"Bridges Connect People": DHPC Dedicates New Freeport Bowstring Bridge Informational Sign

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. DECORAH — Community members gathered Tuesday at Trout Run Park to dedicate a new informational sign highlighting the history and preservation of the Freeport Bowstring Bridge, a 148-year-old structure that remains one of Winneshiek County's most significant historic landmarks. The sign, funded by the city of Decorah and developed by the Decorah Historic Preservation Commission, was unveiled during a ceremony that also recognized individuals and organizations that helped save and relocate the bridge during preservation efforts in the 1980s. Speaking at the dedication, Decorah Historic Preservation Commission Chair Mark Muggli said the bridge represents both an important piece of Iowa's transportation history and a successful example of community preservation. "Iowa has almost 24,000 bridges," Muggli said. "This 1878 iron Freeport Bowstring Bridge, although moved from its original location in 1987, stands as a remarkable symbol of the centrality of bridges to Iowa's economy and culture." Built in 1878, the Freeport Bridge was the longest bridge in Winneshiek County at the time of its construction. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, when it was described as the second-longest single-span bowstring bridge still in use in the United States. It was relocated to its current site at Trout Run Park in 1989. Muggli said the new sign project grew out of earlier efforts by the commission to install interpretive signage at other historic bridge sites in the area. He credited Decorah Parks and Recreation Director Marc Holtey with overseeing funding, production and installation of the Freeport Bridge sign. Research for the project was aided by historical files donated to the Winneshiek County Historical Society by Duane Fensterman, who served as secretary of the Winneshiek County Historic Preservation Commission during the bridge preservation campaign. During the ceremony, Muggli recognized several people involved in preserving the bridge, including former Vesterheim curator and director Darrel Henning; former county preservation commission chair Ed Klimesh; current commission chair Steve Johnson; Tim Lynch; Greg Vanney; and Dave Roslien. He also noted the contributions of former Winneshiek County Engineer George Hanzlik, whose longtime support for bridge preservation was cited by many involved in the project. Muggli also acknowledged state funding that helped support the bridge's preservation and relocation. The project received a $20,000 state appropriation submitted by former Iowa Rep. Paul Johnson and signed by then-Gov. Terry Branstad. The dedication concluded with Muggli emphasizing the collaborative nature of historic preservation. "Bridges connect people," he said. "And people and institutions that are connected can save historic properties like bridges." Photo of the bridge in its original location over the Upper Iowa River Stay connected and informed! Join the free newsletter for curated news, trending topics, and insider perspectives you won't find anywhere else.