The Spirit of Okoboji Swing Bridge Restoration Project will preserve and celebrate a remarkable piece of Iowa Great Lakes history through the restoration and reinstallation of a rare 1909 steel swing bridge. The bridge represents far more than a functional crossing — it serves as a living connection to the region’s origin story, when railroads brought visitors to the Lakes, resorts welcomed them, and steamships carried them across the water.

Once restored, the bridge will function as a pedestrian and golf cart crossing located on the Emerald Hills Golf Course while also standing as a unique historic landmark that physically and symbolically connects transportation, tourism, hospitality, and lake life.