Ever heard of the Kate Shelley Bridge near Boone? Today is the anniversary of the weather event that led to that naming. Extremely heavy rain fell across parts of Carroll, Greene, Boone and Story counties July 6, 1881. #iawx

Carroll Co. had an unofficial report of 16" falling in just 3 hours. 8,000 bricks and 2,000ft of lumber were washed out of a supply yard. The severe flash flood washed out roads & bridges, also damaging the railroad bridge across Honey Creek west of Boone.

A 15 year old girl named Kate Shelley crawled across the nearby Des Moines River railroad bridge during the storm and rain to the train depot at Moingona to warn them not to send the midnight passenger train across the damaged bridge.

When a new bridge was built across the span in 1901 the railroad named it after Kate for her heroism and it still bears her name today. https://www.boonecounty.iowa.gov/visitors/attractions/kate-shelley-high-bridge