE - READY MIX American Concrete North Greene County Redi-Mix Inc CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION - FORMS & ACCESSORIES Carstensen Construction CONCRETE CONTRACTORS Dennhardt Construction Inc Mobilestor CONTRACTORS - GENERAL Brinkley Construction Craftsman Builders Cunningham Construction & Roofing Dennhardt Construction Inc Ferguson Construction Krueger's Handyman Service McConnell's Custom Construction Pottroff Construction Scheuermann Construction Shriver Construction Company Taylor Electric & Construction CONVENIENCE STORE Casey's General Store Kum & Go Peep's Stop Sparky's One Stop COPIERS & SUPPLIES Select Office Systems CREMATION SERVICES Slininger-Rossow Funeral Homes CROP DUSTING, SEEDING & SPRAYING Stott's Aerial Spraying, Inc. DENTISTS Thompson Kodd Teusch DEPARTMENT DISCOUNT STORES Pamida Discount Center DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTION Underberg Tiling DRAPERIES & CURTAINS - RETAIL & CUSTOM Figenshaw Furniture DRUG ABUSE INFORMATION/TREATMENT New View Substance Abuse Treatment & Prevention Center DRY WALL CONTRACTORS Cornerstone Drywall Denison Drywall & Supply Olson Drywall ECONOMIC RESEARCH & ANALYSIS Greene County Development Corp. ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS Durlam Electric Inc Gettler Construction Midland Power Cooperative Taylor Electric & Construction Wright Electric ELECTRIC LIGHT & POWER COMPANIES Midland Power Cooperative ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES - DEALERS Berry SK Company EMBROIDERY Action Embroidery & Heat Transfers Muir Embroidery & Sports Shop EMPLOYMENT SERVICE & TRAINING Genesis Development Iowa Workforce Development Center ENGINEERING MHF Engineering PC ESCAVATING Greene County Redi-Mix Inc Murphy Excavating EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Conner Athletic Products Power Lift EXERCISE & PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAMS Curves for Women KJ's FARM EQUIPMENT REPAIR Peckumn Ag Repair FARM MANAGEMENT ABC Farm Mgt Ltd Farmers National Company Home State Bank Quam & Associates FARM SUPPLILES Bomgaars FAX EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES Jefferson Telephone Company Select Office Systems FERTILIZERS - DEALERS West Central Co-op Wills Ag Supply FINANCIAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS Investment Centers of America, Inc. People's Financial Center FISHING BAIT Cozad's Bait & Tackle FLORISTS - RETAIL Floral Designs By Jean Fudges Flower & Gift Shop Krieger's Flower Shop & Greenhouse FORMAL WEAR - RENTALS & SALES M&M Appliques FUNERAL HOMES Brown Funeral Homes, Inc. Hastings Funeral Home Slininger and Rossow FURNITURE - RETAIL Figenshaw Furniture Gilroy's New & Used Furniture FURNITURE CLEANING Duraclean Carpet & Upholstery Service Heaven's Best GARDEN CENTERS Squirrel's Nest GIFT SHOPS Deal's Orchard Fudges Flower & Gift Shop The Printer's Box Royal Jewelers Squirrel's Nest GLASS - AUTO, PLATE, WINDOW Joes Body & Paint Inc GOLF Lakeside Golf Club Inc Raccoon Bend Golf Club GREENHOUSES Krieger's Flower Shop & Greenhouse Squirrel's Nest GROCERY Fareway Stores Inc. GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS Seamless Gutter Express GYMNASIUM - EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES American Athletic McPherson Athletive HANDY PERSON SERVICE Krueger's Handyman Service HARDWARE Dons Ace Hardware Shadran Industrial & Sanitary Supplies Tri County Lumber HEALTH CLUBS Curves For Women HEARING AID CENTER Jefferson Hearing Aid Center HEATING CONTRACTORS Air-Temp Plumbing Clark Heating Coleman Heating & Air Systems Durlam Electric Inc Louk Plumbing Heating & AC Sloan Plumbing & Drain Service Teeples Heating & Plumbing HOME MEDICAL CARE Home Care Medical HOSPITALS Greene County Medical Center HUMANE SOCIETIES Paws - People For Animal Welfare Society ICE CREAM Dairy Queen Twiins Shoppe INSURANCE Advantage Insurance & Financial American Family Insurance Bahnson Financial Services Copeland Insurance Agency Inc