Clark Tower

Clark Tower is a limestone structure in Winterset City Park standing approximately 25 feet (8 meters) tall with a 12-foot (4-meter) diameter base. A spiral staircase connects the interior space to an observation deck where visitors can survey the Middle River Valley below.

Built in 1926, this structure honors Caleb Clark, the first stonemason settler of Madison County, and his wife Ruth Clanton Clark. It recognizes the contributions of early craftspeople who shaped the region's development.

The tower serves as a gathering place for Clark family descendants who maintain ties to their roots in Madison County through regular meetings here. It represents how local families preserve connections to their ancestral land and community identity.

Reaching the tower requires walking along a winding rural road through the park, a journey of roughly 2.5 kilometers taking most visitors some time to complete. Access is open from sunrise to sunset daily.

The limestone structure withstood a powerful tornado in 2022, proving the durability of early construction methods used by skilled craftspeople. This event demonstrated just how robust the original building techniques were.

Location: Iowa

Website: http://madisoncounty.com/index.php?mact=FrontEndUserListing,cntnt01,viewdetails,0&cntnt01uid=153&cntnt01returnid=28

GPS coordinates: 41.31994,-94.00405

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:00