PRESIDENT OF the Railroad Museum and Cowan Commercial Club Jarod Pearson is a seventh-generation resident of Franklin County and a member of the Cowan Community. He joined the Railroad Museum and Cowan Commercial Club at 14, but his passion for the organization only grew stronger over the years.
Long-standing members of both organizations welcomed him with open arms. Because of their willingness to pour into the young Pearson, he was able to step up years later as president and make a difference in each group and the broader community.
He said, “The work of these two organizations shaped my thinking and sharpened my commitment to the town I live in.”
Pearson’s dedication to the community stems from his childhood experiences watching his parents and other community members come together to make a difference.
He said he remembers the Homecoming ’86 Celebration the city held in 1985 and how dozens of people came together to decorate and prepare the Railroad Park. Pearson said watching community leaders as a child made an impression on him.
“So many people who taught and inspired me and set that example have passed on. But I feel I’m part of their legacy because I continue what they started.”
And now, as an adult, he’s continued that legacy by leading the two organizations in various impactful projects.
The group participates in the town’s commerce and supports causes and projects that benefit the beautiful town of Cowan.
Pearson described the Cowan Commercial Club as “an organization that’s about making the town livable.”
The club’s mission to promote the well-being of Cowan residents has resulted in initiatives such as creating the VisitCowan.com website and the Cowan Clipboard e-mail newsletter, among other projects.
The Cowan Commercial Club is now 100 years old and is the oldest civic club in this area. Pearson said he feels proud to have served such a strong community for as long as he has.
“It feels like you’re definitely part of something bigger. You’re a part of something with an impressive history that serves a dynamic purpose. And with your contribution, it has a future.”
The Cowan Commercial Club is known these days for its annual Flag Day ceremony, inspired by an excerpt Pearson’s mother wrote about Betsy Ross and American Flag Day in the ‘70s. It is one of the newest, most unique traditions Cowan can call its own.
One of the club’s challenges in recent decades was figuring out how to help bring the town back from challenging moments. In the early 2000s, numerous businesses and major industries faced difficult times.
The Railroad Park, the town’s centerpiece, was beginning to show its age, and it took a group of determined community members to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Their determination led to the original Fall in Love With Cowan Festival in 2002. That event was re-imagined as the Fall Heritage Festival in 2014, which has since become one of Franklin County’s largest outdoor events.
Creating the festival helped motivate the community to invest in the park, recruit businesses, and encourage new property investment.
Another enormous challenge the club tackled was the loss of Cowan’s only bank in 1997. Pearson said, “Just when we thought we were in the worst situation, we got to work.” In partnership with the City of Cowan, the Cowan Commercial Club organized a New Bank Task Force that coordinated a door-to-door survey and interviewed three prospective companies. In 2007, 10 years after the old Cowan Bank had closed, Franklin County United Bank opened a new branch in Cowan. The Cowan branch operates today as part of Citizens Tri-County Bank.
Pearson said there had been other times when the group was discouraged by challenging economic times. Many small businesses were forced to close, but others persevered, and the town always pulled through.
Pearson said, “Having a civic organization that brings residents, businesses, elected officials, and other organizations to the same table to work through issues and find positive ways we can contribute just keeps us all together. Being part of a civic organization in a small town is no small feat. It takes a lot of commitment and resolve, but we do it and get it done.”
Despite being 100 years old, the Cowan Commercial Club shows no signs of slowing down, thanks to leaders like Pearson, who continue to push for progress in their town. However, he gives all due credit to the civic-minded leaders from years ago who set the example that he intends to follow. GN
