Mary Helms Farm
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The Madrid Historical Society's Mary Helms Farm.
The Helms Farm was started by individuals in Iowa working at the dawn of the previous century, the owners built a beautiful farm that still houses an ancestor of that founding family.

Just Ready for Prime Time!

9/4/2018

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Attic safety bannister is installed just in time for Christmas season.  Here, Robert Patterson, architect, christens the project from Mary Helms' stairway.
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Made-from-Scratch Spindles

9/2/2018

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Here we picture the made-from-scratch spindles fitted to the ADA compliant handrail material
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Safety Handrail Progress

9/1/2018

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Purchased American Disabilities Act compliant handrail and have cut spindle accommodations in the material!

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Attic Safety Rail Concept Drawings

4/8/2018

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For this important and expensive project we have some thought as to plan carefully and proceed with the best materials.  Base planning on having spindles, corner posts and handrail material with bottom horizontal spindle support boards of an attractive nature.  All items except the handrail will be hand carved and not violate the spirit of the house.   Let's begin! 
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Three of the possibilities for corner post detail.  Soon will select one and go go go!
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And three spindle candidates
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Post top decoration idea
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Safety Halt:  Temporary Closing

4/5/2018

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The ongoing desire of museum visitors to walk up the attic stairs has surprised the docents.  However, there is a marked lack of safety features to accompany such an activity.  The paramount risk to visitors is once they climb to the attic level there is nothing to prevent falls down the attic stairwell.  Access is merely a hole in the attic floor, a rather large hole!  With a dormer shaped ceiling feature that seemingly guides those touring toward a fall into the stairwell hole,  Unmitigated, unbearable risk to the public!  Here sprinkled with blue light is the dastardly, dangerous access. 
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The attic featured attraction must be closed until further notice!
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Temporary sign temporary position

9/8/2017

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​While we send the big sign's design back to committee, lets have a temporary sign for the Chamber visitors on Thursday to gaze at!
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Grain feeder funnel safety fence

9/8/2017

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Our grain feeder funnel safety fence has also come to reality from rough concept.
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Fourteen feet of lattice safety fence.  Super groovy, shockingly beautiful!
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Stairway illuminating windows

9/8/2017

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All so pleased to reveal our stairway illuminating windows concept is now reality in time for the Madrid area Chamber event. 
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One of the windows illuminates the south stairway and one the north stairway.  We abandon the diamond window idea. 
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Updated new sign

9/6/2017

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This is the sign we have settled on.  It will be large, 4x8 feet.  Colors of black, brown and forest green.  Sign could sit perpendicular to the road, south of the driveway.
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Proposed Sign

9/5/2017

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Wonderful, pleased to announce a new sign layout in time for the Madrid Chamber of Commerce After 5 event!   To be held at the Mary Helms Farm in nine days.  With my keep my money in town concept we went to Mid National Graphics for the business.  Have a look and lodge objections/support/proposed changes quickly; we need to roll the presses soon!
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Thanks, happy viewing.  The sign's dimensions will be available later here and whether it is visible to north and southbound traffic.
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    Our charge and commission is daunting, restore the glory of Mary Helms' homestead.  We are the Madrid Historical Society and I am Mary's grandson. 

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