99 Counties

Learn how Iowa counties were formed and have changed over a 36 year span from 1836 to 1872.

Every county in Iowa has a story to tell! Investigate the history and discover the science behind the story of Iowa.

The size, shape and function of airplanes have changed over time, and Iowans have played a role in the development of flight as we know it today.

Much of the design of Corning Opera House was modeled after the very popular works of William Shakespeare.

What may appear to be simple grass covered mounds are actually sacred Native American burial grounds.

As far back as the 1850s, coal mines were part of Appanoose County. Experience what an Iowa coal mine was like and how the coal was used.

John James Audubon was renowned for his beautiful bird paintings and published a book featuring 430 species.

Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.

The Ice House Museum teaches us about how people preserved their food before refrigerators and freezers were used.

Explore how Kate Shelley, an ordinary young girl did an extraordinary thing.

Today, your family probably buys bread at the market, but once upon a time you had to make the ingredients and then bake your own bread at home.

Millions of years ago a massive meteorite left a 27 mile wide crater in Manson county!

German settlers came to Iowa to establish farms and start new lives, but they continued to live in structures that suited their old lives in Germany.

Reverend George Hitchcock was an abolitionist who supported freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad.

Being President is a busy job, without much time for exercise. The Presidential doctors got creative when it came to keeping the only President from Iowa, Herbert Hoover, healthy and fit.

The Surf Ballroom is a famous and historic music and dance hall. It's a place to go have fun with friends and hear all kinds of music. It is also famous for a much sadder tale.

This train depot has been restored to its original beauty and continues to function in the same way.

The first successful gasoline-powered tractor was built here in Iowa!

The lumber industry in Iowa was essential for building construction, generating significant profits for lumber barons, while posing dangers for workers.

An Iowa girl turned megastar who broke gender norms in the workplace is being celebrated in Denison.

Brick is one of the oldest building materials in the world. Learn about brick construction at the United Brick and Tile Company.

Hiking off the beaten path is a great way to discover diverse habitats and unique geological features like a kettle hole.

The REA Power Plant Museum displays artifacts and photographs documenting the work bringing electricity to rural parts of Iowa.

Cowboys and cowgirls come to Iowa to compete in a world-famous rodeo that draws thousands of spectators from across the country.

Before electric power tools, hand-and-foot powered tools were what people used to build things. At RVP 1875, these tools are still used to build furniture today.

When pioneers first began coming to Iowa, they established one-room schoolhouses all over the state. 

Long ago, glaciers covered parts of Iowa. As they melted, they left behind lakes, like Little Wall Lake in Hamilton County.

Britt, Iowa is home to the National Hobo Museum and the National Hobo Convention. Hobos have played an important role in this community and in our state.

Understanding the material that was used to make artifacts helps us know a lot about the indigenous people who lived here.

The Steamboat Bertrand sank while traveling on the Missouri River in the 1860s. It was carrying people to mining towns in Montana, seeking to make a better life for themselves.

The Swedish American Museum in Swedesburg presents artifacts from early settlers including clothing, farming tools and toys!

Hayden Prairie State Preserve is both peaceful and beautiful, and it is one of the few remnant prairies in Iowa.

Frank Gotch made history in the sport of wrestling. Learn how is accomplishment paved the way for young wrestlers today.

Ida Grove is known as Castletown, USA. One influential person played a big role in building the many buildings that look like castles.

German immigrants in the Amana Colonies once thrived in a communal lifestyle. Today, the colonies welcome visitors and are known for their hospitality!

Huge kilns in Jackson County were once used to turn limestone into lime powder, an important ingredient in mortar.

The Wagaman Mill in Lynnville was built in a very strategic place to take advantage of the power of a nearby river. 

On the same day that the Old Capitol building became part of the University of Iowa, a meteorite fell to Earth, connecting these two events in history.

At the Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge, swans are being protected from hunting by protecting and preserving resources and the environment.

Learn how the town of Keokuk overcame travel and trading obstacles on the river using engineering solutions.

Waldo's Rock Park in Marion, Iowa is home to a large rock that doesn't match any others around it. Instead, it matches rocks found in Minnesota. This rock is an example of a glacial erratic, moved and left behind by a glacier.

The Lover's Leap Swinging Bridge was built to solve a problem for citizens.

The recipes for the homemade candy and hand-dipped chocolate at Piper's Grocery Store have never changed!

Gitchie Manitou means Great Spirit. This state preserve offers a unique look at bedrock because it is right at the surface.

Pammel State Park is the home of the only highway tunnel in Iowa.

The Nelson Pioneer Farm in Oskaloosa is the home of a rare cemetery just for mules. 

Lake Redrock is a manmade lake. When it was made, several towns were submerged under the surface and are now known as the Lost Towns of Lake Red Rock.

A caring adult recognized a child's need and addressed it with chocolate-covered ice cream!

Today, buttons are made of plastic. But not too long ago, Muscatine, Iowa was the button capitol of the world. They specialized in making pearl buttons. 

The landscape in O'Brien County, rich in natural resources, provided an ideal location for settlement by Native Americans.

Hawkeye Point in Osceola County is the highest natural point in Iowa, standing at 1670 feet!

The small town of West Bend, Iowa is home to a huge feat of engineering and design success. Let's see how one man's vision resulted in a beautiful, above ground "cave" is called The Grotto of the Redemption.

The Jordan House is one of the oldest homes in Polk County. The history of the house includes keeping a very important secret.

A rare white bison can be seen at Botna Bend Park in Pottawattamie County. A rare combination of genes gives this bison it's color. 

During Brooklyn, Iowa's Flag Day celebration, the town recreated "Serv-a-Son" chocolate bars, which lifted the spirits of Iowa soldiers during World War II.

In Sac County, the barn quilts are particularly noticeable. Explore how this type of artistic expression has brought a community together.

The Danish population of Elkhorn loves to share their culture. A Vikinghjem is a blacksmith's home.

A celebration of Dutch heritage includes all kinds of traditional food, clothing and the national flower.

This hand-carved antique carousel has been a source of entertainment since 1913. Next time you pass by on Interstate 35, stop by for a ride on one of its horses, pigs, chickens or chariots.

There was a time when no Iowa town was more than five miles from a train depot. For some towns, like Eldon, the railroad was a way of life. 

Discover the history of balloon travel and learn about some of the trials and errors of perfecting the science of balloon flight.

The State Theatre is the world's oldest continually operating movie theater. Since being invented, movies have become an important part of entertainment for people all over the world.

The Prairie Trails Museum in Wayne County has all kinds of displays and artifacts from Iowa’s history.

Charles Blanden was a smart businessman with an appreciation for the arts!

Recreational vehicles are designed to meet the needs of campers on the go!

Hiking to the ice caves of Decorah is a fun and educational adventure!

A local collector of antiques and curiosities donates a tiny church to the Worth County Historical Society.

Blacksmiths made and repaired tools. The Quasdorf Blacksmith and Wagon Museum gives an authentic feel of what a blacksmith's shop was like.