MCP Directory

My family has been here since the beginning of Jane. I just love history, and Jane's history and my family's have been tied together from the start. – Gayla Baker, Jane Preservation Society 2020 MCDONALD COUNTY DIRECTORY | 29 Jane: Open fields, historic past, hometown living and plenty of room to grow For Gayla Baker of the Jane Preservation Society, the history of Jane is something she takes very personally. "My family has been here since the beginning of Jane," she said. "I just love history, and Jane's history and my family's have been tied together from the start." The first settler in White Rock Prairie (Jane's original name) was James Billingsly in 1834, according to the Southernland & McEvoy's Gazetteer. However, MacDonald Country did not begin to get populated until the 1840s. In 1854, the first post office appeared, and that building and its history have been the subject of a major renovation project by The Jane Preservation Society. "The society acquired the old post office three years ago and have been working on restoring it," Baker said. "We are turning it into a museum that will have store the history of the post office and Jane with photos and other artifacts including the antique post office boxes." The post office museum is scheduled to be complete by the next Jane Day in September 2020. The society will also be placing a gazebo over the historic Jane well, which was once the center of town. The well, fed by the Sulphur Spring, was said to have healing properties, as did many of the springs in McDonald County. There is documentation that during the Civil War, both North and South watered their horses at the well. "The healing properties of the springs were a big pull to the area," Baker said. "My family came from Tennessee in the mid 1800's. They were farmers and businessmen who ran the general store when they came to this beautiful area." In addition to historical renovation projects like the post office, the society sponsors an Easter egg hunt every spring on the Sunday before Easter. "Along with the egg hunt we have demonstrations on how to dye eggs the natural way," Baker said. "They way they did it in the old days. The kids really like it and the event has continued to grow year to year." The society also sponsors Jane Day in September every year. The day kicks of by a breakfast sponsored by the Jane Fire Department. That leads to fun for the whole family with food, games, car show, pageant and parade. The event is a fundraiser for the society to help fund the important work they do. Baker and her husband are also proprietors of a small country store and café called The Jane Store that is located in an historic building dating back to 1927. It was, built by the Mars family, who still own it. "People say when they come into The Jane Store they feel like they just walked into Mayberry RFD," Baker joked. "We like people to feel comfortable here, like they are in their own home." The Jane Store is open Tuesday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch with fresh pies and cookies during the week and fresh cinnamon rolls made by Mr. Baker on Saturday. By Randy Rice McDonald County Directory photos courtesy Jane Preservation Society Facebook page.

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