"One of the main things we are hoping to do at the reception is to let people know we are starting a volunteer staffing program," Schachtsiek told the Lincoln Daily News. "We are seeking staffers and interpreters who will give time and allow us to keep the courthouse open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. We will take names and telephone numbers of interested people at the reception. After the first of the year, we will set up training dates for volunteers. Ideally, volunteers will give only one afternoon a month to the courthouse."

Shirley Bartelmay and Thressia Usherwood of the Lincoln Tourist Bureau are assisting Schachtsiek with the volunteer program. A similar volunteer program keeps the Mount Pulaski Courthouse open.

The renovation project, overseen by the Illinois Capital Development Board, included the replacement of all exterior siding, doors, windows, roofing material and finishes. Interior work included plastering, painting, asbestos removal and remodeling of the site’s two fireplaces. The building also got new mechanical, electrical and security systems, new plumbing, a new brick sidewalk, and a new storage shed. Schachtsiek said this is the first major update the building has had since its construction in 1953.

He noted that, along with bringing wiring, heating and plumbing up to current standards and the repair of a collapsed sewer line, the renovation also corrected some inaccuracies in the design of the building, which is a replica of the original. The original courthouse was purchased by Henry Ford in 1929 and is part of the historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich.

The changes in design include 6-over-6 window panes instead of the former 4-over-4, removal of shutters, replacement of the painted siding with walnut siding, and changes in the two fireplaces inside the building to make them historically accurate.

"We are very pleased with the results," Schachtsiek said. "We were happy to have both a contractor and an architect who were sensitive to working with historic structures." The contractor, RJS Construction of Peoria, and the architect, Anne McGuire and Associates of Evanston, both have had experience with restoration work

The exhibits in the building, which explain the operation of the Eighth Judicial circuit and the people who traveled it, including Abraham Lincoln, and the historic courtroom and clerk’s office on the second floor, have not been changed.

Schachtsiek believes Postville is an important site on the Looking for Lincoln project because it shows how Lincoln made a living when he was practicing law. "About one-half his time he spent traveling the Eighth Judicial Circuit. There are only three places where you can learn about his career on the circuit — Postville, Mount Pulaski and Metamora courthouses," he said.

Schachtsiek says he plans to have special events at the Postville Courthouse in the spring and during the Art and Balloon Fest in August.