Things To Do & See

Sgt. Floyd Monument

This 100' high white stone obelisk memorializes Sgt. Charles Floyd, who died on the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition. Overlooking a breathtaking view of the Missouri River on Highway 75 near Glenn Avenue, it is the first historic landmark registered by the U.S. Government in 1960.

©Photo by Jerry Pospeshil

Construction
Nine feet square at the base and six feet square at the top and is capped with aluminum connected to copper grounding wires to protect it from lightning strikes. There is an inner concrete core which is four and one-half feet square at the base and three feet square at the top. The bones of Sergeant Floyd were placed in urns and then placed in the concrete core.

Construction of the monument began with the pouring of the concrete foundation on May 29, 1900. Construction was stopped at the 55 foot level in November of 1900 due to weather. On March 28, 1901, construction was continued and the capstone was laid on April 22, 1901. The monument was dedicated on May 30, 1901.

Design was by the U.S. Army Engineers, Captain James C. Sanford and Captain Hiram M. Chittenden with Assistant Engineer Bathurst Smith. The stone is Kettle River sandstone. Total amount of money spent from all sources was $12,600. The monument was recognized as the First National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior in 1960.

Location
To find the Sergeant Charles Floyd Moument with panoramic overlook: Exit off of I - 29 to US Highway 75 turn north for approx. 2 miles to park entrance on the west OR use Exit #148 off I -29 onto Nebraska Street and turn immediately east onto Gordon Drive (Iowa Hwy 12). At the east end of Gordon Drive viaduct, exit south onto US Highway 75, follow to the monument.