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Cheryl Patrou had a really busy weekend.

She and other members of the Webster City Historical Committee spent a lot of time getting everything in place for the Hallowed Eve Ghost Tour, held Saturday at the Wilson Brewer Park-Depot Complex. With more than 300 people in attendance, Patrou's counting the event as a success.

The ghost tour was new this year, and followed on the heels of a well-received Heritage Appreciation Day in August.

Patrou, a native Iowan, moved to Webster City in 1979 with her family. She worked for Electrolux for 23 years. In 1986, she and a friend were looking for an organization to join, a way to be involved in the community.

"We went to an art guild meeting and joined that for a year. We also came to an historical society meeting," she said.

Membership in the historical society group boasted many knowledgeable and inspirational people, according to Patrou.

"There was Ruby Nail, and Marian and Bob Halliday, Mary Downs and the Carlsons. They really set the ground work for me and others," she said.

Nail gave school tours and did programs on home remedies.

"She'd get a fire going in the log cabin and do fried corn and let students sample that. Or she'd let them taste corn cob jelly on crackers. She did a lot of creative things to help teach kids about history," Patrou said.

"The pictures of the kids from those programs - their eyes were just big with enchantment at the stories she told. Here they were sitting in this old cabin, learning about what it was like back in the olden times."

Her friend stayed with the group for just a year, but Patrou has been involved ever since.

"To be around people like these folks - the dedication and hard work they all put in was amazing," Patrou said.

When she joined the historical society, Hamilton County's first courthouse had recently been moved to Wilson Brewer Park. The interior had been gutted, she said, and many volunteers worked long hours to restore the structure.

"It was kind of a skeleton inside. I got to learn how to dry wall and mud, which I was tickled to do. Almost every night after work, I was down here, along with Jim Palmer. We'd come down and work a few hours. On the weekends, my kids would come down and help," she said.

"I loved it," she noted. "There was something about this place. I just loved it," said Patrou.

Back then, the Historical Society of Hamilton County would rotate monthly meetings between all of the communities of the county.

"We tried to mix up and involve all of the county," she said.

About five years ago, Patrou became involved with a new group, the Webster City Historical Committee. Ed Nass asked her if she would like to take his spot on the committee.

"We weren't sure which direction we were going at that time, but we knew we wanted to keep moving forward," she said.

Patrou said her vision included continuing what Frank Bonebright had started at the park.

"His wishes were to keep a museum going, not knowing at the time that all of these buildings would be here. All of the historical groups have tried to follow Frank's plan and layout and that's what we continue to do," she said.

"We don't want to get rid of anything, we want to keep improving and make people aware of the jewel that we have here," according to Patrou.

The last few years have brought big changes for the committee, she said. Some of the major collections have been moved around, and more artifacts have been placed out on display. Recent years have also brought more volunteers to the group, she said.

The ghost tour Saturday marked the closing weekend for the Depot complex for the winter months. Patrou said volunteers would not be idle, however, and would be working to create new exhibits and getting a gift shop area up and running for next season.

"We're already planning our next Heritage Appreciation Day for next August, and we're looking ahead to the second ghost tour. Volunteers are always welcome. There's always something to do here," she said.

Contact Anne Blankenship at editor@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.