Hooten Cemetery by Simon Welding

The picturesque beauty of Winterset, Iowa, belies a plethora of historical architecture that exemplifies the very best of American ingenuity and craftsmanship. The town took root in 1849 when its founders, originally planning to name it "Summerset," changed the name to Winterset due to an unseasonably cold spell during the summer platting. It is known as the birthplace of actor John Wayne and is the setting for the 1992 novel and 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County. The community is resplendent with unique historical structures including the Madison County courthouse, the Clark Tower, many homes on the National Historic Registry, and of course several famous covered bridges.

On the Southwest side of this beautifully preserved community is the Hooten Cemetery, whose oldest headstone marker is for Hannah Hooten from 1852. At some point in the past (date unknown but over a hundred years ago), and in keeping with the community-embedded principles of beauty intertwined with functionality, craftsmen fashioned a steel scrollwork gate to adorn the cemetery entrance. After more than a century, however, the gate had broken and rusted to the point that it was little more than a pile of scrap metal. Wanting to preserve the spirit of the original gate design, the Lincoln Township Trustees took drawings of the dilapidated gate scraps to Randy Simon of Simon Welding in Winterset to ask if he could fabricate a replacement.

Randy, recognizing the importance of architectural details, used the original design as a template, but he made important structural changes that would ensure functionality and durability. Instead of rivets, he would weld the joints. He beefed up the structural members to provide strength and stability in the harsh Iowa winds and tornadoes. He raised and widened the entrance gate to accommodate modern equipment requirements. He designed the entire structure so that it could be transported and fastened together in sections on site. And perhaps most importantly, he chose to galvanize the entire structure to provide resistance to corrosion.

Randy drew up his design in CAD and presented it to the Lincoln Township Trustees. The trustees loved the design and readily signed off. Fabrication was completed in August, and the entire structure was transported to the galvanizer for its coating. The galvanizer chosen for this project had a great relationship with Randy, and was able to provide their services at a discounted rate, knowing this project would stand as a beautiful civic contribution to the community. Once completed, the new gate was installed at the cemetery in September 2025.

Combining Randy Simon’s design with hot-dip galvanizing, the cemetery gate should be around for a very long time: With an average galvanized coating thickness of 3.85 mils, the structure should be protected from corrosion for 140 years before time to first maintenance!

The Hooten Cemetery Gate provides an authentic recreation of an intriguing Madison County historical landmark that will also meet the functional requirements of a modern world for generations to come.