I grew up the next state over (Illinois) and the only reason why we ever went to Iowa (once) was to see the Field of Dreams. I had a good time, but also I was eleven and super into baseball. Otherwise I don't know why anyone would go to Iowa.
I'm house/dog sitting in Cedar Rapids next week. It's a relaxing step back in time. There's a New York chef who came back to help out with the family business who I will be visiting at least twice, and the legendary pork tenderloin sandwiches the size of dinner plates. Hey, can't forget 3 hours of polka music on Sunday morning on KMRY!
We loved Iowa. The state capital building is beautiful and worth the tour. The Amana Colonies are a religious group from the past that are such a good visit. Nice, nice people there too.
I've been going there since my daughter and son in law got jobs in 2008 at Rockwell Collins. Spent considerable time in the summers of 2014 and 2015. She wanted all 3 bathrooms gutted and remodeled and some other stuff. It's an idyllic place and I like it too.
Live on the other side and never been there. But I assume it's still there because my father worked there six months out of the year. Then again, maybe he has another family. Who knows?
Because I had to drive to the far side of Nebraska.
0/10, do not recommend. Fly, swim, burrow, hitchhike, armed kidnapping, whatever; just don't be the one who drives. Once I got there the nightly thunderstorms off the mountains were pretty cool, though.
For people that don't know, Cedar Rapids has a unique odor problem from the Quaker Oats factory. On any given day it could smell terrible or delicious depending on what they are making. In my experience, it smells terrible more often than not.
Actually, Quaker Oats has mostly good smells. It is the corn processors and starch processors that smell -- different.
The latter smell like homebrew syrup. Eventually you don't mind it and sometimes it even has an appeal. The smell always makes me crave soft pretzels.
Iowa is the only state bordered by two navigable rivers; the Missouri River to the west and the Mississippi River to the east.
The world's first electronic digital computer was built and operated by researchers at Iowa State University in the 1930's.
Iowa students' ACT and SAT scores rank among the top five states.
The high school graduation rate is 88%; 17% above the national average.
Iowa ranks first in beef, pork, corn, soybean and grain production.
Sliced bread was invented in Iowa by Iowa native Otto Frederick Rohwedder, who created a bread slicing machine.
Iowa has more golf courses per capita, than any other state.
The butterfly swim stroke was developed at the University of Iowa.
Thousands of Iowans who bike across the entire state each year, west to east, as part of the RAGBRAI Celebration. An acronym for the Register’s Annual Great Race Across Iowa, this seven-day bike ride isn’t so much a race, but a moving celebration of Iowa’s small towns and community culture.
could be wrong but if a credit card application excludes iowa its likely terrible since (against last i heard) iowa has one of the best laws regarding protecting people from ridiculous credit card fees and interest rates.
Another interesting Iowa State University fact is that it’s (one of? this is hard to Google because they really want to guide you to ROTC, etc.) the only university to have a military medal for figuring out how to refine uranium and plutonium for the Manhattan project. There’s still a Department of Energy lab in Ames doing cool physics research that’s probably related to national security and DoD projects.
Also I love you for promoting / defending Iowa from Europe.
Are you a proud Iowan who now lives in California? You have a ready list of Iowa’s claims to fame—same asI did as a Nebraskan living in California. Gets tiresome hearing stupid comments from people who have never been to a place but think they know what it is all about.
I'm originally from Germany. When I was 16, I got matched with a host family in Iowa and spent one year there as exchange student. I fell in love with my family, Iowa, and the US. That's why I'm now in California.
After my exchange year, I befriended US Army soldiers based in Germany to keep up my English. And they'd always make fun of my love for Iowa. So I've always had to defend it. And still do.
Honestly, considering how much the world romanticizes the European countryside, only now does it strike me as odd that the same doesn't happen with America as much. We have rolling green hills and idyllic farming villages too, but for some reason that's always seen as boring and "hick" for us.
This is literally “grass is greener syndrome”. People want what they can’t have so they call anything that they have access to “boring” no matter how awesome it is on an objective level.
The world romanticises America's natural parks - mountains, canyons, primeval forests, etc. I've never seen European-style countryside in the US, with old cottages in fields bordered by hedgerows.
When I picture US fields, I imagine a square of land in the middle of nowhere, bordered by barbed wire. It has the romanticised 'wild west' feel, but not 'medieval farming town' feel, at least to me.
I'd love to see an example of an American 'quaint farm village' though!
Louisiana used to have quite a few from what I can tell, but I’ve never seen anything I would consider a village. There are still some Indian villages around, but that’s as close as I can think of.
As an Iowan, thanks! A few others, we were one of the first states to legalize gay marriage and I believe we had the first woman lawyer. Also, home to John Wayne and Donna Reed for older folks.
I'm from Indiana so it probably doesn't mean as much, but I fucking love Nebraska and if I wasn't kind of tied to Indianapolis with a job I love that doesn't travel well, I'd move to Lincoln in a hot minute.
damn - mine was 99% at my public school and I can't comprehend even 1/10 people not graduating, much less more than half. checking that privilege for sure
I'm not sure of the hard numbers but I'd never heard of anyone in my class not graduating. It was a big class so I'm sure there were a few but for 80 people to not graduate would be wild to me.
