Our Hometown September by Newspaper

OUR hometown Daily Freeman-Journal

HAMILTON COUNTY

The

taking time into their hands:

restoring a piece of history

September 2026

2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM 505 2nd St. Webster City, IA

For more information, contact: Kim Peck; Prestige Club Coordinator

515-832-2520

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Learn more about these exciting Prestige Club trips, ask questions, and get inspired to travel in 2027!

v.12 issue 9 | september 2026

OUR hometown PUBLICATION INFORMATION

CONTRIBUTORS PUBLISHER

GRANT GIBBONS

EDITOR

KOLLEEN TAYLOR

ADVERTISING

TREVOR CHRISTENSEN

GRAPHIC DESIGN

MICHELLE COLSHAN

STORY BY

KOLLEEN TAYLOR LORI BERGLUND

EVERY ISSUE : 8 City Scene

10 Landmarks 12 Savvy Senior 15 Parting Shot

cover photo: Studying the clock assembly, Jerry Gull, Anthony Fouseca and the team from Watch and Clock Junction prepare the estimated 100-year-old clock at WCF bank for a move to their workshop in Johnston for repairs last fall. Direct inquiries to: 720 Second Street, Webster City, Iowa 50595 515-832-4350 ext 023 Our Hometown is published monthly by The Daily Freeman-Journal, with all rights reserved, Copyright, 2026

3242 Ubben Ave, Ellsworth, IA (515) 836-4400

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

When the clock, stops, never to run again… WCF bank starts their grandfather clock back up after over 10 years of silence. By KOLLEEN TAYLOR

The clock face before restoration showed some wear and tear, a final cleaning, and repair work to the artwork, has it synchronized properly with the chiming.

Former bank president Phyllis Murphy remembered that the clock came from the home of Marion Hughes. This label shows it was delivered to Meade Hughes, who was the father of Marion Hughes, and came from Denver, Colorado, from a horologist who collected rare and unique clocks and watches.

It took nearly 9 months but the Grandfather Clock which graced the Webster City Federal building for over half a century was returned to its full working order this summer. According to the employees of WCF bank, the majestic grandfather clock worked prior to the move from their Des Moines Street location in April of 2015. Once it was placed inside the new building, it never worked again. Its chimes, the gentle rotation on the clock face, the synchronization of the movement of the sun rising and setting all came to a full stop. The clock stayed on the west wall of the lobby of the bank waiting for someone, anyone, to do something. And finally they did. In the fall of 2025, WCF bank president, Tim Kluender made a decision. He called Watch and Clock Junction in Johnston, Iowa who specializes in clocks and watches to give him an idea if it could be fixed and what it would cost. “I talked to them earlier, and described the situation,” said Kluender, “They said they needed to come up and see it. So they came up and took a good look at it, and told us how unique it was and they worked up a quote. It wasn’t a real long process.” Kluender has been the bank president in Webster City for the last five years and walking past it each day, he pondered its story. Jerry Gull, who owns the clock repair company, could give him a little information. He estimated the clock was built between 1890 and 1920. He also noted it is made of three different woods, walnut, cherry and mahogany. While repairing the clock, they could tell that it had been in a fire at one time. And the weights, a critical part of the mechanism, were filled with mercury. Was it worth fixing? Gull said absolutely. He remarked that it was a very unusual clock, so the answer from the bank was yes. And so the work began, taking a little longer than expected, but returned in such wonderful condition that it was hard to believe its age.

The original weights, as shown here, were full of mercury which took special handling, and special disposal. The largest weight took two people to carefully secure it into a container.

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Jerry Gull and Anthony Fouseca, who is an apprentice at the Watch and Clock Junction, carefully pack away each component of the clock.

