It took ten and a half months after the old one was removed in the wake of the 2018 Marshalltown Tornado,but there is again a dome atop the historic County Courthouse.

A couple of hundred County residents, most practicing their social distancing, ringed the courthouse as the nearly 29,000 pound new dome was put into place Tuesday afternoon. The damaged dome was removed in May of 2019, taking just five minutes to lower. It took just over 10 minutes from lift-off to landing for the new dome to settle into its forever home.  But there will be more to come. County Supervisor Bill Patten notes the spire that sits atop the dome is expected to go up later this year.

It had been thought the tornado damaged Courthouse itself would be ready to in the Fall of 2019. Instead, seeing the dome hoisted high atop the historic building was just what a Covid-19-weary crowd wanted to see and celebrate.