Iowa Heritage Tourism; My Home State

The State of Iowa is a great state 'to be from' such as I am. My parents and grandparents spend their entire adult lives in a fairly small radius of miles in the heart of west central Iowa farm country. Iowa is certainly rural and agriculturally based - but, the capital city of Des Moines is second only to Hartford, Connecticut as home to insurance company headquarters, over the years.

Over a third of the 99 counties are included in the National Heritage Area (NHA) of the northeast region of the state: Silos and Smokestakes NHA.

The Iowa State Capital building is not only distinctive it is indeed unique, with five domes; the central dome is gold.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Iowa_State_Capit...

I like to start off, as you know, with links to any National Heritage Area (NHA) in the state because they focus on historic, cultural and nature issues in their area. Silos and Smokestack covers an enlarged northeast portion of the state, over a third of the counties in the sate.

Whiterock Conservancy is notable in its own right, but also as a wonderful example of what can be done with an area through a close private-public effort of land conservation and preservation along with regional recreational opportunities.

The Garst Homestead was visited by Soviet Premier Khrushchev in his historic 1959 visit to the USA.

Also known as America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership

This NHA includes 37 counties as well as the cities of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Waterloo, Dubuque and Iowa City.

Living History Farms, opened to the public in 1970, in Urbandale, Iowa, anchors the southwest corner of the HNA. This is a 500 acre open-air musuem.

The Amana Colonies are also included in the Silos and Smokestacks NHA.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silos_%26_Smokestacks...

Have you visited the Silos and Smokestacks NHA area?

Iowa has always been a leader in literacy and education, led by their outstanding three state universities - and a strong community college system. There are also many fine private schools, as well.

Iowa is part of the American Heartland

Iowa became a state in 1846. Iowa is in the heart of the Corn Belt but has developed a diversifies economy in the later 20th century. Iowa is bordered on the east by the Mississippi River and on the west largely by the Missouri River.

Photo Courtesy of WIkimedia Commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa