Iowa Highway 56
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| Maintained by Iowa DOT | ||||
| Length: | 24.432 mi (39.319 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1920 – present | |||
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| West end: |
 Iowa 150 in West Union
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| East end: |
 Iowa 13 south of Elkader
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Iowa Highway 56 (Iowa 56) is a state highway that runs from west to east in northeastern Iowa. It begins at Iowa Highway 150 in West Union and ends at Iowa Highway 13 south of Elkader. As a largely rural route, Iowa 56 passes through the farmland of Fayette and Clayton counties. Through Elkader and to its eastern end, the highway runs parallel to the Turkey River.
The 24-mile-long (39 km) highway is an original route from 1920. It originally extended from West Union to Guttenberg, but it was shortened to Elkader by 1925. Since then, both the western and eastern endpoints have shifted slightly, but the route otherwise remains the same.
Iowa Highway 56 begins at an intersection with Iowa 150 in the southern part of West Union. The route starts out heading to the east, but turns to the south as it leaves the city limits. Approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of town, it curves to the south-southeast. Southeast of West Union, Iowa 56 splits the distance between the Volga River and Echo Valley state parks, each approximately two miles (3.2 km) from the highway. Being a largely rural route, it passes through the rolling farmland of Fayette and Clayton counties.
It continues to the south-southeast until it nears Elkader. There, it briefly turns to the northeast before turning southeast again along Second Street parallel to the Turkey River. The street plan of Elkader was influenced by the river, which flows from the northwest to southeast through town. Iowa 56 follows Bridge Street for one block; it heads to the southeast again along First Street. The highway meanders to the south, following the river, to an intersection with Iowa 13 near where that highway crosses the Turkey River. Clayton County's Turkey River Park is located at the intersection of Iowa 13 and Iowa 56.
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