(Radio Iowa) – The Jefferson Highway Association’s annual conference is underway in Mason City. Named after President Thomas Jefferson, the north-south route is one of America’s earliest highways, stretching 23-hundred miles from New Orleans to Winnipeg, though in most of Iowa, it’s known as U-S Highway 65. Visit Mason City executive director Lindsey James says after caravans through Lamoni, Des Moines and Iowa Falls earlier this week, today (Thursday) they’ll take buses north. “They are going to travel a portion of the Jefferson Highway, and they are going to head north up to Minnesota, their final destination being Owatonna,” James says. “They’ll stop at sites along the way and get to see other communities in the region, learn more about the history of each community, as well as the Jefferson Highway in those communities.”

James says association members will spend much of tomorrow (Friday) in seminars at Mason City’s Historic Park Inn Hotel.  “They have a great lineup of speakers,” she says, “talking about historic preservation, marketing for communities along the Jefferson Highway, how to celebrate the history and use history to promote tourism, as well as other things in line with that preservation theme.” On Saturday morning, James says the public is welcome to join association members at the Kinney Pioneer Museum for a special Community Day.

“There will be a flag ceremony starting shortly after 10:00 AM and admission is free,” James says. “It’s a great opportunity for local residents to come out and learn more about the Jefferson Highway, about the association, but also see the Kinney Pioneer Museum if you haven’t been there recently, a great opportunity to come out there and join us.” The conference is held in different cities every year and Mason City put in a bid for it initially in 2018 and won the event in 2020, though due to the pandemic, it’s being held there this year instead.