Many Iowa towns have suffered flood damage over the years. Most Iowans will remember the devastating floods of 2008 that decimated homes, buildings, and businesses. More recently, northeastern Iowa has been ravaged by the overflowing waters of the Turkey River. Many communities have spent a very long time in the process of rebuilding and recovering from flooding, and some have only just begun to assess and deal with the damages caused in years prior.
The small town of Elkport has a haunting history of flooding, demolition, and utter loss. The town was originally located at the intersection of the Turkey and Volga Rivers, and in 2004, these rivers flooded simultaneously, sending water over the levee on the south end of the town. Given the number of previous floods seen in the same region, the town voted to demolish its current buildings and relocate its citizens. In 2006, the entire town was leveled. This ghost town in Iowa is all but forgotten to the annals of time:
Todd Ehlers/Flickr In May 2004, heavy rains flooded Elk Creek, broke through a dike, and flooded the town’s homes, businesses and schools in a devastating torrent of water.
Todd Ehlers/Flickr Many buildings were washed away in the floods of 2004, and the structures that remained standing were filled with water as high as 15 feet.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr FEMA offered a buyout to owners of flood-damaged properties in 2005, and those who accepted the money felt they had few other options. The water damage was so severe and extensive, it made renovations incredibly expensive.
Todd Ehlers/Flickr Elkport was situated in a floodplain that made it very difficult for people to believe they wouldn’t have to go through this kind of destruction again, so repeated devastation was highly likely.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr Many Elkport homes were tragically decimated during the flood of 2004. This once-stately home was one of many that were demolished.
Todd Ehlers/Flickr This is one of the many homes that was marked with a “D” for demolition.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr The main floor of the Elkport church didn’t sustain too much flood damage, and hopefully they were able to salvage some of these beautiful elements that weren’t destroyed.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr This is what remained of the basement after the flooding. There was severe water damage, and mud covered much of what remained.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr In September of 2006, just two years after the floods that decimated the town, Elkport was razed by bulldozers, and suddenly, 150 years of history disappeared.
This haunting image of a cornfield through broken glass in an Elkport building slated for destruction seems to sum up the sad yet beautiful and resilient history of this small Iowa town:
Todd Ehlers/Flickr
This slideshow of Elkport memorializes the history and structures of the now mostly demolished town.
Todd Ehlers/Flickr
In May 2004, heavy rains flooded Elk Creek, broke through a dike, and flooded the town’s homes, businesses and schools in a devastating torrent of water.
Many buildings were washed away in the floods of 2004, and the structures that remained standing were filled with water as high as 15 feet.
Matthew Ephraim/Flickr
FEMA offered a buyout to owners of flood-damaged properties in 2005, and those who accepted the money felt they had few other options. The water damage was so severe and extensive, it made renovations incredibly expensive.
Elkport was situated in a floodplain that made it very difficult for people to believe they wouldn’t have to go through this kind of destruction again, so repeated devastation was highly likely.
Many Elkport homes were tragically decimated during the flood of 2004. This once-stately home was one of many that were demolished.
This is one of the many homes that was marked with a “D” for demolition.
The main floor of the Elkport church didn’t sustain too much flood damage, and hopefully they were able to salvage some of these beautiful elements that weren’t destroyed.
This is what remained of the basement after the flooding. There was severe water damage, and mud covered much of what remained.
In September of 2006, just two years after the floods that decimated the town, Elkport was razed by bulldozers, and suddenly, 150 years of history disappeared.
If you’re interested in other abandoned Iowa towns, This Haunting Road Trip Through Iowa Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget. What do you think? Do you have a favorite ghost town in Iowa? Tell us about it in the comments!
