Winter's Dam on the Maquoketa

To begin the 42N 2014 blogging season I traveled a few miles up the highway to the old dam on the Maquoketa River located at Monticello, Iowa. Last year's blog activity saw a ready stream of posts until a self imposed slowdown in November. While I broke my one-more-blog-posting-than-the previous-year routine, the pause did rack up more material that I can blog about this year. So let's get started...

For more than 100 years this structure and its predecessors have provided grist milling,ice and electrical power for the city. Today the area is noted as historical and for its fishing magic just below the cascades.

A historical view of the dam taken in the 1920s shows various units of the power plant configuration during its peak production period. The stone ice house building, closest to the photographer, was for storage of river ice used in households in the community.

Dreaming of the Wild Blue Yonder for an AT-6C Texan

Monticello, Iowa's small airport is the current home of this AT-6C Texan aircraft. Yesterday this plane, built in 1944 was towed to the fuel tanks at the time I happened to be onsite. I have seen this plane several times but have not actually observed it flying. Yesterday would have been a great opportunity for touring the 42N eastern Iowa countryside while peering from a real classic. Maybe next time. Read another story from me about the plane here.

Ruben Ely's Three Span Bridge

Recently we found another surprise located in 42N country - a three span stone bridge. Located just west of Monticello, Iowa is this limestone constructed bridge which spans Deer Creek. Farmer Ruben Ely Sr. and son constructed the bridge in 1893 for about $455 using stone from quarries in nearby Anamosa, Iowa. 

Ruben's grandson, Mark Bader helped make repairs on the bridge in 2003. The next year a concrete deck and steel guardrails were added for further stability and safety. 

Running north and south, this unique bridge is only one lane wide. Obviously to survive not being demolished or widened for modern traffic suggests that the bridge is considered special. In 1979 the Ely bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Know that.

Prepared for Mechanical Failure

At the Monticello, Iowa fly-In last Sunday a pilot hand starts his plane to leave the airport before a line of thunderstorms rolls through. He is wearing a blue parachute harness as a precaution to inflight equipment failure. A few minutes later he departed without issue ahead of the rain. Hopefully the pilot and plane will return to next year's breakfast fly-in. Know that.

Gitmo Bay's AT-6C Texan Displayed at Monticello Fly-In

At the Monticello, Iowa Fly-In this past Sunday was this AT-6C "Texan" aircraft with US Navy markings. Built in 1944 this particular plane served with the VC-10 attack squadron located at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In a couple of weeks the trainer will be in Dubuque, Iowa with other AT-6s before heading to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the big EAA show. Know that.