Most People Don't Know These 8 Castles Are Hiding Here In Iowa
By Michaela Kendall|Published June 01, 2015
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Michaela Kendall
Author
Michaela is a born and raised Iowan. She writes for a newspaper by day, and writes content for websites by night. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book, or just binge watching Netflix.
Iowa isn’t really the sort of state to have castles… or so you thought, but here are eight real-life castles in Iowa to check out next time you are feeling the urge to relive the Dark Ages.
1. Ida Grove: The "Castle Town," has several different towers, palaces, and other castle-themed structures built by Byron Godbersen, who was apparently very fond of castles.
2. Ida Grove Welcome Sign: This medieval welcome sign in Ida Grove is very inviting to all manner of travelers, from the lowest of squires to the highest of lords.
3. Ida Grove Skate Palace: This colossal palace is where the citizens of the realm go for a bit of rollerskating when they aren't doing chores around the castle.
4. Eagle Point Park: Located in Clinton, Iowa, this stout castle lookout is the perfect spot for bird watching or picnicking. Just make sure not to be too loud, or you will wake the sleeping dragon that lives nearby.
5. Julien Dubuque Monument: Located in Dubuque, this Late Gothic Revival tower is perfectly perched at the height of a bluff, which makes it the perfect lookout tower for spotting roaming armies nearby.
6. Clark Tower: Located in Winterset, Iowa, Clark Tower's easy stair access makes it the ideal spot for rescuing damsels in distress. No more climbing up a rope of your lady's hair.
5. Backbone State Park: This squat castle tower and shelter would be right at home in Middle Ages Europe, but instead, it's located at Backbone State Park in Dundee, Iowa.
8. Coal Palace: In the late nineteenth century, Iowa had a thriving coal mining industry, and someone thought it was necessary to build a Coal Palace in Ottumwa, Iowa. As far as I know, there was no Coal Emperor or Coal King to reign over this palace, which was demolished in 1892.
