Status, ownership of chimney monument in question

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - The ownership of Fort Madison's historical chimney came into question at the Old Fort Commission meeting Wednesday.

The issue came up as City Manager David Varley was reviewing plans for the renovation planned for Hwy 61 that's scheduled for this summer and how those plans will impact the historical areas on the city's east end. The chimney is beginning to deteriorate and private groups are looking at obtaining funds to rehab and maintain the iconic piece.

Varley said he wasn't sure the city owned the chimney, but Andy Andrews of the North Lee County Historical Society said the chimney had been deeded over to the city.

Dave Moehn, who sits on the commission, said he believed that the Daughters of American Revolution deeded the piece over to the city.

Several cracks can be seen at the top of the chimney monument across from the 4th Street intersection on Hwy. 61. Plans are underway to fund repairs to the monument. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

"We read it to be owned by the DAR, so the question is who repairs it," Varley said. "Everyone likes to build things and give it to the city because it costs more over the long run to maintain. I don't know if we've accepted it to maintain it. I just don't know. I haven't seen anything that says that. So if push comes to shove, I doubt the city's going to let it fall down."

Dr. Marie Brady-Whitcanack, who also sits on the board, said the local chapter of the DAR is trying to get some grant fund to do some repairs on the chimney, but she said the DAR thought the city owned the chimney. Varley said he wasn't sure.

"My understanding is that some of the members of North Lee County Historical Society are trying to see if the DAR can get a national grant, but might not pay for all of it. They brought it up at North Lee meeting." she said.

Varley asked if there was anyone who knew what the cost was going to be rehab the chimney.

Andrews said several bids are still out, but the information probably wouldn't be available until the grant is prepared in September.

"The grant goes in in September and they can get $10,000," Andrews said. "They've got bids, but they're waiting on another bid. They won't know until Feb. 2019 whether they will get the 10,000."

Board member Carol Ross said the commission had discussed moving the chimney into the 1812 Battlefield Park that is under construction between 4th and 5th streets and Avenues H and G.

"At what point could it be brought up again to move the chimney," Ross asked.

Varley said current plans for the highway do not include moving the chimney,

"It's not going to get moved unless somebody goes to (City) Council with a plan and says we want to move it... here's the plan...here's who's going to pay for it...and that type of thing. Until there is a positive plan, there is no plan to move it," he said.

Commission President Joe Thurman said if the city has ownership, he wouldn't be in favor of relocating it to the park.

"As far as moving it - the city has plans to leave it there, make it aesthetic and it's still marking the original site of the fort with the ruins under it," Thurman said.

Varley said there's still plenty of time to look into the issue and get definitive plans as reconstruction on that portion of the highway probably won't happen until 2019. He showed the commission the plans for the highway in that area including landscaping, parking and highway rehabilitation. Those plans have the chimney sitting oncity property where it is currently located with 11 parallel parking stalls along the south side of the highway across from the 4th Street intersection and a series of shrubbery around the south side of the monument.

The chimney itself is beginning to deteriorate with several cracks in the heavy stone mostly along the back side with several heavy cracks near the top of the structure.

Varley said the group should take some time to discuss what they want to do with the chimney. He also suggested the group look to private foundations to help offset some of the costs.

In other action, the commission

• heard from Old Fort Site Manager Dr. Eugene Watkins who indicated attendance during the most recent historic Iowa State Penitentiary tours was not on par with other tour attendance. He said that could be partially due to the self-guided tours and also a lack of information about the tours being held.

• approved the March budget, which showed a first quarter balance of $2,874. Revenues totaled $30,934 with expenses at $28,060.

• heard an update from Andrews on the Battlefield Park progress.

The chimney monument built in 1908 is facing structural issues, and now, potentially, ownership issues. At Wednesday's Old Fort Commission meeting there was some confusion as to whether the monument was owned by the city or the DAR. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC