9 Moments Everyone Born In Iowa Will Always Remember
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Kim Magaraci
Author
Some significant American history has happened within our state’s borders, and much of it has happened in the 20th and 21st century! How many of these stunning moments in Iowa history do you remember? Were you there for any of them?
Shortly after takeoff, a small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa. All three musicians, as well as their pilot Roger Peterson, died in the crash. There is a memorial to them near the crash site.
This outbreak was one of the deadliest and costliest in Iowa history. Two F5 tornadoes struck in Iowa. In Charles City, 13 people were killed, nearly 500 were injured, and there was $30 million in damages. In Fayette County, another F5 destroyed nearly 1,000 homes.
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Iowa's own R. Walter Cunningham was on the first manned Apollo mission, and Apollo 7 was the first live television broadcast aboard an American manned spacecraft. Iowans around the state came together to cheer on their neighbor.
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This insane storm of the century devastated the midwest, dropped record snowfall, created record high temperatures, and was responsible for tornado outbreaks in ten states. Luckily, Iowa was not a victim of the tornadic destruction, but the long-lasting blizzard conditions were hard to believe.
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The Merle Hay Mall ppened in 1959, and it's the oldest shopping center in the state. It was the biggest, too, at the time of the 1978 Younkers fire. The deadly fire took the lives of 11 store employees, and it was later determined that a fault HVAC system was the cause.
The Hawkeyes took out Jim Harbough and Michigan on a field goal with less than 27 seconds remaining on the clock. Many consider the game to be the greatest game ever played at Kinnick Stadium.
The dramatic, horrifying crash of United Airlines Flight 232 occured at the Sioux City airport. There were 296 people on board and 111 died in the crash either on impact, or from smoke inhalation. The plane was on its way from Denver to Chicago when it suffered catastrophic engine damage.
When both the Mississippi and Missouri River flood, you know that Iowa is in trouble.
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For the entire month of June, 2008, Iowa was practically under water. The Upper Iowa River, the Turkey River, the Maquotea Rivers, the Wapsi, the Cedar River, the Skunk River and the Des Moines River all reached flood stages as did the Upper Mississippi. The damage in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City was significant, as was the damage to many smaller towns along the watershed.
Iowa’s history is marked with tragedy and resiliency, accomplishment, victory, and brilliance. No wonder we love our state!
If you’re proud of Iowa history and everything it stands for, you’ll love reading about, and then exploring, These 10 Iowa Hiking Trails That Lead To Some Incredible Pieces Of History
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