Georgetown

A Community of Quiet Elegance

It is the spring of 2025, Carol Bell, Charlene Earley, and Ruth Yaeger all living in the town home community of Georgetown began to formally put together a history of Georgetown. The idea was proposed a few years ago by these individuals and included Joyce Lewis, Ron Wolken and Don Zehnder, sharing information about the development of Georgetown. Ann Holland, a resident, served as scribe for this document.

Georgetown was developed and advertised as “A Community of Quiet Elegance. The 13-acre property is in the 900 block of Country Club Dr. near the Jefferson City Country Club and the Capital Mall. The property was originally bought for development by FMP (Friend, Manning, Polamo) Enterprises in 1987 who had the property surveyed and divided into 26 lots. In the accumulated information about the development of Georgetown are newspaper advertisements about the new models of homes to be built in Georgetown. Mentioned are six (6) floor plan choices, 1 ½ story or ranch style with customizing options available for the interiors. Base price began at $86,000. Custom printed brochures were also made featuring the design and details of the homes to be built. There is no record showing why the architectural theme of the dwellings was chosen. No reference can be found for the decision to construct the concrete style rail fence along the neighborhood property lines. The city of Jefferson built the sidewalk along Country Club Drive. At one time sweatshirts and T-shirts were available featuring an image of a Georgetown town home printed in dark green on a white background.

The Articles of Incorporation for Georgetown Homeowners Association were officially filed with the State of Missouri, Secretary of State Corporation Division August 23, 1989, as a General Not for Profit. The Georgetown Homeowners Association was formed by Willard W. Manning, Robert S. Truman, Jr. and Henry L. Thomas, Incorporators. All of whom eventually lived on New Bedford Court. Arlington and New Bedford Court were the first streets to be developed in the neighborhood. Cambridge Circle was the last street to be developed beginning in 1992 and completed in 1996. There are 26 double units that make up the neighborhood. Willard Manning and his wife Lenora bought out J. Friend (his FMP partner) and subsequently sold, in late 1990, the undeveloped portion of Georgetown to their two daughters and their husbands, namely Barrett Glascock, president of FMP, Beth Glascock, Vice President, Jim Uffman, and Patty Uffman. These individuals finished developing Georgetown. Willard Manning, who was the developer and builder of Georgetown, passed away in September 1994.

At one time there was consideration by the owner/developers to build four to six town home style units on the 1 ½ acre property that lays at the northwest corner of Edgewood Drive and South Country Club Drive and adjoins the original Georgetown development. It was not intended to include these proposed units be a part of the Georgetown Homeowners Association unless owners wanted to be included. Edgewood Drive was not developed until sometime around the year 2000. Subsequently that site was sold to Exchange National Bank in 1997 and most recently sold to MFA in late summer of 2024.

The above information is featured inside the custom printed brochures.

The Georgetown Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Easements and Restrictions were developed by FMP Enterprises, Inc., and signed off on by James L. Friend, president of FMP Enterprises July 13, 1987. By-Laws of Georgetown Homeowners’ Association were added as Exhibit B at that time with his signature dated July 13, 1987. The By-laws state that the Board shall be elected by the owners of the lots or any parcel of real property described in the Georgetown Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Easements and Restrictions and are made of record in the Cole County Recorder’s Office. The original Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Easements and Restrictions was developed and signed off on July 13, 1987, by James L. Friend, President of FMP Enterprises, Inc. By-Laws of Georgetown Homeowner’s Association were added later and are of public record in the Recorder of Deed Office, Cole County, Missouri. As the property was developed in phases, the governing documents were amended and approved by majority of residents. HOA monthly dues began at $40, then $50 (1991), $75 (1994), $85 (1996), $125 (2012) and currently stand at $145 (2023).

