The Wilson Brewer Park Foundation board recounted progress that has been made in its first year of running the 93-year-old historic campus of six buildings that tell the history of Hamilton County and Webster City during its meeting last week.

This year the Foundation funded the scraping and painting of the Illinois Central depot, and renovation of the First Hamilton County Courthouse.

The latter cost $332,800, in part supported by a major grant from the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors. That figure includes a roof and gutters that were not in the original plan.

The Foundation board now hopes to begin restoration of Illinois Central caboose 10209.

“Today, we’re putting out a call for volunteers to help with the work itself, and/or make a cash gift toward the project’s completion,” said board Chair Doug Bailey.

A $30,000 estimate with a $3,000 contingency to restore the caboose from Hamilton Sandblasting of Hampton was submitted two years ago. It includes sandblasting, painting and decals. Bailey is asking the firm for a revised estimate. He also proposed an additional $5,000 for refurnishings.

Hamilton Sandblasting recently restored the original 1906 pressed tin ceiling at the The Elks in downtown Webster City, and has sandblasted and repainted railroad cars for the Union Pacific Railroad.

There’s no budget presently earmarked for restoration of the caboose, but the board is concerned that continued deterioration of its steel sides and roof must be addressed soon, as weather — both summer and winter — is slowly destroying it.

The search for a caboose for Wilson Brewer Park began early in 2019 when it was discovered in the backyard of a home in Angleton, Texas, a city of 18,000, 60 miles south of Houston. The owner, a railroad buff, bought the caboose directly from the railroad and used it as a sort of “man cave.”

Extensive research revealed the caboose was among the last built at Illinois Central’s Paducah, Kentucky shops, and rolled up tens of thousands of miles on the IC’s Iowa Division over its 16-year career. It literally passed through Webster City hundreds of times during those years.

That’s what makes it historically accurate for a display at Wilson Brewer Park.

In March 2020, just as the Covid pandemic was shutting down America, a hearty band of local volunteers went to Vincent where the caboose had been delivered from Texas by Union Pacific. There, two large trucks donated by Tony Nessa of Tony’s Tire, Webster City, picked up the 27-ton caboose and loaded it onto lowboy trailers for movement to Webster City.

It was placed on a 50-foot section of railroad track built next to the depot by Peterson Construction, where it remains today.

Eventually, the Foundation hopes to completely restore the caboose interior and open it for guided tours.

The Foundation also hopes to begin replacement of the depot’s platforms, and installation of horseshoe pits and a little library in Wilson Brewer Park before winter.

The board has set Saturday, September 20, as a work day at the park. This is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Work would involve cleaning cases, furniture and artifacts.

Volunteers will also be moving small items and artifacts from the depot basement to the courthouse. Help is also needed with sorting and general clean up in the basement of the depot.

To volunteer or for further information contact Doug Bailey at 515-297-1635 or email him at dougbailey9@gmail.com.