The public is invited to attend the annual meeting of the Columbia Historical Museum Board of Directors at 5 p.m. Monday, January 8, 2024, at the museum, located at 247 East Brazos Avenue in downtown West Columbia. The first board meeting of the new year will follow at 5:30 p.m.

A new slate of officers for 2024 was approved at the board’s December meeting, and four new board members were elected to serve this year. Leading the local museum’s board of directors this year will be four returning officers: President Naomi Smith, Vice President Barbara Stubbs, Treasurer Betty Blackmon and Recording Secretary Tracy Gupton. Pat Weeks will be the board’s corresponding secretary in 2024.

Added as new board members this year will be Flem Rogers, Freddie Matthews, Misty Congdon and Adrian Copeland.

The four new directors will join returning board members, listed alphabetically: Jo Frances Chastain, Chris Gilbert, Randy Gilbert, Korey Langford, Christina Matthews, Jana Ogilvie, Richard Talasek, Ben Tumlinson, Dietrich Von Biedenfeld and Kathleen Woodson, along with the five officers.

The board oversees the daily management of the Columbia Historical Museum which is housed in what used to be the First Capitol Bank building in downtown West Columbia. Michael Bailey is returning in 2024 to act as the museum’s curator. The longtime curator of the Brazoria County Museum in Angleton joined the West Columbia museum in July of last year following his retirement from his leadership position at the county museum.

The Columbia Historical Museum is open to the public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.