Iowa - State Symbols, Fun Facts, Photos, Visitor Info

"My country owes me nothing. It gave me, as it gives every boy and girl, a chance. It gave me schooling, independence of action, opportunity for service and honor. In no other land could a boy from a country village, without inheritance or influential friends, look forward with unbounded hope."

President

Iowa
Entered the Union: December 28, 1846 (29)		State Tree Oak State Flower Wild Prairie Rose State Bird Eastern Goldfinch
Capital: Des Moines
Origin of Name: from an Indian word meaning “This is the Place” or “the Beautiful Land”
State Nickname: Hawkeye State
State Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
State Song: “Song of Iowa"
State Forests: 10 • State Parks: 83
Famous for: Corn and Agricultural Products
Famous Iowans: John Wayne • Cloris Leachman • Kate Mulgrew (actors), Johnny Carson (TV entertainer), William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (scout), George H. Gallup (poll taker), Herbert Hoover (President), Ann Landers (columnist), Glenn Martin (aviator, manufacturer), Frederick Maytag (inventor, manufacturer), Glenn Miller (Big Band), Robert Schuller • Billy Sunday (evangelists), Abigail Van Buren (columnist), Henry Wallace (Vice President), Andy Williams (singer), Bix Beiderbecke (jazz)
Animals and Birds: Click on photos of the animals and birdson this page to find out more about them and to hear the sounds they make.

State Fair: Des Moines

Iowa National Sites

Iowa State Forests

Iowa State Parks

Iowa Historic Sites

Iowa Attractions

Skiing in Iowa

Fishing in Iowa

Hunting in Iowa

Iowa Photo Gallery

Iowa Bird Gallery

Iowa Butterfly Gallery

Iowa Homeschooling

Iowa RV Parks

Iowa Hotels & Reviews

Iowa Restaurants & Reviews

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet were the first Europeans to visit Iowa in 1673. Iowa was included in the Louisiana purchase and came under U.S. control in 1803.

Effigy Mounds National Monument in northeastern Iowa preserves prehistoric mounds constructed in the outline of mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Campers and motor homes are manufactured in Winnebago County. They're called Winnebago's.

Quaker Oats, in Cedar Rapids, is the largest cereal company in the world.

Wright County has the highest percentage of grade-A topsoil in the nation.

Iowa is the only state name that starts with two vowels.

Iowa's Ethnic Roots: German 35.7%, Irish 13.5%, English 9.5%, American 6.6%, Norwegian 5.7%, Dutch 4.6%, Swedish 3.3%, Danish 3.2%

Religion in Iowa: 75% Christian (50% Protestant, 23% Catholic), 1% Other), 13% No Religion, 6% Other Religions

Decorah hosts "Nordic Fest" to celebrate its Scandinavian heritage.

Iowa has historically placed a strong emphasis on education. In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores.

Iowa is the nation's third most productive agricultural state, following only California and Texas in the value of its yearly farm output. Iowa produces 1/10 of our nation's food supply! It is the number one producer of corn and soybeans.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving - Thanking God for His blessings

Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024
In 1621, 52 Pilgrims and approx. 50 Native Americans celebrated a 3-day feast thanking God for His blessings enabling their survival in the New World. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November.

Advent

December 1, 2024
Advent begins 4 weeks before Christmas and remembers the longing and waiting of God's people for the coming of the Messiah.

Bill of Rights Day

December 15, 1791
Bill of Rights Day
Celebrating the 10 amendments to the Constitution which protect individual rights by placing specific limits on government power. These freedoms do not exist in many countries of the world.

Christmas Day

December 25th Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. This joyous festival is enjoyed by Christians and nonChristians alike all over the world.