The Ellsworth Ranch Bridge spans the East Fork of the Des Moines River here; it was built in 1895 by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland Ohio under the direction of Milo Adams. It represents an unusual variation of a Pratt truss. It is identical to two trusses found in South Dakota and Minnesota, both built in the late-1800s by Milo A. Adams, an agent of the King Bridge Co.
The only one of its type in Iowa, the Ellsworth Ranch Bridge is a rare surviving example of structural experimentation by one of the country's most prolific 19th-century bridge manufacturers. It was rehabilitated in 1937, and served the people of the area until finally being deemed structurally deficient, and was closed to all traffic in 2007. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1998.
You can get here from the east or west by following 130th Street, or from the north on 510th Avenue. This is a very quiet and peaceful place, you may have some nearby horses or cows for company while you visit. Cache is small in size, initial contents are a log/stampbook, letterbox stamp, pencil, a few trade items, and a travel bug. Please do not remove the stamp, it is not a trade item. There is no ink pad, letterboxers will need to bring their own. While you're here take a moment to pause and listen --- to the sounds of silence.