This year celebrates 175 years of the city of Adel, and during this weekend’s Adel Sweet Corn Festival on Saturday the Dallas County Courthouse will be open for viewing. 

Supervisor Mark Hanson says because of the work that William Wagner did during an early phase of renovation of the Dallas County Courthouse along with various other ventures and contributions, he will be honored with a special event Friday at 4 p.m. that will coincide with that day being proclaimed William Wagner Day. 

“We will be putting the sword on the Lady of Justice on the southside of the courthouse and Van Harden is going to be the emcee of that event and inside of the sword will be the proclamation that we did to honor William Wagner along with one of his paint brushes that’s got his DNA on it. As long as the Lady of Justice has that sword in her hand William Wagner will be part of that ceremony.”

Hanson tells Raccoon Valley Radio there will also be a ceremony including one with the 16 cities who have original sketches from Wagner who will bring those to the courthouse rotunda, followed by another ceremony in the third floor courtroom to honor Wagner’s work and celebrate his life. 

Hanson says normally the courthouse would be closed on Saturday of the festival but this year it will be different as it will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for people to see some of the work done by Wagner. 

“He was 75-years-old and he was in scaffolding painting and stenciling the ceilings in that building, so we will be open. Now granted, any of your listeners could come today or tomorrow or Monday through Friday and they could walk in and see the greatness of our building.”

The special event is open to the public.

For more information on the history of the Dallas County Courthouse you can go here.