Pikes Point State Park Explained

Pikes Point State Park
Map:USA Iowa#USA
Relief:1
Location:Dickinson, Iowa, United States
Coordinates:43.4153°N -95.1631°W
Area Acre:15
Area Ref:[1]
Elevation:1444feet[2]
Established:1931
Governing Body:Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Website:Pikes Point State Park
Pikes Point State Park Shelter and Steps
Embed:yes
Nrhp Type:hd
Nocat:yes
Built:1933
Added:November 15, 1990
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:90001675

Pikes Point State Park is located southwest of Spirit Lake, Iowa, United States. It is a small park on a point of land that projects into West Okoboji Lake. It provides space for picnicking, including a shelter listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a playground, a swimming beach, boating and fishing on the lake.

History

Pikes Point was dedicated as a state park in 1931. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 778 built the shelter, steps, trails, plantings, and the footings for the latrine by March 17, 1934.[3] The park was put under the jurisdiction of Gull Point State Park in 1936.

Park Shelter and Steps

The picnic shelter is located at the base of a slope to the lake. The Rustic style structure features a back wall and stepped end walls composed of random rubble stone. On the center of the back wall is a fireplace flanked by two stone benches. Four round timber posts with bracing hold up the timber roof supports and shed roof. The roof extends as a 7feet overhang in the back. Another fireplace is located there. The patio in back continues to the hillside and ends at a curved stone bench. A set of 29 stone steps ascend the 25feet hill south of the shelter. The significance of its architecture is that it was designed to blend into its natural surroundings by means of its material, design, and workmanship.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Guide to Iowa State Parks. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2016-10-23.
  2. Web site: [{{Gnis3|460140}} Pikes Point State Park]. 1979-04-30. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2016-05-31.
  3. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=90001675}} Pikes Point State Park]. National Park Service. 2016-05-31. Joyce McKay. with