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Jefferson City Caretaker's Cottage offers space for veterans organizations


The Jefferson City National Cemetery's Caretaker's Cottage from the 1870's is almost completely renovated, and will soon be put to use. (Ashley Eddy, KRCG 13),
The Jefferson City National Cemetery's Caretaker's Cottage from the 1870's is almost completely renovated, and will soon be put to use. (Ashley Eddy, KRCG 13),
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The Jefferson City National Cemetery's Caretaker's Cottage from the 1870's is almost completely renovated, and will soon be put to use.

The Historic City of Jefferson has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to make the space available for use to local nonprofit veterans organizations.

Back in 2016, the HCJ learned the cottage might be demolished, and decided to do something.

Jane Beetem Historic City of Jefferson Vice President said almost 1,000 volunteer hours went into renovating the cottage.

Beetem said HCJ is now accepting applications from local nonprofit veterans organizations.

"Hopefully groups that have an affiliation with the cemetery, whether they be veterans groups or not for profit groups interested on the east side, that's what we're looking for, to share this facility as a headquarters for their organizations," Beetem said.

She said three to four tenants will likely be able to stay in the cottage and will only be expected to pay utilities.

Beetem said this is the first project of its kind.

"This is still a federally owned property and for a not for profit to come in, that's a lot of risk for the federal government," Beetem said. "They weren't real comfortable with that initially and so we had to prove to them that, yes we can do this, and do it in a way that's sensitive to the historic character of the property."

Veteran Leon DeLong said Thursday night was a celebration.

"I think the excitement to bring something back from the dead, I mean because that's basically what this building was, I mean they were gonna tear it down," DeLong said. "It just makes you feel good all over that we can save something that has been here for as long and represent what it represent to Jeff City and us Veterans."

If you know of an organization that would be a good fit for the Caretaker's Cottage you can contact HCJ Executive Director Anne Green at hcjexec@gmail.com.

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