Everything You’ll Ever Need To Know About Iowa From A To Z
By Michaela Kendall|Updated on December 30, 2022(Originally published December 25, 2022)
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Michaela Kendall
Author
Michaela is a born and raised Iowan. She writes for a newspaper by day, and writes content for websites by night. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book, or just binge watching Netflix.
Okay, maybe not EVERYTHING, but it’s a pretty good start! There is a heck of a lot to pack into twenty six fun facts about Iowa, so strap in, this is Iowa A to Z, the following 26 facts, figures, and other fun info will give you a pretty good understanding of what Iowa is all about:
Since 1894, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State University Cyclones have battled it out on the football field in their over-century old rivalry. At the end of the game, the winner goes home with the coveted Cy-Hawk trophy.
Life is Iowa is pretty sweet, and it is extra sweet in the capital, Des Moines , is also the largest city in the state, and a growing hub of business and culture. Recently, Des Moines was ranked as the richest capital city in the nation, and it was named the number one city for young professionals by Forbes.
Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, creating nearly 30% of all ethanol, or 3.9 billion gallons per year, according to the Iowa Promotion Board.
If you have never seen Field of Dreams, you're not a very good Iowan. And if you have actually visited the filming site in Dyersville, then you get bonus points!
One of the most iconic American artists, Grant Wood, was born and raised right here in Iowa. He is most well known for his "American Gothic" painting, which is shown reproduced on this barn in Jones County.
Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was born in West Branch, Iowa. The Herbert Hoover Birthplace and childhood home is now a National Historic Landmark.
Iowa's professional baseball team, the Iowa Cubs, play at Principal Park in Des Moines. If you want to be considered a true Iowan, you should probably go to at least one of their games, even if you don't like baseball!
Western film star John Wayne was born Marion Morrison in a little house in Winterset, Iowa. The Duke's childhood home is now open as the John Wayne Museum.
The Loess Hills of western Iowa are formed by a clay-like substance called loess soil, and they run for 200 miles along the Missouri River. They are truly one of the most remarkable sights that you will ever see. In fact, the only other place you can see anything like this is in Shaanxi, China.
Surf Ballroom and Museum in Clear Lake is a Historic Rock and Roll Landmark that has seen many famous performers, most notably Buddy Holly, who played his last performance here before the tragic plane crash that killed him.
The Upper Iowa River is one of the most beautiful places in the state, marked by the towering bluffs that sit on the river's edge. The 156-mile long river runs through the cities of Chester, Lime Springs, Florenceville, Kendallville, Bluffton, and Decorah.
Vesterheim
Vesterheim Museum Store, 502 W Water St, Decorah, IA 52101, USA
The Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum in Decorah is an absolutely amazing, premiere museum for anything Norwegian American. They were recently named one of the "15 Best Small Town Museums in the U.S" by Fodor's.
Iowa is one of the states leading the nation in wind energy. In 2014, Iowa produced 28% of its electricity from wind power, which was the first in the nation, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Located in Allamakee County, Yellow River State Forest is a great place to do a little hiking, or maybe some camping, in one of Iowa's gorgeous state forests.
Zwingle is a tiny town in Dubuque and Jackson counties that has a population of around 91. We're not quite sure how they came up with the town name, but for the purpose of this list, we're glad they picked something with a Z.
Obviously this Iowa A-z list just barely scratches the surface, (there are only 26 letters, after all) but it’s a good start! What are some things that you would add? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below! And definitely take a look at these extra fun facts about Iowa.
If this article has you wondering “what is living in Iowa like?” You might want to check out our list of reasons that you should want to live in Iowa. There is so much wonderful stuff about our state, and these ten reasons are just the tip of the iceberg.
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More to Explore
Discovering Iowa
Sara Dager|December 30, 2022
Which are the best road trips through Iowa to take?
A great way to discover all that our beautiful state has to offer is by taking a road trip through Iowa. Pack up the car, call some pals to come along, and get on the road on some of these trips:
Are there any Iowa traditions I can follow to be a little bit more like the locals?
When you first enter Iowa, the locals may be doing a few things you don't fully understand, but these are actually long-held Iowa traditions that you might want to take part in, such as
Storm chasing
Doing the "farmer wave"
Putting olives in beer
Building butter cows
The National Hobo Convention
What classic Iowa foods do I need to try on my trip?
You may not think first of Iowa when you are on the hunt for great cuisine, but you would be wrong, there are so many delectable classic Iowa foods out there to try, like:
