National Register of Historic Places

Okoboji Bridge

Milford, Dickinson County, Iowa
Listed
June 24, 1998
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
98000789

About this property

The Okoboji Bridge is located southwest of Milford, Iowa, United States. The 83-foot (25 m) span carried traffic on 180th Avenue over a branch of the Little Sioux River. The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors hired a local contractor to build a bridge across the straits between East and West Okoboji Lakes in 1859. The wooden structures had to be rebuilt in 1874–1875. There was a desire for a drawbridge at this point to allow for steamboats to navigate between the lakes. Three different swing spans were built at this location in the 19th century. When the third span deteriorated the board of supervisors contracted with the Clinton Bridge and Iron Works of Clinton, Iowa to build a permanent span here in June 1909. The Pratt/Warren pony truss structure was completed later that year for $1,550. The bridge and the road were incorporated into the U.S. Highway System, and it was placed under the aegis of the Iowa State Highway Commission. In 1929 it was replaced with a fixed-span concrete girder structure. At that time the 1909 truss span was moved to Okoboji Township to span a branch of the Little Sioux River. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The span has subsequently been abandoned.

Location

180th Ave. over branch of Little Sioux R.
Milford, Dickinson County, Iowa
43.26081, -95.22977

Categories

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Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Little Sioux River Bridge
Industrial
7.4 mi
Gull Point State Park, Area A
Listed
8.2 mi
Gull Point State Park, Area B
Listed
8.4 mi
Pillsbury Point State Park
Industrial
8.6 mi
Adams-Higgins House
Industrial
8.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Okoboji Bridge listed on the National Register?

Okoboji Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 1998.

What type of historic resource is Okoboji Bridge?

Okoboji Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Okoboji Bridge?

The period of significance for Okoboji Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Okoboji Bridge?

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