Restoration of Grant Wood Window on Track

By Dave Franzman, Reporter

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By Dave Franzman

Story Created: Nov 18, 2009 at 4:48 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 18, 2009 at 5:12 PM CST

DAVENPORT- A historic art treasure that flooding damaged last year in Cedar Rapids is getting closer to coming back home.

Famous artist Grant Wood created the stained glass window that was a highlight of the Veterans Memorial Building on Mays Island for 82 years. But flood water that invaded city hall seriously damaged the glass artwork valued at $3-million dollars. But a Davenport company that got the restoration contract is putting that Grant Wood window back together piece by piece.

The work on perhaps Cedar Rapids' best known piece of public art is actually taking place in downtown Davenport. Glass Heritage won a nearly $150,000 contract from the city's Veterans Memorial Commission to fix all the damage.

Conservator Pat Rogers says it's a lot of responsibility--but fun too. "It's a job and you treat it was a job. But it's also a pleasure to see a piece damaged come back into almost new condition," Rogers said.

All visitors express a bit of surprise when they find out how the company is first cleaning up 800 to 1,000 individual pieces of glass. Workers use a horse shampoo--primarily because it's a very gentle cleaning product that produces a small amount of suds.

After everything is cleaned, conservators will repair all the broken glass and then re-lead the artwork. That process will put the individual pieces of glass into 58 distinct panels that make up the giant 20 by 24 foot tribute to veterans.

The whole process is expected to take about nine months. Workers are now about one third of the way through.

The pressure of the flood waters cracked the glass in at least 100 different places. Restores believe once they're finished, the flaws will be all but invisible.

Veterans Memorial Building Director Mike Jager is anxiously awaiting completion. "This is a treasure that's been in Cedar Rapids for 80 years and we want to take care to do this correctly," Jager said.

Correctly, for Jager, means a valuable and prominent piece of public art back in its place in time for Memorial Day 2010.

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