Clark Tower Turns 100: Celebrate One of Winterset’s Most Iconic Landmarks

There are plenty of places in Iowa that surprise people the first time they see them — and Clark Tower in Winterset is definitely one of them.

Tucked inside Winterset City Park, this castle-like limestone tower has been standing above the Middle River Valley since 1926. In 2026, Clark Tower turns 100 years old, and Winterset is marking the occasion with a two-day celebration weekend on Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8, 2026.

Whether you’ve climbed the tower before, remember visiting it as a kid, or have always meant to stop during a Madison County road trip, this is a great excuse to put Winterset on your calendar.

Clark Tower 100th Anniversary Celebration Weekend

When: Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8, 2026
Where: Winterset City Park, Winterset, Iowa
What: A two-day celebration honoring 100 years of Clark Tower

The weekend includes live music, history activities, a family fun run, a trail race, food and drinks, a silent auction, family activities, and a special Clark Tower illumination.

The official event schedule includes activities on both Friday evening and Saturday during the day.

Friday, August 7: Dinner, Silent Auction, Program, and Illumination

The celebration begins Friday evening inside Winterset City Park.

Friday events include:

4:30 to 6:00 p.m. — Social Hour
Held at Arbor Shelter in City Park.

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Silent Auction
Held at North Shelter in City Park.

6:00 to 8:00 p.m. — Dinner
Held at North Shelter in City Park.

7:00 to 8:00 p.m. — Clark Tower Weekend Declaration and Program

8:00 p.m. — Clark Tower Illumination

The illumination is the part I would especially keep an eye on if you’re hoping for photos. Clark Tower is already one of the most photogenic landmarks in Madison County, and a special evening lighting event should make it even more memorable.

Saturday, August 8: Fun Run, Trail Run, History Tours, and Family Activities

Saturday is built around family-friendly activities, park history, and community fun.

Saturday events include:

9:00 a.m. — 5K Trail Run and 1-Mile Fun Run

9:30 to 11:30 a.m. — Park History Walking Tour, Session #1

11:00 a.m. — Clark Family Descendants Photo at Clark Tower

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. — Community-Wide Reunion Picnic in the Park
This includes food trucks, live music, lawn games and activities, bags tournament, caricature drawings, bubbles, and sidewalk chalk.

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. — Paint & Sip with Christine Hilbert

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. — Park History Walking Tour, Session #2

3:00 p.m. — Weekend activities end

If you’re bringing kids, Saturday looks like the better day to make a full park visit out of it. Between the lawn games, picnic atmosphere, food trucks, and walking tours, you could easily spend several hours exploring the park.

Where is Clark Tower?

Clark Tower is located inside Winterset City Park in Winterset, Iowa.

The general park address is:

Winterset City Park
300 S. 9th St.
Winterset, Iowa 50273

Clark Tower is not right at the front entrance of the park. It sits deeper inside City Park, reached by a narrow road that winds back through the park and up toward the tower.

That’s part of what makes it feel like a hidden gem. You don’t just pull up to it from the highway. You have to go looking for it a little bit.

What to know before visiting Clark Tower

Clark Tower can be reached by foot, bicycle, or vehicle, but there are a few important things to know before you go.

The road to the tower is narrow, one-way, and not designed for large vehicles. Madison County Tourism notes that vehicles larger than a minivan should not use the tower road. The route is roughly one mile up and one mile down, so if you walk it, plan for a bit of time and wear comfortable shoes.

The road to Clark Tower also closes each night at sunset and is closed during the winter months, while the main drive through Winterset City Park remains open year-round.

For the anniversary weekend, expect more visitors than usual. If you’re coming specifically for the event, give yourself extra time for parking, walking, and getting around the park.

Why Clark Tower is worth the stop

Clark Tower is one of those Iowa landmarks that feels like it belongs in a storybook.

It’s only 25 feet tall, but its castle-like design, limestone construction, and hilltop setting make it feel much bigger than that. The tower overlooks the Middle River Valley, and visitors can climb inside the tower for a view from the top.

For a lot of people, the fun is in the surprise. You’re driving through Winterset City Park, a place already known for its covered bridge, hedge maze, picnic areas, campground, and historic features, and then suddenly there’s a stone tower that looks like a little castle tucked into the woods.

That’s why Clark Tower has become one of the most memorable stops in Madison County.

A short history of Clark Tower

Clark Tower was built in 1926 as a memorial to Caleb and Ruth Clark, early pioneer settlers in Madison County.

Caleb and Ruth Clark arrived in Madison County in May of 1846, and their descendants later built the tower to honor their legacy. Work on the tower began in March 1926 and was completed in July of that same year. The limestone used to build it came from the bluff inside City Park, quarried within about 200 feet of the tower itself.

In August 1926, Earl Clark, a grandson of Caleb and Ruth Clark, presented the tower to the City of Winterset. Three of the Clarks’ daughters were also present for the dedication.

Now, 100 years later, the tower is still standing as one of Winterset’s most recognizable landmarks.

Make it a Winterset road trip

If you’re coming to Winterset for the Clark Tower celebration, give yourself time to explore the rest of City Park, too.

Winterset City Park includes the Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge, a hedge maze, limestone shelter houses, picnic areas, restrooms, a campground, Bennett Cabin, wood carvings, and other historic features.

And of course, Winterset is also the county seat of Madison County, which means you’re in covered bridge country. If you’re making a day trip or weekend out of it, this is a great chance to pair Clark Tower with the Madison County covered bridges, the Winterset town square, local shops, restaurants, and the John Wayne Birthplace Museum.

Final thoughts

Clark Tower is one of those Iowa places that people remember.

It’s a little unexpected, a little hidden, and a lot of fun to visit. And for its 100th anniversary, Winterset is giving this landmark the kind of celebration it deserves.

So if you’ve been looking for a reason to revisit Winterset City Park — or if Clark Tower has been sitting on your “someday” Iowa road trip list — August 7 and 8, 2026 would be a pretty perfect time to go.