New County Historian Appointed

David Heighway Named Historian Emeritus

The Indiana Historical Society is excited to announce the appointment of a new Indiana county historian in Hamilton County, along with the designation of a county historian emeritus.

New Hamilton County historian Jessica Laymanis a Local History and Genealogy Librarian at the Hamilton East Public Library in Noblesville, Indiana. Born and raised in Arcadia, Indiana, Jessica got her bachelors degree in Informatics and her masters degrees in Library Science and Public History from IUPUI in Indianapolis (now IUI), graduating in 2020. Before being nominated for the role of Hamilton County Historian, Jessica was President of the board of the Hamilton County Historical Society for six years. She began volunteering there while still in high school in 2014. Jessica’s historic interests include genealogy of “ordinary people,” building preservation, and the study of memory and commemoration.

We are also pleased to share that David Heighwayhas been named Hamilton County Historian Emeritus, an honorary designation in recognition of his 18 years of service and dedication as former county historian.

In 1981, through an effort to improve the historical communication network in the state, the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau established the Indiana County Historian Program. County historians serve as volunteers appointed by the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau to promote local history in their counties, connect individuals and groups with history resources, promote collaboration between local history organizations and maintain connections with the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau.