Historical Markers
People climbing wooden stairs on a steep hillside toward a wooden observation tower - new deal and depression-era sites

Self-guided · County in Iowa

New Deal and Depression-Era Sites in Taylor County, IA

Lodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

Photo: Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

Every region holds some piece of the country's story. Taylor County is one of 99 counties in Iowa. The markers and register listings are where those pieces are written down, and the closest ones to Taylor County, IA are listed below.

On the record near Taylor County, IA

The 12 nearest

21 listed sites on the record match new deal and depression-era sites within 200 miles of Taylor County, IA, out of 22 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 6 listed sites carry Taylor County as their county.

  1. Lake Ahquabi State Park, Bathhouse Area (Area B)67 miles from the center of Taylor County · District · Indianola · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  2. WPA Stock Barn and Pavilion73 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Trenton · listed 1994National Register of Historic Places
  3. Sugar Lake State Park Open Shelter86 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Rushville · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  4. Van Meter State Park Shelter Building127 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Marshall · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  5. WPA Beach House at Gardner Lake132 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Gardner · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
  6. Civilian Conservation Corps--Prisoner of War Recreation Hall138 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Eldora · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
  7. Arrow Rock State Historic Site Lookout Shelter148 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Arrow Rock · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  8. Arrow Rock State Historic Site Grave Shelter148 miles from the center of Taylor County · Structure · Arrow Rock · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  9. Arrow Rock State Historic Site Open Shelter148 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Arrow Rock · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  10. Montserrat Recreation Demonstration Area Entrance Portal149 miles from the center of Taylor County · Structure · Knob Noster · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  11. Montserrat Recreational Demonstration Area Warehouse #2 and Workshop150 miles from the center of Taylor County · Building · Knob Noster · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  12. Montserrat Recreation Demonstration Area Bridge150 miles from the center of Taylor County · Structure · Knob Noster · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Taylor County, IA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

New Deal Sites in Taylor County, step by step

  1. 1

    Read the short history of the period for this area

  2. 2

    Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter

  3. 3

    Visit the nearest site and read its full record

  4. 4

    Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest

  5. 5

    Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Taylor County, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Taylor County, IA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Taylor County, IA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Taylor County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Taylor County, IA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Taylor County, IA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Taylor County, IA

New Deal Sites near Taylor County

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