Adel Bridge, Historic bridge in Adel, Iowa, US

The Adel Bridge is a two-span Pratt through truss bridge on the east edge of Adel, Iowa, carrying River Street over the Raccoon River. Its steel truss spans together cover about 400 feet (120 m). The structure stands at the site of an 1850 ferry crossing and was built in 1882.

The Dallas County Board of Supervisors received a petition to replace a deteriorating bridge at this spot, where ferry service had begun in 1850, three years after Adel was established. They contracted King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing of Cleveland to build a two-span Pratt through truss for $12,500, completed in 1882. It was the primary river crossing into Adel until the U.S. Highway 6 bridge opened just south in 1932.

The bridge demonstrates how engineers of the late 1800s designed river crossings and what was possible with the technology available then. Visitors can see a structure that reflects the technical capabilities of that era.

The bridge stands at the east edge of Adel, where River Street meets the Raccoon River. It has been closed to vehicles since 2000, so it is reached on foot; the deck can be walked across. The U.S. Highway 6 bridge crosses the river a short distance south.

The bridge was one of many standard designs produced by the King Iron Bridge Company, reflecting how industrial manufacturers mass-produced crossing structures in the late 1800s. Similar versions were built across multiple states during that period.