With the clock returned safely to its home on the west wall of the bank, we wanted to try to help discover more of its history. According to Phyllis Murphy, a former bank president of Webster City Federal, the clock originated in a home owned by Marion Hughes, which was within a couple blocks from the bank when it was located at the corner of Des Moines and Division St., now the Webster City Community Schools administration building. “He lived in a large home that could accommodate the clock, but when he moved into a one story home somewhere in that same area the ceilings were not tall enough, so he asked to have it displayed at Webster City Federal and eventually let Webster City Federal purchase the clock,” Murphy said in an email to the DFJ. “I don’t believe he was ever married or had any children, but believe he was from Webster City. I don’t recall the history of the clock before that such as where he got it or if it was a family heirloom. I was thinking that somewhere inside the clock it had info on the country it came from.” In an effort to locate some history on the clock, only one Marion Hughes showed up in a search and the information matched what Murphy said. Marion Hughes was the son of Meade and Emma Busing Hughes. He was born in Webster City in 1909 and graduated from WCHS. He built the Shady Oaks restaurant in 1938; and when he enlisted in the army in 1942 during WWII, it was sold. That building is where the Grid Iron operates today. His father, Meade Hughes owned a retail food and locker service called Hughes Meat Market. His father had moved to Webster City in 1893 and attended the public schools in Webster City, earning his first wages from the W.J. Zitterell company by cleaning bricks. Meade eventually bought the Helmick Brothers meat market in 1911, and when Marion returned from WWII, he bought into the meat market partnering with his father. Marion was married to Mabel Thomas of Fort Dodge in 1946 and they lived in an apartment over the Hughes Market. According to the DFJ, they were divorced in May of 1949, and he apparently never married again. In 1949 he developed a small housing project, located east off of Des Moines St. on a 3 acre plat, where 11 homes were built. In 1955 the meat market changed hands and it became Mulligan’s Market. After the sale of the market, it seems that Marion Hughes owned apartments which he managed, and remained active in the community until a few years before his death in 1990. When the clock was first dismantled for repairs, there was some hope clues to its history would be found. And in a way there was. I was there when they first opened it up, and there was a shipping label inside the clock. This provided confirmation of the story remembered by Murphy. The mailing label was addressed to Mr. Meade Hughes who lived at 745 First St. in Webster City. This would have been Marion Hughes’ father, so this was indeed a family piece. The label indicated the clock came from Orville R. Hagans, Associated Enterprises with an address typed onto it which read: Clock Manor, 1901 E. Colfax in Denver Colorado. In searching deeper, according to the Denver Eye, Orville

Bank President, Timothy Kluender and Jerry Gull, seem to guard the clock, once the work has been finished and the clock is finally set to the correct time for the bank staff and its customers. Hagans was an horologist (the science and study of timekeeping and making of timepieces like clocks and watches) who started the American Academy, school of Horology in Denver. He was also a writer and jeweler and ran Clock Manor in the 1950’s, which is described as such from the Denver Eye: “Clock Manor houses one of the finest collections of clocks and watches, open to the public, in all of the world. Here is found a presentation of the Story of Time and the artistry of the clockmaker throughout the ages. This private collection has been assembled from the four corners of the world and is a fine exhibit of rare timepieces.” It seems apparent this clock was once part of the Hagan’s collection, at minimum purchased from him. If it was part of the collection, we can assume it was chosen for its uniqueness. When reassembling, the weights which had originally contained mercury were replaced with lead. In addition to some of the mechanical work, there was a little repair to the artwork in the face of the clock and the woodwork. “We’ve had several comments from customers who didn’t see the story, so when it chimed, they were surprised. And they sometimes wait until it chimes. Some of our longer term employees remember when it was in the old location,” said Kluender. “We’ve definitely had customers who have commented.” “We’ve got it set so it does something every fifteen minutes; I can hear it from my office,” said Kluender. “It feels natural, and it’s a beautiful sound and people enjoy having it back.” It’s quite the story, when we piece it together. If only the clock could tell the rest. But for now, we have tied a few pieces back together, for a piece of history, from a family who helped Webster City grow. And now it is back home, again.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Books We Love

