Today I thought would take you around a town that I like to call home. The first time that I stepped a foot into Winterset I felt that I was at home.  Winterset has all the attributes of a small town. People that wave and smile at you even though you are a stranger to their town. I want to take a trip with you through my favorite small town.

I absolutely love the atmosphere of Winterset and its charming downtown area. The buildings are quaint and are all well kept for buildings that are over 100 years old. The Courthouse is beautiful alone, but combine it with the buildings around the square and you feel as you are stepping back in time.

Then there is my most favorite place to come to downtown and that is Ben Franklin! They have anything you could possibly want or need.

Winterset boasts of a City Park that has not only one of the Bridges from Bridges of Madison County but it also has it’s own tower called Clarks Tower.  You may also want to try your hand at the Hedge Maze just for fun!

I have already mentioned that Winterset is known for the movie Bridges of Madison County. The bridges are something you will want to see.  Then there is the Covered Bridge Festival every year in October.

There are only six extant bridges in Madison County:

• Cedar Bridge built 1883, 76 feet (23 m) long.
• Cutler-Donahoe Bridge built 1870, 79 feet (24 m) long.
• Hogback Covered Bridge built 1884, 97 feet (30 m) long.
• Holliwell Bridge built 1880, 122 feet (37 m) long.
• Imes Bridge built 1870, 81 feet (25 m) long.
• Roseman Covered Bridge built 1883, 107 feet (33 m) long. This is the best known one as it features in the movie The Bridges of Madison County (film) of 1995. The bridges were designed primarily by Eli Cox. Eli and his sons built several of the bridges including Imes and Cutler-Donahoe. Some of the bridges were built by Benton Jones.

Pictured below are Cedar Bridge where you can picnic at the Gazebo, Hogback Covered Bridge and a Swing Bridge at the Margaret Guye Woods Forest Preserve.

Last but not least Winterset is also the home of John Wayne. They celebrate him with John Wayne Days.

I love the fact that I can be in Winterset and not have to go any where else for what I need. It is quite the self sufficient town with restaurants, grocery, department, hardware and craft stores.  I will be back there soon! 🙂

I hope you have enjoyed this trip to my favorite town of Winterset Iowa! Thank you again for stopping by!

Laura 🙂