Georgetown has a storied history of being home to several prominent residents in Jefferson City and being the most attractive town home development in Jefferson City since its development in the early 1990’s. The local middle school in the neighborhood is named after Clarence Lawson, a former resident and prominent educator in the Jefferson City School system. The Nichols Career Center is named after former resident Joe Nichols. Currently there are only four original owners living in Georgetown, namely, Carol Bell, Mary Carrender, Marilyn Hovis, and Don Zehnder.

The first edition of the George Town Crier, the neighborhood monthly newsletter was published September 1, 1991. The author of the earlier newsletters was Edna Knerschield who also served as president and secretary to the HOA board a number of years. The newsletter covered a variety of neighborhood activities and information about upcoming events in the neighborhood and mentioned new residents. It was not uncommon for earlier HOA board officers and members to serve multiple terms in office in various roles.

Neighborhood picnics, Christmas parties, garage sales, once a month dinner out, weekly coffee gatherings for the men, and noon lunches at Red Lobster for the ladies were held the first Monday of the month. Game day and a book club were all a part of activities to be enjoyed by Georgetown residents. Most of these same social activities are still enjoyed by residents today. Charlene Earley has continued to publish a monthly newsletter for Georgetown. Important information for residents and general news can be found in her monthly publication sent out by email to everyone in Georgetown.

Residents proudly fly the American flag at their homes. On Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Eleven American flags are flown along the Country Club Drive fence that lines the neighborhood thanks to the efforts of John McDaniel architectural chair. Every year at Christmas time a custom holiday greeting is placed on each side of the entrance sign into the neighborhood.

Georgetown Milestones

Initially the lawns were manually watered until an irrigation system was installed in the neighborhood in 1995 for a cost of approximately $122,000. That cost was divided equally among residents who paid their share in installments. There are over 600 sprinkler heads in the system.

For over 20 years Bob and Donna Truman, who lived at 4012 New Bedford Court personally put up the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood. Eventually that task was contracted for with Nolan Enterprises who have taken care of the lawn, tree and shrub maintenance in the neighborhood since 2013. Each residence had a Christmas wreath placed above the garage door and some trees and shrubs were decorated with lights. Wreaths are still placed above each garage door at Christmas time. The lamp posts in front of every town home were installed by Chiles Electric in 2001 for a cost of $7,500 and they are decorated with a lighted garland and red bow at Christmas time. The lights are on dusk to dawn throughout the neighborhood all year. Ron Wolken former architectural chair is credited for the lighted rope that is placed along the Country Club Drive fence of the neighborhood at Christmas time.

In 2018 the 30-foot stainless steel flagpole was put in the yard of 4013 New Bedford Court. The pole was made possible by Ron Wolken and Tom Beal for a cost to the HOA under $2,000. Currently Gary & Judy Miller own the property. Gary takes care of the flag observing the U.S. Flag Code, Etiquette and Rules, and presidential or governor proclamations.

Former resident Richard Pack had developed a website for Georgetown. On the site could be found the governing documents for Georgetown, pictures from around the neighborhood taken at various times of the year, general information about dependable home service contractors, announcements about special events in the neighborhood and names of new residents. Gary Miller has developed the informational neighborhood internet website georgetownjc.com

Current architectural chair, John McDaniel, a/k/a Santa John who has a handsome full white beard. He dresses as Santa Claus for Christmas parties, has organized neighborhood work parties for the purpose of cleaning the white mailboxes, repainting the black lamp posts throughout the neighborhood and for cleaning the street curbs. Work parties have also been held to freshen up the Christmas wreaths before being placed above all the garage doors. Several residents take part in these work parties for fun and fellowship with their neighbors.

In 2024 HOA president, Bryan Pope started a porch decorating contest in the neighborhood. Anyone could enter and decorate their front porch or front windows in whatever Christmas theme they chose. Several participated and were recognized for placement in three theme categories, Religious, Patriotic and Christmas Extravaganza.

The neighborhood continues to be a tight knit community with prideful residents joining together to keep it a prime location and very desirable neighborhood in Jefferson City.