by Lori Berglund

‘Wait Till Next Year’ Celebrate America through the lens of a baseball fan It is not really a baseball book… or just a baseball book. It is a story of a nation shaking off the burdens of war, filled with the exuberance of victory. It’s also not just a story of a young girl coming of age in mid-century America. It is a story of young people who enjoyed freedom, and even wealth, never before seen in this world. These were the days when moms, who were home every day themselves, looked at their kids without fear and said: ‘Go outside and play.’ And we did. We had a ball, the time of our lives. Doris Kearns Goodwin is not, strictly speaking, a Baby Boomer. Born in 1943, she arrived three years before the post-war boom thundered upon the nation. But since every generation bleeds into one another at the border years (1946 – 1964 for Boomers), she, in many ways, lived the life of a Boomer. She showed us the way. oodwin’s 1997 memoir, ‘Wait Till Next Year’ is the story of G the love affair she shared with her father for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the late 1940s through most of the 1950s. During this 250th anniversary year, it is a beautiful story of Americans during a time that was so pivotal for our nation, and for Goodwin herself.

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Doris Kearns Goodwin in an appearance at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library. Born into an Irish Catholic family in a small town on Long Island, New York, Goodwin lived the suburban life from the very beginning. If Long Island makes her childhood sound affluent, consider that her mother was ill much of Goodwin’s life and her father lost his entire family while growing up himself. He would leave school in the eighth grade, but that eighth grade education of the early 20th century was enough to help him pass the Civil Service exam and enjoy a long career as a bank examiner for the State of New York. A gift from her father at the age of just six years old seems to have been a good training ground for her profession as historian and author. He gave her a scorebook, one in which she could keep box scores as she listened to her beloved Dodgers on the family radio every afternoon. Goodwin learned to listen intently, to carefully record the details of each at bat, each player, each inning. A true box score can

be very complex and, to Goodwin, a thing of beauty — especially when the Dodgers won. Each evening after her father got home from his train commute into the city, she would regale him with what happened in the game, referring to her scorebook to bring every detail to life. She became a storyteller, an important trait for a historian. For it is not enough to record data, one must also share in it a way so that the listener can’t wait to hear what comes next. This is a story of family life and neighborhood connections that thrived in mid-century America. These were the days when every kid on the block could walk into any other house on the block — unannounced — and be greeted by a glass of Kool-Aid. Though I grew up in the country, and almost 20 years after Goodwin, I can think of homes, particularly on the 800 block of Division Street and 300 block of Walnut Street, where I knew my way around as well as my own home. In Goodwin’s time, she knew the homes first to get a black and white TV set. In my segment of the Baby Boom generation, we celebrated when a color TV set arrived and the black and white model was put in another room. In my house, my siblings and I retreated to the old black and white set to watch Floppy every day at 12:15. That meant Dad didn’t have to strain to hear the markets on WHO Farm Radio in the kitchen.

I can still recall the teams each of my brothers cheered for; the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds. Every fall, the Yankee fan would organize a family pool for the World Series. We each chipped in a dime and drew numbers that linked to the final score of each game. When he went away to Iowa State, Mom and I tried to keep the pool going, but it got harder as we all got older. ‘Wait Till Next Year’ joyfully shows us that history is made by more than just a nation’s leaders. Perhaps our most important history is made by all of us, the ordinary people. The Brooklyn Dodgers broke hearts when the team moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. America was changing in ways no one could imagine. But ‘Wait Till Next Year’ remains a joyful story of the folks who rooted for ‘Dem Bums’ without fail and, year upon year, hoped that a World Championship season was just around the corner. It’s also a great motto for life and the nation. If things aren’t quite the way we believe they should be right now, be hopeful, keep swinging, and just wait till next year!

We had Floppy. Goodwin had Howdy Doody.

Dr. Ryan Gidel & Dr. Cody Olson will join Dr. Kyle Olson in providing outstanding dental services in

Goodwin went to so many games in Brooklyn and waited long after for autographs from the greats that include Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Pee Wee Reese, who was great for more than how he played, but how he treated others. Look it up. Baseball, as Walt Whitman famously described, is ‘The American Game.’ Perhaps it’s the slower pace, the sun, or the grass, but it brings people together more.

