This Spooky Small Town In Iowa Could Be Right Out Of A Horror Movie

Many Iowa towns have suffered flood damage over the years. Most Iowans will remember the devastating floods of 2008 that decimated homes, buildings, and businesses. More recently, northeastern Iowa has been ravaged by the overflowing waters of the Turkey River. Many communities have spent a very long time in the process of rebuilding and recovering from flooding, and some have only just begun to assess and deal with the damages caused in years prior.

The small town of Elkport has a haunting history of flooding, demolition, and utter loss. The town was originally located at the intersection of the Turkey and Volga Rivers, and in 2004, these rivers flooded simultaneously, sending water over the levee on the south end of the town. Given the number of previous floods seen in the same region, the town voted to demolish its current buildings and relocate its citizens. In 2006, the entire town was leveled. This ghost town in Iowa is all but forgotten to the annals of time:

In May 2004, heavy rains flooded Elk Creek, broke through a dike, and flooded the town’s homes, businesses and schools in a devastating torrent of water.

Many buildings were washed away in the floods of 2004, and the structures that remained standing were filled with water as high as 15 feet.

FEMA offered a buyout to owners of flood-damaged properties in 2005, and those who accepted the money felt they had few other options. The water damage was so severe and extensive, it made renovations incredibly expensive.

Elkport was situated in a floodplain that made it very difficult for people to believe they wouldn’t have to go through this kind of destruction again, so repeated devastation was highly likely.

Many Elkport homes were tragically decimated during the flood of 2004. This once-stately home was one of many that were demolished.

This is one of the many homes that was marked with a "D" for demolition.

The main floor of the Elkport church didn’t sustain too much flood damage, and hopefully they were able to salvage some of these beautiful elements that weren’t destroyed.

This is what remained of the basement after the flooding. There was severe water damage, and mud covered much of what remained.

In September of 2006, just two years after the floods that decimated the town, Elkport was razed by bulldozers, and suddenly, 150 years of history disappeared.

This haunting image of a cornfield through broken glass in an Elkport building slated for destruction seems to sum up the sad yet beautiful and resilient history of this small Iowa town:

This slideshow of Elkport memorializes the history and structures of the now mostly demolished town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQn89N0xlMw

If you’re interested in other abandoned Iowa towns, This Haunting Road Trip Through Iowa Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget. What do you think? Do you have a favorite ghost town in Iowa? Tell us about it in the comments!