Editing Webster City, Iowa (section)

== History ==

Webster City was originally called Newcastle by settlers of European descent. Under the latter name it was [[plat|changed]] in 1854 by Wilson Brewer.<ref name="history">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA137 | title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways | author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company | year=1908 | page=137}}</ref><ref name="collection">{{cite web|url=http://webstercity.weebly.com | title=Building Webster City | year=2016}}</ref>  In 1855, Walter C. Willson came to Newcastle.

[[File:Webster City IA.jpg|thumb|A main street in Webster City, Iowa was captured in a real photo postcard]]

Willson was elected to the Iowa State House the next year and, with John F. Duncombe, crafted a bill to divide the very large Webster County in half. Newcastle would be renamed "Webster City," named after Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and would become the county seat of the new county. Willson suggested "Hamilton County" after William W. Hamilton, the president of the State Senate. He helped pass the legislation. The law took effect on January 1, 1857, renaming Webster City and designating it as the county seat of the newly organized Hamilton County. Willson was also instrumental in getting the Dubuque & Sioux City rail line to be constructed through Webster City on its way to [[Fort Dodge]]. He personally oversaw the laying of track.<ref name="collection" />