Visit The Iowa Castle Straight Out Of a Fairytale [PHOTOS]

The state of Iowa is known for many things. Crops like corn and soybeans. Livestock like hogs and cattle. Places to visit like the Amana Colonies or the Field of Dreams. What you won't find in Iowa are many castles. Yet there are some buildings around our state that look a lot like a medieval castle. Including a place called Clark Tower.

Clark Tower resides in a park near Winterset, Iowa. You could make a fantastic day trip out of heading there. Check out some of Madison County's famed covered bridges. Visit the John Wayne museum in his native Winterset. Then follow the narrow winding road in the city park that leads to Clark Tower. As impressive as it appears, it isn't really a castle at all. It was built and intended to be a monument.

According to DupontCastle.com, Clark Tower was constructed in 1926 as a memorial to one of Madison County's first pioneer families. It was dedicated in 1927 to the memory of Caleb and Ruth Clark. Caleb Clark was a stone mason by trade and he and his wife Ruth had 14 children! Many of their descendants still live in and around Madison County.

Clark Tower is made out of limestone. It measures 12 feet in diameter and stands 25 feet tall. There are stone steps and then metal stairs that will take you up to the top of the tower for a beautiful view of the Middle River Valley. DupontCastle.com says that many members of the Clark family donated their skills as a mason and money to get the tower built. And this beautiful stone structure has stood tall and proud for nearly 100 years, even withstanding an EF4 tornado in March of 2022.

As you can see, even with snow on the ground Clark Tower is a magical place to visit no matter the season! So take a two-and-a-half-hour drive to see the tower that looks like a castle. Perhaps your damsel in distress will be waiting for you.