Oksaloosa ? The women will rule in Oskaloosa this weekend just as they did in 1888.

A group of women who call themselves the Petticoat Council will put on a Victorian era fashion show Saturday in Old Jefferson Town. It will be one of several activities scheduled for an event billed as “In the Good Old Summertime.”

The Petticoat Council consists of women who make reproduction clothing from the late 1800s. They took their name from an all-woman city government five councilwomen and a woman mayor who managed to take over the city in 1888. Newspapers from around the world wrote about them and gave them their name, said Candace Braksick, who will participate in this weekend’s event.

“They threw the men out,” Braksick said with a chuckle. “We thought that would be a good name for us.”

The Saturday events begin at 1 p.m. with an 1800s clothing exhibit. The fashion show will be at 5 p.m. A box lunch supper sale will be conducted from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. followed by a sale of home-made ice cream and a concert by the McLouth Community Band.

Later, when it gets dark, the movie “October Sky” will be shown under the stars.

Last summer, the Jefferson County Historical Society began sponsoring special events one Saturday a month to bring more attention to Old Jefferson Town, said Betty Leech, a society member.

“We wanted more people to see what was going on,” Leech said.

Old Jefferson Town is ready to play host to festivities this weekend. In

Several late 1800s-era buildings, such as a school, a store and a jail are at the Old Jefferson Town site.

On July 12, in conjunction with the Oskaloosa Old Settler’s Day celebration, a classic car rally will be staged. An antique appraiser will be brought in and older area residents will be invited to share their memories, Leech said.

On Aug. 16 a Civil War memorabilia and pioneer crafts show is slated, Leech said. A date hasn’t been set upon, but a Civil War re-enactment is being planned for sometime in September or October, she said.

“In my opinion we don’t know anything if we don’t know our history,” Leech said.

Old Jefferson Town is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.