Travel in the Hawkeye State
George Everette “Bud” Day’s 13-foot-tall bronze sculpture greets guests at the Sioux Gateway Airport/Brigadier General Bud Day Field entrance. Who was Bud Day? George Everette “Bud” Day of Siouxland is the only person to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross, the Air Force’s highest honors. With more than 70 decorations, Day is […]
Medal of Honor recipient General Bud Day: A Siouxland hero Read More »
A 100-foot-high sandstone obelisk perched on a Siouxland bluff honors Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of the Corps of Discovery to die. He died on August 20, 1804, likely from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, in present-day Sioux City, Iowa. At 21, he was one of the youngest expedition members. Several Siouxland locations
Sergeant Floyd in Siouxland: Lewis and Clark’s sole fatality Read More »
Floyd of Rosedale, a giant stylized pig, stands guard at the Rosedale Rapids Aquatic Center in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The story behind the sculpture involves a real pig, two college football teams, a confrontation over racist behavior, and a trophy. Iowa Governor Clyde Herring and Minnesota Governor Floyd Olson each bet on the 1936 Iowa-Minnesota
The Floyd of Rosedale football trophy’s intriguing story Read More »
You’ll learn all you need to know about the Mississippi River at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. I allowed three hours, but I could have spent days exploring the Dubuque, Iowa, attraction. Every member of the family will find much to enjoy in the three-building, 10-acre campus, and I highly recommend this great
Visit Dubuque’s National Mississippi River Museum Read More »
LeClaire, Iowa, is the perfect weekend getaway. The History Channel’s TV show “American Pickers” made LeClaire famous nationwide. The show’s stars travel the nation searching treasures to fill Antique Archaeology, their store in Downtown Le Claire. The small river town is William Frederick Cody’s boyhood home; you know him as Buffalo Bill Cody. However, LeClaire is
Explore the 10 best things to do in LeClaire, Iowa Read More »
What does freedom mean to you? The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, answers that question in its “Faces of Freedom” exhibit. It says freedom can be “freedom from” or “freedom to.” Freedom from oppression, persecution, or fear. Freedom to live, travel, work, worship, and love. Cedar Rapids Tourism
Top 5 reasons to visit Iowa’s National Czech and Slovak Museum Read More »
An oversized lancet window guards the northbound Interstate 380 Grant Wood Rest Area between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City in Eastern Iowa. The window frame is instantly recognizable as a tribute to American Gothic, America’s most famous artwork. Images of the man and woman in the painting denote each restroom’s gender preference. Another Gothic window changes
The 26 best Grant Wood places to visit in Iowa Read More »
One of America’s greatest art icons, Grant Wood’s American Gothic painting, is set near Ottumwa, Iowa. However, the American Gothic House Center is far from the only reason to visit Ottumwa. You also must tour the Antique Airplane Association’s airpower museum and antique airfield. Shop and eat in Downtown Ottumwa, and explore the surprising Video Game Capital
Ottumwa, Iowa: Best 25 things to do when you visit Read More »
Visit Fort Dodge uses “Dodge the Ordinary” to promote Fort Dodge, Iowa. The tagline accurately describes the perfect day trip or weekend getaway an hour and a half northwest of Des Moines. The Fort Dodge area’s attraction options should be on every traveler’s checklist, whether you enjoy art, architecture, history, shopping, or dining. The hospitable
21 best things to do when you visit Fort Dodge, Iowa Read More »
On February 2, 1959, the Winter Dance Party bands played at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Headliners included Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, and Ritchie Valens. The night was electric. Couples whirled around the dance floor to the exciting new music genre. Afterward, Holly, Richardson, and Valens left The Surf Ballroom
The Surf Ballroom: A rock icon Read More »
