The structure, opened to patrons in 1908, has sat empty for a long time.

She kept thinking that someone should really do something with the architectural gem before the city was forced to tear it down.

“I moved to town three years ago for my job,” she said. “When I’d walk my dog, I kept walking by the building. I’d ask myself, is somebody going to do something with that? It’s looking a little sad.”

Then it hit her.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Carnegie Project President Jill Heisterkamp, at left, along with committee member Lynne Gentry, look over some of the walls inside the old Carnegie Library in Rockwell City where the plaster has come off the brickwork.

“One day I realized, ‘somebody’ is me,” she said.

Heisterkamp formed the Carnegie Project to do just exactly that.

“It’s a nonprofit to rehabilitate and restore it,” she said. “Our goal is to get it looking like it did.”

Heisterkamp enlisted Lynne Gentry to serve on the group’s committee along with Karen Anderson.

The first step was looking it over.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The Rockwell City Carnegie Library will be benefitting from the work of the Carnegie Project, a nonprofit set up to rehabilitate and restore the structure, which opened in 1908.

“We should go over there and see what condition it’s in,” Gentry said. “Turns out with no heat, plaster doesn’t do well in Iowa’s humidity.”

The group decided to have some professionals look it over before bidding on it when the city had it for sale.

“We wanted to have some rough estimates before we put in a bid,” Heisterkamp said.

It was a mix of good news, medium news and bad news.

She was concerned about the foundation.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Carnegie Project President Jill Heisterkamp, at right, along with committee member Lynne Gentry, look over some of the walls inside the old Carnegie Library in Rockwell City where the plaster has come off the brickwork.

“We had an expert look at it,” she said. “He said you’ve got a fortress. You have no work for me. You’ve got a solid building.”

The roofer had the medium news.

“He said, ‘Well, it’s not terrible,” Gentry said.

Like almost any old building from the era, there’s asbestos.

“It’s not a horrible amount,” Heisterkamp said. “We’re working with the DNR.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
ell City Mayor Phil Heinlen and City Clerk Kelly Smidt are both optimistic about the community and see lots of signs of economic growth.

There’s a lot missing. The original shelving and checkout desk are gone. A window project left only a small original window above the door. There is still plenty of original trim, though, and an original ceiling fan that still works. There’s a glass-fronted fuse box that while no longer ‘hot,’ looks like it was made to animate Frankenstein’s monster. Plaster has fallen off the brick walls, and water stains many of the ceiling tiles.

There’s some unique materials in the decorative tops of the columns in front.

“Those are made from sawdust, horsehair and glue,” Gentry said.

Gentry said there are about 300 Carnegie libraries in Iowa. They were built between 1904 and 1917. More than 3,000 Carnegie libraries were built worldwide.

Industrialist Andrew Carnegie paid for them after each community showed its dedication by raising about 5 percent of the funds needed.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Carnegie Project committee member Lynne Gentry unlocks the door to the Carnegie Library in Rockwell City. The group will restore and renovate the structure.

Carnegie insisted each library have steps.

“He believed you were climbing to knowledge,” Heisterkamp said. “It was open to everyone.”

There are tentative plans for what to include in the new interior.

They include a welcome center, gift shop selling locally produced items, perhaps a revolving art exhibit, a bookstore, perhaps a coffee shop and an office space.

Heisterkamp wants to open a beer and wine bar in a room in the basement.

“I’ve always joked one day I wanted to own a book store and bar,” she said. “It would feature local brews and wines. None of us know how to brew.”

Heisterkamp’s group will need about $300,000 to complete the project. There’s information about the project on Facebook at “Carnegie Project,” and the group is working on a web platform for donations.

Currently, donations can be mailed to the group at P.O. Box 251, Rockwell City, IA 50579.

The Carnegie Project isn’t the only sign of growth and expansion in Rockwell City.

Mayor Phil Heinlen and City Clerk Kelly Smidt said there’s plenty of other improvements and investment active in the community.

“The city purchased three buildings around the square,” Heinlen said. “Two have been sold and one is pending.”

In addition, at what was once a hardware store, work has already begun on a storefront restoration and interior renovation by a private owner who received a $100,000 Catalyst Grant from the Iowa Community Development Association.

“He’s in the process of fixing that up,” Heinlen said.

The community is working on getting a new grocery store.

“If we can get a grocery store in here we’ll feel better,” he said. “We’re negotiating with one grocer; we’re hoping we can make a grand announcement soon.”

Webster Calhoun Co-op is also going to construct a new building downtown. While that’s good news on its own, the company will also be installing fiber optic cables for TV, internet and phone service.

“People will be able to work at home,” Smidt said. “We’re very excited.”

Iowa Select has also constructed a conference center in the community.

“That will bring people to Rockwell City,” Heinlen said.

An addition at the elementary school is also a good sign.

“I think that when you have to build on a couple of classrooms you’re going in the right direction,” he said.

They both believe that Rockwell City offers its residents and guests a great quality of life. There’s also plenty to do. Corn Days, Fall Fest, the Calhoun County Expo, Hometown Heroes Ride and a host of other events give residents plenty to do. There’s the Calhoun County Museum and a preserved depot. They both praise the school system as well.

Heinlen was born and raised in Rockwell City. Smidt moved to the community about 20 years ago.

“We love Rockwell City,” she said. “We chose to settle here.”

The city also has a large well-stocked library that includes a community meeting room. They’re also the custodian of an old portrait.

“Every library got a portrait of Andrew Carnegie,” Heisterkamp said. “Our public library has it on display. They’ve agreed to loan it back.”

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