Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fundraising Underway for Repairing Old Fort Madison

Andy Andrews of the North Lee County Historical Society said sections of the Fort Madison replica built more than 30 years ago are showing their age.

"We used a lot of old logs in it back when we built it in the 1980's," said Andrews.  "They are rotten.  Some of the outside walls are bowed on the buildings (and) some roofs need to be redone."

Andrews said an engineering firm quoted a price of about $500,000 just to rebuild the buildings, which he believes is a good investment.

"(The experts) said if (we) were to build it today, (the Fort) would be worth about $2,000,000.  Of course, that would include all of the artifacts in it and the period furniture and such."

Andrews said the city has not been able to contribute much to the fort so the group Friends of Old Fort Madison has made a comeback.

"We hope to provide the necessary funds that the city might not want to spend to keep the reproduction fort in good shape for years to come<" Andrews said.

The Friends of Old Fort Madison would also like to see an interpretive center built near a former battlefield next to the former Sheaffer Pen plant.

Andrews, who is serving as "acting chairman," said the organization was pretty active in the late 1980's and early 1990's before letting its charter expire.  So the first goal for the group is to raise enough money to incorporate.

After that it will work to raise the $500,000 to repair the replica fort in Riverview park.

The first step was a mail campaign.  About 300 letters were sent to businesses and individuals who supported the fort in the past.

"We will probably at our next committee meeting send out another 40-60 letters since I have got a lot of recommendations," Andrews said.

Anyone interested in making a donation can call Andrews at (319) 372-7661 or mail it to P.O. Box 285, Fort Madison, IA 52627.

Andrews said the committee will also do what it can to help develop an interpretive center near the site of the actual battlefield, which is several hundred yards away from Old Fort Madison.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.