Abandoned US 34 - Southeast Iowa

The original US 34 was paved in southeast Iowa between 1928 and 1930. Sometime in the late 1950's a new alignment of US 34 was built between Ottumwa and Chariton. Much of the abandoned sections are still around as County H35, winding thru Albia and over hills. A lot still has original pavement, and is maintained by Wapello and Monroe Counties

A few sections, though, were completely abandoned. These are in varying states of condition, but tells in its cracks the history of highways in Iowa.

See this page without images.

All pictures taken 1/20/02.

This map shows the location of the picture sets below.

Picture Set 1

Click on the picture for a zoom in:

Picture 1 (169 kb)
Picture 2 (165 kb)
H35 curves left to intersect US 34, but the original highway went straight. New 34 was built over the old road.
Old 34 ascends hill out of Coal Creek valley. Notice the "curbs" on the road, even though we're miles out of the city. Were these standard in the 1920s?

Picture Set 2

Click on the picture for a zoom in:

Picture 1 (173 kb)
Picture 2 (173 kb)
Picture 3 (178 kb)
Grass and newfallen snow cover this abandoned section of US 34.
Looking up abandoned US 34, you can see a semi-truck rolling down the new highway.
Here's the end of this section of the abandoned highway, approaching Cedar Creek.

Picture Set 3

Click on the picture for a zoom in:

Picture 1 (179 kb)
Picture 2 (184 kb)
Here, old US 34 barely exists, as it's underneath a cattle lot now.
A zoom in on the old culvert. Again, you can see the strange "curbs" on the sides of the old highway.
Picture 3 (180 kb)

Picture 4 (178 kb)

Looking down old US 34 toward Cedar Creek.
Abandoned US 34 emerges thru the gate from the cattle lot.

Other Pictures:

Picture 1 (164 kb)
Picture 2 (174 kb)
An older-style US 34 sign to go along with the old highway. My guess is that it was posted in the late 1950s when they built the new road.
There are even older-style county shields on H35.

Maps and aerial photos courtesy MSN's Terraserver.

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Page made 2/21/02 when I should have been studying.