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Address: Elk Creek, Iowa 50450, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Ghost Town in Iowa October 08, 2021 Tori Jane Is there an abandoned town in Iowa? There are several abandoned towns in Iowa that one could now call ghost towns; each one is creepier than the last! For example, there’s what remains of the town of Rockville, in Delaware County, which was founded in 1845 and eventually entirely abandoned. Today, only a few skeletal buildings remain. There’s also Buckhorn, in Jackson County, Carrollton in Carroll County, Sunbury (which is west of Davenport), and Mount Edna, which is somewhere near Lake Icaria. There are many more, but it’s more fun to visit these places than it is to read about them! If you’re feeling brave enough, you might want to check out this super-awesome abandoned places in Iowa road trip. You never know just what you’ll find out there. Iowa is a lot spookier than many people ever give it credit for… Where are some creepy places in Iowa? Iowa is one of those states that’s a lot creepier than you’d think. The Midwest is, in general, a pretty haunted place (or so it would seem), with lots of legends and lore going around and scaring the youngsters year after year. Some of the most haunted places in Iowa that you’ll see come up time and time again are places like the Villisca Axe Murder House, in Villisca, which was once the site of an incredibly grisly, unspeakable crime that left eight people – including six children – dead. In Farrar, there’s the old schoolhouse, which is so incredibly haunted that tours seeking the ghosts of the place are offered at certain times of year. In Oakland, there’s the haunted cemetery, which is home to an eight-foot-tall creepy-as-all-get-out angel statue that’s said to be haunted by a woman named Teresa. If you’re a fan of bridges and ghosts, you’ll definitely have to make time to check out Tara Bridge, in Fort Dodge, which was once the alleged site of a murder-suicide of a woman and her two children. You never know what you’ll find out there, so get ghost hunting!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Ghost Town in Iowa
October 08, 2021
Tori Jane
Is there an abandoned town in Iowa? There are several abandoned towns in Iowa that one could now call ghost towns; each one is creepier than the last! For example, there’s what remains of the town of Rockville, in Delaware County, which was founded in 1845 and eventually entirely abandoned. Today, only a few skeletal buildings remain. There’s also Buckhorn, in Jackson County, Carrollton in Carroll County, Sunbury (which is west of Davenport), and Mount Edna, which is somewhere near Lake Icaria. There are many more, but it’s more fun to visit these places than it is to read about them! If you’re feeling brave enough, you might want to check out this super-awesome abandoned places in Iowa road trip. You never know just what you’ll find out there. Iowa is a lot spookier than many people ever give it credit for… Where are some creepy places in Iowa? Iowa is one of those states that’s a lot creepier than you’d think. The Midwest is, in general, a pretty haunted place (or so it would seem), with lots of legends and lore going around and scaring the youngsters year after year. Some of the most haunted places in Iowa that you’ll see come up time and time again are places like the Villisca Axe Murder House, in Villisca, which was once the site of an incredibly grisly, unspeakable crime that left eight people – including six children – dead. In Farrar, there’s the old schoolhouse, which is so incredibly haunted that tours seeking the ghosts of the place are offered at certain times of year. In Oakland, there’s the haunted cemetery, which is home to an eight-foot-tall creepy-as-all-get-out angel statue that’s said to be haunted by a woman named Teresa. If you’re a fan of bridges and ghosts, you’ll definitely have to make time to check out Tara Bridge, in Fort Dodge, which was once the alleged site of a murder-suicide of a woman and her two children. You never know what you’ll find out there, so get ghost hunting!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
There are several abandoned towns in Iowa that one could now call ghost towns; each one is creepier than the last! For example, there’s what remains of the town of Rockville, in Delaware County, which was founded in 1845 and eventually entirely abandoned. Today, only a few skeletal buildings remain. There’s also Buckhorn, in Jackson County, Carrollton in Carroll County, Sunbury (which is west of Davenport), and Mount Edna, which is somewhere near Lake Icaria. There are many more, but it’s more fun to visit these places than it is to read about them! If you’re feeling brave enough, you might want to check out this super-awesome abandoned places in Iowa road trip. You never know just what you’ll find out there. Iowa is a lot spookier than many people ever give it credit for…
Where are some creepy places in Iowa?
Iowa is one of those states that’s a lot creepier than you’d think. The Midwest is, in general, a pretty haunted place (or so it would seem), with lots of legends and lore going around and scaring the youngsters year after year. Some of the most haunted places in Iowa that you’ll see come up time and time again are places like the Villisca Axe Murder House, in Villisca, which was once the site of an incredibly grisly, unspeakable crime that left eight people – including six children – dead. In Farrar, there’s the old schoolhouse, which is so incredibly haunted that tours seeking the ghosts of the place are offered at certain times of year. In Oakland, there’s the haunted cemetery, which is home to an eight-foot-tall creepy-as-all-get-out angel statue that’s said to be haunted by a woman named Teresa. If you’re a fan of bridges and ghosts, you’ll definitely have to make time to check out Tara Bridge, in Fort Dodge, which was once the alleged site of a murder-suicide of a woman and her two children. You never know what you’ll find out there, so get ghost hunting!
