The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has received a sizeable grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The $650,000 will be used at Iowa’s oldest state park, Backbone State Park near Strawberry Point, for infrastructure updating. This is being done in preparation for the rededication during this centennial year. “The Helmsley Charitable Trust is excited to expand its funding of conservation efforts to Iowa for this important work focusing on restoring and conserving Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC)-era buildings at Backbone State Park,” says trustee, Walter Panzirer. “The historical significance and natural beauty of Backbone State Park deserves to be preserved and enjoyed by future generations.” On May 28, 2020, Iowa Gov., Kim Reynolds, will lead the statewide centennial celebration at Backbone, which is considered the flagship park in the Iowa state system. The park gets its name from a high-ridge outcropping known as the “Devil’s Backbone.”
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