U of I Women’s Archive brings 6 on 6 basketball to Jefferson

Small towns across the state came to a halt each winter to take in the mesmerizing game of girls’ six-on-six basketball.

It was a sport that captivated thousands and sent scores sky-rocketing over the century mark, creating legends in the smallest of communities.

The University of Iowa Women’s Archives is celebrating the impact of six-on-six basketball in Iowa with a presentation at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 in conjunction with the local Smithsonian Hometown Teams exhibit.

Iowa Women’s Archive curator Karen Mason and U of I American Studies lecturer Jennifer Sterling, who have spent hundreds of hours researching and interviewing former players, will discuss the marvelous history of the sport and its wide-ranging reach across the entire country through “Six-on-six Girls’ Basketball in Iowa: Stories from the Iowa Women’s Archives and Beyond.”

The University of Iowa “Remembering six-on-six” exhibit is currently on display inside the Greene County Historical Museum which is free and open to the public through Sept. 23.

The duo begin speaking at 1 p.m. in the Thomas Jefferson Gardens Welcome Center which will be followed by a chance for locals to share their stories and memorabilia with the researchers.

The exhibit has also visited Mount Vernon, Ottumwa and Guthrie Center. It will travel to Ames and Conrad following its pit stop in Jefferson.

The operating hours of the Hometown Teams exhibit at the Greene County Historical Museum are:

Saturdays – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sundays – Noon to 6 p.m.

Wednesdays – 1-6 p.m.

Thursdays – 3-9 p.m.