Wilson Brewer Park wraps up successful year
Critical projects finalized; more improvements ahead
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The season for Wilson Brewer Park, which tells the history of Hamilton County and Webster City, runs from May 1 - October 31, each year. Owned by the City of Webster City, the park buildings are managed by an independent Foundation Board. We asked Ryan Rupiper, Board Chair, for a summary of this year's season at the park.
Restoration of Historic Courthouse Completed
"As we look back over 2026, our biggest accomplishment was the restoration of the courthouse," said Rupiper. The first publicly-funded building in Hamilton County, the two-story, the 28' x 50' frame courthouse was built at the corner of Seneca and Bank streets at a cost of $1,934.
When opened on October 1, 1866, the main floor housed offices for County Judge Isaiah Doane, County Treasurer Hiram H. Bennett, County Sheriff H.C. Hillock, Superintendent of Schools Rev. O.A. Holmes, Drainage Commissioner David Carroll, Surveyor James Faught, and Coroner Richard Sackett. Hamilton County's first courtroom occupied the second floor.
The building served 10 years before being replaced by a three-story brick courthouse at the southwest corner of Bank and Des Moines Streets, site of today's Webster City Middle School.
Park volunteer Darlene Dingman headed the installation of new exhibits in the courthouse.
"When the first courthouse was moved in Wilson Brewer Park in 1981, it was decided to create a General Mercantile Store in one-half, and a doctor's office in the other. Artifacts for those exhibits were already in the museum's collection," she explained. "The upstairs courtroom was furnished with bookcases and office equipment appropriate to the era. After renovations were completed in 2026, the issue of what to display was discussed. To meet the goal of opening the courthouse to visitors for Fall Fest, displays were put together to show that 'history is all around us and can be about anything".
The new displays illustrate Dingman's point. There are exhibits on Iowa history, including one about the state's Indians, and another on the state flag. If you're curious about water-powered mills in the early days of Hamilton County, there's an exhibit concerning them. Did you know Webster City was home to two Pulitzer-Prize winning authors, Mackinlay Kantor and Clark Mollenhoff? One can learn about them at the courthouse.
There are new artifacts in the upstairs court room. Especially notable is a Wooton desk once owned by Hamilton County's powerful Judge John Kamrar (1842-1929). The desk was the last word in Victorian office furniture. It's been expertly conserved by local carpenter-artist Chad Eells.
Major building improvements continued in 2026
In 2026, the park board continued making major repairs to the park's six historic buildings. Rupiper noted every building has been re-roofed recently. The courthouse roof was replaced in 2025. This year, the depot, Harmony Center School and Mulberry Center Church, all had their roofs replaced. Repairs were finished this week on the roof of one of the pioneer cabins.
The entry to the Mulberry Center Church was made ADA accessible in the fall of 2025. This year railings were installed on the ramps. The church, the site of Humanities Iowa history programs, and other events as well as weddings, was landscaped this summer with flowers provided by Church Coordinator Carolynn Miller.
"We had another successful Fall Fest this year with about 300 visitors," Rupiper said. The event featured a program by Sarah Pratt, who makes the butter cow sculptures at the Iowa State Fair each year.
For 2027, Rupiper and the Wilson Brewer Park and Depot Foundation Board plan to install a deck at the depot; making that building ADA accessible for the first time. Restoration of the Illinois Central Caboose will continue, and work is scheduled to begin on a model trains exhibit in the depot basement.
"Please remember the park in year-end giving plans. We literally maintain and operate the park through donations," requested Rupiper.
Donations can be made to the Wilson Brewer Park and Depot Foundation, P.O. Box 1, Webster City, 50595.