The Kalona Historical Society is in the planning phase for a project to renovate one of their buildings, and they were given a kick start in the form of a $35,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation. Jan Ferry, a member of the Kalona Historical Society, says the existing exhibit is 40 years old and tells the story of the Kalona business history. The current building has problems with mildew, so they are constructing a new building which should take around three years to complete. Ferry says the project will be done in three phases, and the grant money from the WCRF will help get phase one started. Phase one includes tearing down the original building, which is made of steel. There is a church that has shown interest in some of the steel from the inside, which they hope to bring on a mission trip to Haiti to build structures and houses. Phase one will also include laying the concrete and constructing the outside walls for the new building.

The current plan is to demolish the building in March, and begin construction of the building’s shell in early summer. Phase two will include constructing the interior of the building, including drywall and electricity, and phase three will be when they put the exhibit into the building. The total estimated cost for the renovations is $143,598, and the historical society will continue seeking additional grants for the project, and hosting fundraisers. Ferry says the newly renovated exhibit will give attendees the opportunity to walk around in old Kalona, and will be akin to a life-sized diorama.