Winterset City Park

Nomination to National Register of Historic Places

Work is underway to nominate the Winterset City Park to the National Register of Historic Places. The various features in the park — 17 in all — have been assessed, historic research is completed and the first draft of the 60+ page nomination is being reviewed. The Winterset Parks & Recreation Department and the Madison County Historic Preservation Commission is working with the staff of Tallgrass Archaeology of Iowa City who is writing the formal submission. The nomination review process moves at its own speed but we hope the City Park will be accepted by the National Park Service by the end of 2020.

City Park Nomination Timeline

July, 2018 – Park historical assessment by Leah Rogers, archeologist from Tallgrass Archeology, Iowa City
October, 2018 – Five additional technical assessments by Doug Steinmetz, historical architect – Bennett cabin, Clark Tower, and three stone bridges
1st Q, 2019 – Historic Resources Development Program Grant to fund writing the nomination was written by Jeremy Rounds, SICOG
2nd Q, 2019 – Grant reviewed and approved by State Historic Preservation Office; award announced July 1, 2019
3rd-4th Q, 2019 – Research by local volunteers
1st-2nd Q, 2020 – Grant written by Tallgrass Archeology with drafts reviewed locally
3rd Q, 2019 – Review by SNRC – State Nomination Review Committee and National Park Service leading to approval

City Park’s Historic Features

Stone Shelters

Arbor — 1917
South — 1957
- Maintenance Shop — 1960
North — 1968

Memorials

Delicious Apple — 1922
AW Crawford — 1924
Clark Tower — 1926

Landscape

Quarries – 1896
Roadway design — 1919

Bridges

Arched north roadway — 1919
Pedestrian — 1921
South roadway — 1924
Cutler-Donhoe — 1970

Other Structures

Entrance — 1914
Grills “ovens” — 1915
Bennett Cabin — 1917
Rock crusher — 1912
Stone ruins — 1877

Stone Ruins — 1877 (Photo from 1950s)

In 1877, a tannery was built in an area south of the then-20 acre City Park. It served as a residence into the 1900s, but then fell into ruins. Currently, no walls are standing and you have to look pretty hard to find the remaining stones along the road as you return from Clark Tower.