Musician Birdy Young entertains during Fall Festival Saturday at Wilson Brewer Park in Webster City.

After just a few meetings, the Wilson Brewer Park Foundation Board can put a check mark in the “win” column for quickly putting together a new event — Fall Festival — which succeeded in achieving one of its top objectives: creating more interest and activity at the park and bringing more visitors to have fun, while exploring and learning about its six historic buildings.

Foundation Board Chair Doug Bailey wasn’t shy about recognizing board member Ryan Rupiper’s crucial role in the successful event.

“Ryan worked with the local Veterans Affairs office, the Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce, and vendors to make this event possible. We had somewhere between 150 to 200 people, including many families, at the park on a very busy weekend in town.

It was a step toward our goal of opening our doors and showing visitors all we have to offer at Wilson Brewer Park.”

Foundation Board Secretary Kolleen Taylor echoed Bailey’s remarks.

“Fall Festival was family-friendly, open and inviting, and just a really good community event. Ryan Rupiper, who’s very busy at both home and work, put in a lot of hours to make it all happen. All our board members are engaged and involved at the park, but Ryan deserves special recognition for this.”

At its meeting last week, the board again worked through a long agenda. It began, as always, by hearing from community members and volunteers. John Hemingway donated an early 1900s oil can from the Royal Oil Company of Webster City, and offered to help with artifacts of the second Hamilton County courthouse, which are presently stored outside at the south end of the depot.

Volunteer Darlene Dingman told the board the museum had 113 visitors in August; they came from 16 states and 12 cities across Iowa.

Mulberry Center Church Coordinator Carolynn Miller noted that 48 people attended the most recent history and humanities lecture at the church. They gave $136 in freewill donations, which will be used to support further such programming. She was especially delighted that Asbury United Methodist held a service at the church Sunday, October 20, which, she said, “was using the building for its intended purpose.”

Foundation Treasurer Tamiann Parrott reported net income of $132,870 for the month of September, consisting mostly of “the two large, expected checks from the county and city.” She reported payment of utilities in the amount of $302.24. General liability, and directors & officers liability insurance, will go into effect immediately. This provides $1 million per incident for, as she described, “just about anything that might happen in the park.” A $2 million liability policy went into effect to cover events in the park, such as Fall Festival.

With large sums likely to become typical in the park’s checking account, Parrott recommended to the board that some funds be put into an account with Quick Books, which pays 5% interest. Over time, this will add up to a sizable source of ongoing income. The board ratified this unanimously. Finally, Parrott recommended the board sign up for internet service with Woolstock Mutual Telephone Company, calling it “an awesome little company.”

The big news on the restoration front is that work has resumed on the first Hamilton County Courthouse. The City of Webster City has turned over the contract with Peterson Construction Co. to the board, and the Foundation is now responsible for managing, and paying for, the work. To this end, the board approved two change orders; one for new siding material, for $58,575; and another for upgraded electrical service to the building, for $6,050. Continuing its support for restoration of the 1869 courthouse, Hamilton County has reimbursed the Foundation for the siding expense.

Foundation Board Vice Chair Ryan Rupiper addressed prioritizing restoration of the park’s Illinois Central depot.

“I see this happening in four phases,” he said. “The outside bathrooms can hopefully be completed in 2024; scraping, siding replacement/repairs, and repainting in 2025; rebuilding the platform in 2026; and restoration of the caboose in 2027.”

The board adopted this plan.

Taylor addressed raising funds through grants, saying, “most grants require matches. Dean (Bowden’s) donations will give us an advantage in applying for many grants.”

The board looked ahead to the annual “Christmas in the City” celebration, scheduled for Saturday, December 7. Activities that day at Willson Brewer Park will include Santa and Mrs. Clause in the historic cabins; a historic sleigh for photos; children’s story time in the historic country school; a display of nutcrackers and a vintage nativity scene in Mulberry Center Church; craft-making in the depot basement; and Christmas caroling. All events will run from noon to 2 p.m.