Iowa Highway 56
Encyclopedia
Iowa Highway 56 is a state highway
that runs from west to east in northeastern Iowa
. Its western terminus is at Iowa Highway 150
in West Union
. Its eastern terminus is at Iowa Highway 13 south of Elkader
.
in the southern part of West Union
. It goes southeasterly towards Elkader
. In downtown Elkader, it turns south, meets IA 13 south of Elkader, and ends.
near the Wisconsin
border. At the time of designation in 1920, the road was unpaved; a small portion west of Elkader was paved in 1931, with the rest of the route done by 1955. On November 3, 1924, the segments of the highway from Elkader to Guttenberg were renumbered as IA 13, IA 128
, and US 55
(originally IA 20). On October 7, 1953, the western terminus was moved from US 18
in West Union to its current terminus with IA 150 in the south side of the same city. Finally, on November 30, 1982, the highway was extended to end at IA 13 south of Elkader.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
that runs from west to east in northeastern Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Its western terminus is at Iowa Highway 150
Iowa Highway 150
Iowa Highway 150 is a highway in eastern and northeastern Iowa. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Iowa Highway 150 is at an intersection with U.S. Route 218 in Vinton. Its northern terminus is in Calmar at an intersection with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa...
in West Union
West Union, Iowa
West Union is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,549 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County...
. Its eastern terminus is at Iowa Highway 13 south of Elkader
Elkader, Iowa
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clayton County.-History:The city is named after Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri...
.
Route description
Iowa Highway 56 begins at an intersection with IA 150Iowa Highway 150
Iowa Highway 150 is a highway in eastern and northeastern Iowa. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Iowa Highway 150 is at an intersection with U.S. Route 218 in Vinton. Its northern terminus is in Calmar at an intersection with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa...
in the southern part of West Union
West Union, Iowa
West Union is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,549 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County...
. It goes southeasterly towards Elkader
Elkader, Iowa
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clayton County.-History:The city is named after Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri...
. In downtown Elkader, it turns south, meets IA 13 south of Elkader, and ends.
History
The original designation of IA 56 was from West Union to GuttenbergGuttenberg, Iowa
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,987 people, 837 households, and 534 families residing in the city. The population density was 962.3 people per square mile . There were 935 housing units at an average density of 452.8 per square mile...
near the Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
border. At the time of designation in 1920, the road was unpaved; a small portion west of Elkader was paved in 1931, with the rest of the route done by 1955. On November 3, 1924, the segments of the highway from Elkader to Guttenberg were renumbered as IA 13, IA 128
Iowa Highway 128
Iowa Highway 128 is a highway entirely within Clayton County, in northeastern Iowa. Its western terminus is at Iowa Highway 13 northeast of Elkader. Its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 52 north of Garnavillo. Iowa 128's route remains the same as when it was first designated.-Route...
, and US 55
U.S. Route 55
U.S. Route 55 was a north–south United States highway. Despite the "5" in its route number, US 55 was never a long route. Though it was part of the original 1926 numbering plan, it was deleted within 10 years.-Route description:...
(originally IA 20). On October 7, 1953, the western terminus was moved from US 18
U.S. Route 18 in Iowa
U.S. Route 18 is the northernmost east–west U.S. Highway in the state of Iowa. As with all state highways in Iowa, it is maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation . It enters the state by crossing the Big Sioux River between Inwood and Canton, South Dakota. It travels and...
in West Union to its current terminus with IA 150 in the south side of the same city. Finally, on November 30, 1982, the highway was extended to end at IA 13 south of Elkader.