New Roof Needed at Historic Courthouse

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Once again, the Marshall County Historical Society is looking for funds to finance a huge project related to the upkeep of the Historical Courthouse building. After recently funding a major brick restoration project, the group thought they were done repairing “the Queen of Broadway,” only to learn that the roof is in bad shape.  Through Pony-Up and other donations, the MCHS board has the money to pay for the main roof, but the cost of the steeple is out of range right now. This means the building will not be lighted for Christmas.

MCHS replaced the slate roof 46 years ago in 1979. Following the tornado in 2022, a tree limb fell on the roof shattering many of the shingles. Turning to Chappell Roofing out of Fairbury, Nebraska, an approved company for historic buildings through the Kansas State Historical Society, MCHS learned it is time for a new roof.

According to Mark Wiedergreen of Chappell Roofing, the roof has “…reached/exceeded its life expectancy. The shingles are worn, brittle, and losing pieces at an alarming rate.” A Davinci Province brand single-width synthetic slate shingle is recommended for wear, affordability and looks. “From the street these shingles will look like real slate,” Wiedergreen explained to the MCHS board. The synthetic shingle will last much longer than slate.

The Kansas State Historical Society has approved the plans for this roofing project. This is required since the historic courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.

All of the materials have been purchased for the entire roof at this point, so that when the steeple is done it will match the rest of the roof. The shingles will arrive on August 12 and work will begin on September 8. The company will use two lifts to access the stately building’s roof. Some parking in front of the building may be roped off during the process.

The main roof with the cost of materials for the steeple will come to nearly $300,000. The labor and equipment (an additional, larger lift) would add almost $90,000 to the cost. “Even though we would like to see the entire project completed this fall,” explains MCHS president Sharon Vogelsberg, “we decided it would be fiscally irresponsible for us to drain our funds that much. So, we are postponing the steeple until a later date. The disappointing part is that we won’t be able to light the steeple for Christmas again this year.”

Last year the deterioration of the lights and wiring made it impossible for the courthouse to be lit during the Christmas season. MCHS had already purchased new lights and wiring for next Christmas when the roofing issue was discovered. The new roof including the steeple must be completed in order for the Christmas lights to be installed.

Unbroken and undamaged slate shingles will be saved from this project for keepsakes. Arrangements are being made to have the image of the courthouse printed on slates as a gift to donors who contribute to the steeple fund.

Currently MCHS is raising funds to pay for the steeple roof, and those wishing to donate may contact the courthouse museum at 785-562-5012, on our website mchsks.org. Click the “Donate” button on the top.  The mailing address is 1207 Broadway, Marysville, KS  66508. Museum hours are 10 AM to 4 PM weekdays and 1-4 PM Saturdays and Sundays.

Originally posted by The Marshall County Museum and Research Library via Locable