Webster County Courthouse

The Webster County Courthouse project in Fort Dodge, Iowa, focused on restoring a historic four-story courthouse built in 1902 that had suffered significant deterioration, including roof leaks, rotting wood, and structural damage to the tower. The county’s goal was to return the building to its original glory while preserving its historical integrity.

Baker Group led the historical renovation through specialized architectural sheet metal work, which included fabricating and installing copper decorative elements. The scope covered the reinstallation of copper on the courthouse’s clock tower, restoration of lost or damaged decorative pieces, and fabrication of copper mansard roofs, cresting, valley flashings, and radius cornices.

The project presented challenges such as blending historical copper details with new steel structures, maintaining historical accuracy, and coordinating across multiple stakeholders. Baker Group overcame these by using advanced scanning to align new construction with the original structure, closely collaborating with the architect and general contractor, and carefully repairing, fabricating, and reinstalling copper elements to match the courthouse’s historic design. The result is a fully restored courthouse that not only preserves a piece of Webster County’s history but also show's Baker Group’s craftsmanship and expertise in architectural metal restoration.