OTHO – A leaky roof has led to major problems at the Webster County Museum in Otho.

In short, volunteers say, they need a new building.

“This has been a disaster,” said Phyllis Stewart, museum curator. “Our roof needed fixing already, but when the rain came it just did us in.”

Stewart referred to the 9 inches of rain that fell on Otho Aug. 9 and 10.

The deluge that flooded basements all over town also came through the roof in the former elementary school building that now holds the museum – soaking ceiling tiles and saturating some of the antique displays.

When volunteers took down the tiles, Stewart said, they had to be careful or they would get a shower.

Fortunately, Stewart said volunteers were able to save most of the displays. Very little was completely ruined.

“Things got wet,” she said. “I think the only thing we threw away was the mattresses.”

Museum volunteer Diane Adams helped with cleanup. “I took the clothes home and the bedding, and washed them,” she said

“We dried out the papers,” Stewart said.

“With blow driers,” Adams added.

Volunteers also covered everything with plastic sheets in an effort to protect the museum collection.

Still, the damage is significant.

The carpet was soaked.

Unfortunately, there isn’t money to fix the roof, according to volunteer Joe Perry.

“Our biggest need is a new building,” he said. “The cost-effectiveness is not there for the roof. The rain doesn’t stop,” he added.

“The problem is not going away.”

“And after that, the snow comes,” Stewart said. “Right now, we’re talking about storing it all.”

They will probably have to take down the museum displays and put the collection in storage in order to preserve them, she said.

Adams said, “We want to keep it active, because it’s such a good collection. We need to enlist the help of the community.”

“We need a big fundraiser, if anybody has any ideas,” Stewart said.

The museum board planned to meet later Monday night to discuss the future of the collection.

“I don’t know what we’re doing,” Stewart said.

The museum has been in the former school building since August 2003, according to Stewart. At that time it was occupied a 30-by-30-foot area.

Now displays fill about 11,000 square feet.

Those displays include items depicting history from all of the towns in Webster County.

It also includes information on the county’s mining past.

There’s an extensive military collection housed in a case built by an Eagle Scout, and what Stewart said was the largest Boy Scouts display in Iowa.

It also features items from 4-H, Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls, holds antique medical items from Fort Dodge’s past, and keeps an extensive collection of hats, dresses and other vintage clothes. The museum also has a 1910 organ from the Princess Theater in Mount Ayr, and a collection of vintage toys and late 1960s Archie comics.

It has hosted tractor rides, homeschoolers, the Red Hat ladies from Fort Dodge, and Boy Scout events.

Visitors this year have come from 26 other states and two foreign countries.

Admission is free, and all the workers are volunteers. All collection items are donated.

“If you don’t know about us, come down and see what we’ve got,” Stewart said. “Help us save the history of the county.”

The museum is open Thursdays and Saturdays, or by appointment by calling 972-4544.