Resource Rich Landscape

[Abby Brown] Standing on this bluff and looking out over these historic hills and valleys, it's easy to see why people chose this place to live nearly a thousand years ago.

(Map marking O’Brien County in northwest Iowa.)

Near the town of Sutherland, the Prairie Heritage Center offers stunning views of a landscape formed by the movement of ancient glaciers. The unique bluffs, valleys and waterways we see today were left behind when the glaciers moved through the area and then eventually melted. Early native peoples like the Mill Creek culture grew crops in the river bottomland, hunted small animals for food and lived in this resource rich area along Waterman Creek. The first Euro-American settlers also found this landscape to be a good place to build their homes.

Inside the Prairie Heritage Center there are educational exhibits and activities related to the prairies, wildlife and history of the landscape. Outside there are miles of hiking trails so you can get out and take in the beautiful sights in this very special part of our state. There's even a life-sized statue of the mighty mammoth. These creatures roamed this area thousands and thousands of years ago. This is definitely a hot spot to watch for all kinds of different birds and other wildlife. Real life buffalo are here on the grounds too, roaming the landscape just as they would have a long time ago.

Every county in Iowa has a deep connection to its landscape. I hope you enjoy taking in the scenic views in O'Brien County.

Funding for FIND Iowa has been provided by The Coons Foundation, Pella and the Gilchrist Foundation.