Rating:
3 votes

Wildwood Park Arch Bridge

Floyd County, Iowa

Photo 

Stone double arch

Got hit by lots of raindrops, but no golf balls on Memorial day. Will have to come back for better photos.

Photo taken by Don Morrison in May 2013

Enlarge

BH Photo #254769

Map 

Description 

"The first golf course in Iowa to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Wildwood Park has a rich history dating back to 1912. The park was a POW camp for German WWII prisoners, and two stone bridges remain as reminders of that era. Three bridges were originally constructed by the prisoners, but one was destroyed during a storm. During a reunion of prisoners and others who worked on the park, it was remembered that the clubhouse was used as a barracks."

Text and a better photo at http://www.charlescitychamber.com/Things-to-do.htm

Other sources suggest that the bridges were built by the CCC or other federal works program in the 1930s.

Facts 

Overview
Stone arch bridge over Sherman's Creek on Golf cart path
Location
Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
One of two remaining bridges in the park built in 1944/1945 by German POWs
Builder
- Prisoners Of War (Germans, WW2)
Design
Stone arch
Recognition
Listed as a contributing resource to the Wildwood Park & Golf Course Historic District
Approximate latitude, longitude
+43.06259, -92.69356   (decimal degrees)
43°03'45" N, 92°41'37" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/524952/4767810 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Charles City
Inventory number
BH 56378 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Arch (12,194)
Charles City, Iowa (15)
Deck arch (11,430)
Floyd County, Iowa (72)
Iowa (6,534)
NR-contributing (147)
Open to pedestrians (4,256)
Owned by city (5,499)
Prisoners Of War (1)
Stone arch (3,084)

Update Log 

  • May 27, 2013: Added by Don Morrison

Sources 

  • Don Morrison

Comments 

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