Motor Ghost Town
Clayton County, Iowa42.8069, -91.3511
Can you visit?
Public land, open access
Motor Mill Access · Open to visitors
- Nearest town
- 4.4 miElkader, IA
- Mild months
- Apr–Oct7 of 12
- Next ghost town
- 3.8 miLittleport
Motor is a former settlement in Clayton County, Iowa, listed among the ghost towns of Iowa. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On the map
- State
- City, county
- Private or unlisted
Star: Motor. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.
The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Elkader, IA, about 4.4 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Dubuque, IA, 39 miles away.
Ghost towns nearby
- Littleport3.8 mi south
- Elkport5.9 mi southeast
- York13 mi south
- Hartwick27 mi south
- Pleasant Ridge27 mi east
- Donnan27 mi west
- Rockville29 mi south
- Bryantsburg32 mi southwest
Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.
Who owns the land
City or county land: Motor Mill Access
PAD-US places this spot on Motor Mill Access, land managed by the county. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply.
The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.
Weather by month
Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Elkader 6 Ssw. Snow is normal from November to April.
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Elkader 6 Ssw station (USC00132603), 5.6 miles away. About 38.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Facts
| Location | Clayton County, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42.80690, -91.35110 |
| Protected as | National Register of Historic Places (NRHP 77000502) |
| Also known as | Motor, Iowa, Motor, IA |
| Sources | Wikidata Q16895429 · Wikipedia article · NPS register file |
Questions
Where is Motor ghost town?
In Clayton County, Iowa, at 42.8069, -91.3511. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Elkader, IA, about 4.4 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Dubuque, IA, 39 miles away.
Can you visit Motor?
Public land, open access. PAD-US places this spot on Motor Mill Access, land managed by the county. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply.
When is the best time to visit Motor?
Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Elkader 6 Ssw. Snow is normal from November to April.
Are there other ghost towns near Motor?
Yes. Littleport (3.8 mi), Elkport (5.9 mi), York (13 mi), Hartwick (27 mi).