Cobb, Williams Farm Bureau Farmers Mutual Insurance Jefferson Benevolent Society Lang & Assoc Inc MacDonald Insurance Agency Principal Financial Group State Farm Insurance Unger Insurance Ltd INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER Jefferson Telephone Company INVESTMENTS SECURITIES Investment Centers of America, Inc. People's Financial Center Wells Fargo Private Services JEWELRY Royal Jewelers LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS Dadd's Landscaping Outdoor Artistry Nursery & Landscaping LAWN & GROUND MAINTENANCE All American Turf Beauty Scott's Lawn Care & Snow Removal LOUNGE Last Draw Saloon LUMBER - RETAIL Tri County Lumber Mart MACHINE SHOPS Burkardt Engine & Machine MASSAGE Linda Holtz, Massage Therapist Basic Kneads Massage & Reflexology MONUMENTS Hastings Funeral Home Jefferson Monument Works MOTEL Redwood Motel Super 8 Motel NEWSPAPERS Bee & Herald NURSERIES Outdoor Artistry Nursery & Landscaping NURSING HOMES Greene County Medical Center Jefferson Manor OPTOMETRY Eye Care Associates Jefferson Eyecare ORCHARD Deals Orchard PACKAGING Customboxesonline PAINTING CONTRACTORS Air Velocity Sandblasting & Painting Goodwin & Son Painting Inc PEST CONTROL K&D Pest Control Co Inc PET GROOMING The Dapper Dog PHARMACY HyVee Drug Medicap PHOTO FINISHING HyVee Drug PHOTOGRAPHERS - PORTRAIT Catchlight Photography Country Studio PHYSICIANS McFarland Clinic PIZZA Breadeaux Pizza Casey's Carry Out Pizze Pizza Ranch PLUMBING CONTRACTORS Air Temp Plbg Heatin & Coolg Clark Heating Ecklund Plumbing Shop Louk Plumbing Heating & AC Sloan Plumbing & Drain Service PRINTERS Bee & Herald Shannon Screen Printing The Printer's Box RADIO STATIONS KDLS - Radio Station KGRA - Radio Station REAL ESTATE Iowa Realty Company Marso & Peckumn Real Estate Midland Realty Co Polking Realty Town & Country Realty RECREATION VEHICLES Harrison R V Land Holiday RV RECYCLING SERVICES Genesis Development Jefferson Redemption Center REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT Hebenstreit Refrigeration & Air Conditioning REHABILITATION SERVICES Genesis Development RENTAL SERVICE STORE Tri County Lumber RESTAURANT A&W Restaurant Angie's Tea Garden Breadeaux Pizza Family Table Restaurant The Larrys Restaurant and Lounge Lincolnway Grill Peony Chinese Restaurant Pizza Ranch Subway Season's Ltd Uptown Cafe Wet Goods Bar & Grill ROOFING CONTRACTORS C&R Construction Cunningham Construction & Roofing Ferguson Construction SAND & GRAVEL Greene County Redi-Mix Inc Hallet Materials Pound Construction Company SEED DEALERS - AGRICULTURAL Pioneer Brand Seeds Syngenta Seeds Inc Youngblood Seed Farm SEMINARS & SPEAKERS Said Cliff Seminars SEPTIC TANKS, SEWERS & SYSTEMS CLEANING Sloan Plumbing & Drain Service SIGNS Ogren's Custom Graphics SKATING RINKS X-treme Youth Center SNOW REMOVAL Scott's Lawn Care & Snow Removal SOD FARMS & SALES Pedersen Sod Company SOY BEEN PRODUCTS MicroSoy Corporation SPORTING GOODS Jefferson Sporting Goods Muir Embroidery & Sports Shop Home Plate - Sports Cards & Memorabilia SPRAYING - HORTICULTURAL Mears Seed & Chemical STOCK & BOND BROKERS Edward Jones Wells Fargo Private Services STORAGE - HOUSEHOLD & COMMERCIAL Cunningham Mini Storage Mobilestor Shelter Stor-All Pauley Mini Storage SURVEYORS - LAND MHF Engineering SWIMMING POOLS - PUBLIC Jefferson Swimming Pool TAX RETURN PREPARATION Brooker & Company Central Iowa Farm Business Henkel & Associates PC TELEPHONE COMPANIES Jefferson Telephone Co THEATRES - MOVIES Sierra Theatre TIRE SERVICE A-1 Service Center McAtee Tire Services Inc. Pittman Repair TRAVEL Fun Travel Ltd TRUCK - RENT & LEASE U-Haul Company TRUCKING - GENERAL T&T Trucking UPHOLSTERERS Schroeder Auto Upholstery & Trim VARIETY STORES Ben Franklin VETERINARY Jefferson Veterinary Clinic VIDEO CONFERENCING Jefferson Telephone Company WASHERS & DRYERS - SERVICE Cranston Repair WATER SOFTENING & CONDITIONING Culligan Wyatt's Water Conditioning & Plumbing WELDING J-B-S Enterprises WINDOW TREATMENTS Budget Blinds