Portfolio > Our Civic Work >   ⊕   Portfolio > Our Landmark Work >

Lyon County Courthouse

John Canning & Co. was contracted to protect, remove and store four murals from the north, south, east and west walls of the rotunda in the Lyon County Courthouse, IA.

A historic building conservator carefully restoring a historic wall painting.

BUILDING FACTS

Location: Rock Rapids, IA Built: Circa 1916 Original Architect: Joseph Schwartz Style: Beaux-Arts Status: National Landmark

SCOPE

Restored historic mural above an arched doorway labeled "Pioneer."
A historic mural peeling away from the wall of a courthouse.
Historic building archway with a mural in need of conservation.
A mural conservator restoring a historic mural on a scaffold.
A person carefully covering a historic mural to preserve it during renovations.
Historic mural during restoration work.
John Canning & Co. restoring a historic mural painting.
The courthouse was completed in 1917.  It was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Sioux Falls architect Joseph Schwartz.  The murals were completed by William Peaco and depicted scenes that were historically significant to the settlement of the area. The removal of the murals was deemed prudent because the rotunda is scheduled to undergo extensive structural renovations both within and outside of the building. The conditions of the murals were assessed and documented. A protection plan was developed to stabilize the historic paint and protect the finishes during removal and storage. Upon completion of the larger construction project, the murals were conserved and reinstalled.