2 Locations • Cosmetic Dentistry • Extractions • Orthodontic Aligners • Root Canals • Braces • Implant Restoration • SAME DAY Crown & Bridge

803 Ohio Street Webster City

1101 13th Street N, Suite 1 • Humboldt

New Patients Welcome

• DELTA DENTAL PROVIDER •

BASEMENT WATERPROOFI NG FOUNDATION REPAI R WALL REPLACEMENT CRAWL SPACE ENCAPSULATION SERVICI NG HAMI LTON COUNTY, CARROLL, GREENE, AND BOONE COUNTY 515-444-9234 JLBFOUNDATIONANDWATERPROOFI NG.COM

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

CITY SCENE

Gather, Celebrate and Enjoy Webster City’s Park Shelters From birthday parties and graduation celebrations to family reunions and community gatherings, Webster City’s Park shelters provide a welcoming setting for making memories outdoors. Shelter reservations are available each year from April 15th through October 15th, offering a variety of locations, amenities and rental options to fit nearly any occasion. Brewer Creek Park Shelter Surrounded by natural beauty and recreational opportunities, the Brewer Creek Park Shelter is an ideal gathering place for families, friends and community groups. The shelter was remodeled in 2022 by Lynn and Debbie Jaycox and is available to rent for $75. Brewer Creek Park also features an 18-hole disc golf course, a restored native prairie, a community firepit and a two-mile looped trail that is popular for walking, running and biking. During the winter, the park becomes Webster City’s primary sledding destination. Public restrooms at the shelter are open throughout the year, except when reserved for a private rental. Kendall Young Park Shelters Located just one mile north of Webster City, Kendall Young Park offers a peaceful setting surrounded by trees and natural scenery. The park features four shelter houses, giving visitors several options for reunions, celebrations, picnics and other outdoor gatherings. The North Shelter was remodeled in 2025 and is available to rent for $75. The Prairie Stone Shelter provides an open-air option and may be reserved for $50. In addition to its shelters and picnic areas, Kendall Young Park features a horseshoe pit, sand volleyball court and fishing area. Whether you are planning a large family gathering or simply looking for a quiet place to enjoy the outdoors, Kendall Young Park offers a relaxing escape close to town. West Twin Park Shelters West Twin Park brings recreation, relaxation and art together in the heart of the community. The park offers two open shelters, a playground, picnic tables and a rotating display of Arts R Alive sculptures that adds color and creativity to every visit. The New Shelter, constructed in 2021, includes public restrooms and a convenient serving and preparation area for rentals. It is available to reserve for $75. The Open Shelter along Superior Street offers an additional gathering space and may be rented for $50.

East Twin Park Shelter Built in 2026, the new East Twin Park Shelter provides a covered, open-air seating area and two-family restrooms for community use. Its location makes it especially convenient for families enjoying the many recreational amenities throughout East Twin Park. The shelter was constructed through the combined efforts of Lynn Jaycox, Mayor John Hawkins and City staff from the Line, Parks and Recreation, and Street departments. The project also received generous support from two local businesses. DCD Garage Floors donated the materials and labor for the epoxy flooring in both restrooms, while API Co. Services donated the materials and labor for the metal roof. These contributions and the dedication of everyone involved helped make the new shelter possible for the community to enjoy.

East Twin Park Shelter

Brewer Creek Shelter

CITY SCENE 8

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Kendall Young Park North Shelter

ITY SCENE

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Landmarks

How well DO YOU know Hamilton County?

Look at these photos and see if you can identify these local landmarks.

Photo #2

AUGUST ANSWERS:

Photo #1

Congratulations to last months winner

Lois Larson

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Photo #1: West entrance of Kendall Young Library, awning Photo #2: Webster City Church of Christ on Des Moines Street

Submit your entry Correct answers will be entered into a drawing for

2 FREE MOVIE PASSES to the Webster Theater

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies Yields two dozen cookies

1 1⁄2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened 1 egg Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon salt 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup butter, softened 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 pinch salt 4 to 6 cups confectioners’ sugar In a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or by hand, cream the sugar, butter, and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; add the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and salt; mix well. Add the flour and cream of tartar and mix by hand until it just comes together. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best. When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 1⁄4-inch thick rough circle and use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until set. Continue this process until you’ve used up all the dough. Cool cookies on sheets of foil and frost once completely cool. These cookies are fine to eat right away, but Kartes feels they get their signature touch when frosted and left out overnight. The author does not put them away until the next morning. For the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese,

almond extract, and salt until light and fluffy; slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Kartes likes hers less sweet, so she uses 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar, but you may use up to 6 cups. Feel free to color small bowls of the frosting and decorate the cookies with sprinkles or tiny candies. Sugar cookies for your holiday baking session Baking cookies is a holiday tradition. Although there are many different cookie recipes out there, no cookie-baking session is complete without traditional sugar cookies. Sugar cookies are ideal for cutting and decorating, which makes them great selections for holiday baking sessions. This recipe for “Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes is perfect for family baking sessions this holiday season.

