Iowans are no strangers to floods – breaches of the Mississippi, Missouri, Turkey and Cedar Rivers have caused devastating damage to our landscape and hometowns. While Elkport is not the only town destroyed by the mighty river of the Hawkeye State, it is the newest ghost town in Iowa, and its tragic story should be a cautionary tale to us all.

The town of Elkport, Iowa was established in 1855 along the Elk Creek, near the Turkey River.
Flickr / Matthew Ephriham
Sadly, the town is now just a memory, after severe floods in 2004 led to the destruction of 150 years of history.

The town's 88 residents began to worry on May 22, 2004, because the Turkey and Volga Rivers began to rapidly rise, and the two rivers converge just upstream of the town. At 11:30 a.m. on May 23, 2004, the dike protecting the town broke - for the first time in half a century. By the afternoon, most of the town's homes and buildings were under at least 8 feet of water.
After the flood water receeded, there was not much left to save in the small town. Schools, homes, banks and other buildings were so severely damaged that they were nearly unrecognizable.
Flickr / Todd Ehlers
Even the historic Elkport Savings Bank was no match for the mighty flood waters of the Turkey River and Elk Creek.
Flickr / Todd Ehlers

Related Stories

Most People Don’t Know The Story Behind Iowa's Abandoned Bridge To Nowhere

Most People Don’t Know The Story Behind Iowa's Abandoned Bridge To Nowhere

 Everyone In Iowa Should See What’s Inside The Walls Of This Abandoned Fort

Everyone In Iowa Should See What’s Inside The Walls Of This Abandoned Fort

 The (Almost) Ghost Town In Iowa With Fewer Than 15 Residents

The (Almost) Ghost Town In Iowa With Fewer Than 15 Residents
There was sadly little left to salvage from the town's 30 homes, and most residents walked away with nothing but a few damaged photographs and unbreakable memories of their hometown.
Flickr / Matthew Ephraim
Oddly enough, the main floor of the Elkport Church did not suffer tremendous damage, and some of the structures were able to be saved.
Flickr / Matthew Ephraim
After the floods, the town agreed to federal buyouts, and most of the buidlings in town were slated for demoliton. By 2006, the town was nothing but a memory.
Flickr / Todd Ehlers
When most people think of ghost towns, images of the prairie pioneers and prospectors come to mind... but in Iowa, a flood can wipe out life as we know it.Today, there's nothing left of Elkport's 150 year history except some photographs and the memory of this ghost town's devastating history.

Do you remember the great floods of 2004? Throughout the Turkey and Maquoketa River basins, mother nature did tremendous damage to Iowa. In fact, some of the worst disasters in Iowa’s history have been mighty floods. Read a little more about the downside of our wild Iowa weather in The 11 Most Horrifying Disasters That Ever Happened In Iowa.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore Iowa