The Fort Madison City Council has taken a step toward reviving the Old Fort Madison site, voting Tuesday to schedule a public hearing on a proposed 25-year lease agreement with Old Fort Madison Preservation.
The Daily Democrat reports the nonprofit, which formed in 2024, has already raised over $500,000 in pledges and cash donations toward the project’s $3.5 million price tag — and that’s before their major fundraising campaign has officially launched.
The hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. on April 21st in the council chambers at Fort Madison City Hall, 811 Ave. E.
The plan calls for elevating the site above the floodplain, repairing and resetting existing buildings, rebuilding the blockhouse and enlisted men’s barracks, and constructing a new 4,200 square foot living history center with museum features, modern restrooms, a gift shop, meeting space, and more. The site would be open year-round and staffed by a combination of volunteers and paid employees. Pre-construction work is expected to begin this spring, with completion targeted for fall of 2027. Under the proposed lease, Old Fort Madison Preservation, Inc. would pay one dollar per year in rent.