FLOWER CART “Your Complete Florist” www.flocart.net

1-800-286-4630 832-4630 800 Second Street • Webster City, IA

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

SAVVY SENIOR by Jim Miller

Medicare and Moving: What You Need to Know

Dear Savvy Senior,

COME GROW WITH US! www.agforceiowa.com

I’m planning to move later this year to be closer to my youngest son and his family. I’ve lived in the same state for decades, so I’m a little nervous about how this might affect my Medicare coverage. Will I need to change plans or take any special steps to avoid gaps?

-Relocating Rita Ag Force Inc. Jay Barquist

Jewell Oﬃce: 515-827-9030 | Wayland Oﬃce: 319-254-4445 AUTHORIZED INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Dear Rita, Great question. A move like this is exciting, but it’s smart to think ahead about how it could affect your coverage. Whether your Medicare is impacted – and what you’ll need to do – depends on the type of plan you have. Here’s what to expect and steps to take before and after your move.

Original Medicare If you’re enrolled in original Medicare (Part A and Part B), you’re in the simplest situation. Your coverage will go with you anywhere in the United States, so you won’t need to change your plan when you move. That said, you do need to update your address, so you don’t miss important notices like your Medicare Summary Notice or billing statements. The easiest way to do that is online through your “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov/myaccount using the “My Profile” tab. If you don’t already have an account, you can set one up in just a few minutes. Or, you can call Social Security at 800-772-1213 and have them update it for you.

Part D drug coverage If you have original Medicare along with a standalone Part D drug plan, your move may require a change. Drug plans are based on where you live, so you’ll need to contact your current plan to see if it operates in your new state. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to choose a new plan that does. You’re given a special enrollment window to make this switch – starting the month before your move and lasting up to two full months afterward. If you miss that window, you may have to wait until the next open enrollment period (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7), and you could face a late enrollment penalty if you go without qualifying drug coverage.

Advantage plans Medicare Advantage plans are also location-based, so a move almost always means you’ll need to take action. Check with your plan to see if it serves your new area. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to enroll in a new Advantage plan or switch to original Medicare. Like Part D, you’ll have a special enrollment period that begins the month before you move and continues for two months after. If you move outside your plan’s service area and don’t pick a new plan, your current plan will eventually disenroll you, and you’ll be placed back into original Medicare. To compare plans available in your new location, visit medicare.gov/plan-compare, which lets you review both Advantage and Part D options side by side.

Medigap If you have original Medicare and a Medigap policy, you generally won’t need to switch plans when you move. These policies are standardized nationwide, meaning a Plan G in one state offers the same basic benefits in another. Still, you should notify your insurer of your new address. And keep in mind that while your coverage stays the same, your premium might change depending on your new ZIP code. One exception to be aware of is Medicare Select, a type of Medigap plan that uses provider networks. If you have one of these (they’re not very common), you may need to switch plans when you relocate. A move doesn’t have to disrupt your Medicare, but it pays to plan ahead. Update your address, and if you have a Part D or Medicare Advantage plan, review your coverage and make any needed changes on time.

our y d Sen nior se tions s que to

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org

picture perfect

Boomer Leroy

proud owners Corey, Shannon, Brinley and Bailey Miller from Jewell!

Ziggy owned by Mike Burtnett 14

OUR HOMETOWN | SEPTEMBER 2026

Boots owned by Sean Keenan and Amber Sharp

Zoey Laverne

proud owners Corey, Shannon, Brinley and Bailey Miller from Jewell!

Parting

Shot

Photo by Kolleen Taylor SEPTEMBER 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN