About 150 toured the William Jennings Bryan Birthplace during a Birthday Open House on Saturday. The event also included extended hours at the Salem Historical Museum and a speaker from Dayton, Tennessee on the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial that involved Bryan.
Salem City Councilman Jim Koehler helped paint the home and make other improvements ahead of the open house.
“There’s always a lot on the Scopes trial, and they ask about the elections and how that went,” Koehler said. “It’s important he ran three elections, but he was also Secretary of State and he also had a lot to do with a lot of things that affected our country. That’s what we’re trying to get across to people now.”
Historical Commission Chair Myron Lloyd also helped lead the tours and noted interest in what happened to Bryan’s children.
“(Visitors asked) What did they do, were they in politics, was the family? Of course, his brother was the governor of Nebraska. He was also a vice-presidential candidate. His daughter was the first female ambassador in America, to Denmark. Also, his son was connected to exporting and importing for the government and was a lawyer. His youngest daughter wanted to be a mother and stay home, so she did that.”
Koehler and Lloyd were pleased with the attendance that stretched throughout the nine am to 2:45 pm open house.
We’ll have more information on the speaker and Salem’s plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial in the news later this week.
