The story of Kate Shelley is famous in Iowa. In 1881, a girl only fifteen years old saw that the bridge near her home was out, and attempted to prevent a passenger train disaster. She not only managed to alert the train but also saved three men who had fallen from the bridge earlier. The bridge near her home became her namesake – but what is left of it today?
As you drive through Boone County, near the Des Moines River, you’ll find a tall railroad bridge. But there’s something unusual about it.
Amphibol/Wikimedia Commons
Next to the modern bridge, you’ll find a well-worn old iron bridge. It serves as a backup for the trains - but it also has a long history.
Amphibol/Wikimedia Commons
Officially called the Boone Viaduct, it was completed in 1901 and ferried freight traffic across for over a century.
David Wilson/Wikimedia Commons
But most people in the area know it by another name - the Kate Shelley High Bridge, named for the local heroine.
William Henry Jackson/Wikimedia Commons
When the bridge was originally built, it was one of the tallest and longest double-track railroad bridges ever built.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
But all good things come to an end, and in 2009 a new bridge was constructed to replace it. The old bridge remains standing as a backup - and also as a piece of living history.
The Posp/Wikipedia
One big change with the new bridge? It was officially named after Kate Shelley instead of simply being a local nickname.
init4keeps/TripAdvisor
Although it’s now a “bridge to nowhere” mostly seen by the passengers on the bridge next to it, it’s become a tourist site in its own right - complete with a small museum nearby.
init4keeps/TripAdvisor
A wooden walkway gives pedestrians a chance to get a closer look at the old iron bridge, once the key to getting important cargo across Iowa.
init4keeps/TripAdvisor
Did you ever make the trip to the Kate Shelley High Bridge outside of Boone? If you’ve visited the bridge or its associated attractions, let us know about your trip in the comments section. Make sure to visit the Boone County webpage to learn more about this famous attraction and plan your visit.
Amphibol/Wikimedia Commons
David Wilson/Wikimedia Commons
William Henry Jackson/Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
The Posp/Wikipedia
init4keeps/TripAdvisor
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Address: Kate Shelley High Bridge, Boone, IA 50036, USA
