There have been a lot of celebrities born in Iowa, from astronauts and Nobel Prize winners to artists and actors. However, the most famous celebrity born in Iowa might just be the one everyone watched on TV for decades! Johnny Carson, the man who created late-night TV as we know it today, was born right here in the Hawkeye State – but not just anywhere in the state! He was born in the tiny town of Corning, which only has around 1,500 residents in the southwest corner of the state. It’s a sleepy place, beloved by its locals with only a few notable sites for visitors – and many of them have ties to the town’s most famous resident! Johnny Carson loved the town of Corning, and we bet you will as well.

Johnny Carson is the first name that comes to mind for many people when it comes to late-night TV, and the legend traces his roots back to small-town Iowa.
NBC Television/Wikipedia
Most famous for his run on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992, he helped pioneer a whole new form of TV comedy.
NBC Television/Wikipedia
His significance was so large that in 1992, around the time of his retirement, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the first Presidential Bush.
George HW Bush Presidential Library/Wikipedia
Carson passed away in 2005 at the age of 79, but his legacy is huge - both in Hollywood and his hometown of Corning.
AllyUnion/Wikipedia

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The charming small town of just over 1,500 isn't a bustling tourist scene, but it has many surprises for those who visit.
RedRaider1/Wikipedia
These include the Icarian Colony site, one of the very first European settlements in what's now Corning back in 1852 by a group of French utopians who sought to create their own society.
AVT/Wikipedia
Of course, there is an extensive tribute to Carson - his birthplace has been preserved and turned into a museum!
Johnny Carson Birthplace Society, 13th St, Corning, IA, USA
Mike Abrams/Google Local
There is no better way to celebrate Carson's legacy in Corning than by visiting the Corning Opera House - the town's acclaimed hub for live entertainment.
Corning Opera House, Davis Avenue, Corning, IA, USA
Corning Opera House/Google Local

Have you visited Corning, Iowa to walk in the footsteps of the most famous celebrity born in Iowa? Tell us about your visit in the comments section! If you want to find out what’s going on at the Corning Opera House, make sure to check out its official website for a list of performances!

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Corning, IA 50841, USA