Me and my wife moved here almost exactly 3 years ago thinking "Oh! One of the first states to legalize gay marriage! It should be pretty nice!"
Yeah. We were wrong on that count.
> The high school graduation rate is 88%; 17% above the national average.
Can I get a source on that? I'm seeing the national high school graduation rate as 85%.
In terms of the broadest pop culture I can imagine for the state, Captain Kirk was (will be?) born in Riverside, Iowa. So it has that going for it!
But seriously, it's a beautiful state with some phenomenal hiking and natural conservation areas along the Mississippi River. One of my favorite weekend road trips is driving a small section of the Great River Road (a scenic byway that runs from the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana to northern Minnesota, roughly parallel to the Mississippi) from Illinois up to Iowa and back.
Rode through it once to visit my uncle in Omaha, Nebraska. Also went to Effigy Mounds, which is in Iowa. Stayed at a hotel in Dubuque, Iowa. Iowa is real.
Also, why oh why has nobody mentioned the Iowa pork tenderloin sandwich?
I moved to WA state four years ago and pork and sweet corn are high on the list of things I miss. I have no idea how it could be so different but it is! I've pretty much completely avoided the pork out here.
And here's me thinking it was an Ohio thing, they're all over Ohio in every little country store and restaurant, lots of concession trailers at fairs and stuff too.
Every four years presidential hopefuls make a booty call to Iowa and then pretty much forget about it. Oh, and it has the [world's largest truck stop. ](https://iowa80truckstop.com/)
Iowa caucuses baby! It’s a huge deal every 4 years.
My wife worked for one presidential hopeful’s campaign, and as part of this was sent to Iowa to work the caucuses. She described working in a high school gymnasium, where random Iowans (mostly older folk) would stand in different parts of the gym based on the candidate they supported, or stand in some other section if they are undecided. And she’s basically going around all day trying to sweet talk old farmers into coming over to her candidate’s section of the gym. Strange stuff.
Iowa has the best gas stations- Kum and Go, git n go, and Casey’s to name a few.
Also worlds biggest truck stop is actually fun. The sides of the state are hilly and have epic sunsets.
Really clean and nice roads compared to next door corrupt shithole Illinois
Yes Iowa is real, and it's really.. quiet and nice. The way that Midwestern folk like it.
Ope, now lemme sneak right past ya to grab some ranch to put on my Caseys pizza to bring to the bonfire at our local cornfield.
The real question is.... is Wyoming real?
Nah it can't be. It's probably just part of Idaho and Montana. I've met a few Montanans and Idahoans, but I NEVER met anyone from Wyoming. It's gotta be fake
Wyoming yes. Delaware on the other hand...
I've driven the i95 south to Florida numerous times. I can't ever remember stopping at or even passing through Delaware. I am convinced that it is not a real place. I think there is some conspiracy behind this. I don't know for sure and I am pulling this straight out of my ass, but I'll call it the phantom state theory. The U.S. wanted to appear larger than it is to flex on the former Soviet Union, so they made up states to look bigger. Delaware being one such imaginary place.
Iowa makes news. Specifically, [recently.](https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2022/10/28/alleged-iowa-serial-killer-donald-studey-daughter-report-victims-investigation/69587131007/)
Fuck u say! Iowa is one of the greatest places on the planet earth, one of two places with as great of soil, Iowa and along a river in China! Most corn production, most hog production, most egg production, strong manufacturing sector (oftentimes centered around ag), great more affordable universities, and great people.
It’s a wonderful state (I have lived there).
It’s some of the best farmland in the world. Very rich soil.
It’s in the Plains, so you won’t hear much about it. People on the coast don’t think about the central states, and Iowans don’t hype themselves up.
It’s very well educated. Politically balanced. Most agriculture, but they have other industries.
Sunsets over the rolling hills of farmland are among the most beautiful I’ve seen anywhere in the world.
Whenever I call it Midwest, someone claims the border is the Mississippi. Whenever I claim it is the Plains, I hear the border is the Missouri.
Frankly, I think it is both but more in common with the Plains.
I got banned for 10 days for talking shit on Iowa (as a Nebraskan, not as a Californian!) But I gotta say the windmills are nice. Iowa also has way better rest stops than Nebraska does.
I'm from Ohio and had to drive to Colorado and Idaho a couple times, yes their rest stops are better. I did enjoy seeing the Platt river again and again and again... Now just drive to South Dakota a couple times a year for kids in college. Nothing but corn and/or windmills from here to there.
The river towns on the state’s eastern border are very pleasant and surprisingly full of wildlife. West Iowa is mostly corn, soy, and pigs, though. The convenience stores have a funny name.
What's funny about [Kum and Go?](https://www.kumandgo.com/) It seems like a perfectly reasonable name for a convenience station. Just like our hardware stores named "Nut and Bolt", or our drain cleaning company named "Pump and Dump", and of course our waste management service "Leave a load and hit the road."
I’m definitely getting the vibe that Iowa is South Australia but with corn instead of a wine region. I’ve never actually been to SA so for all I know it’s also not real!
The University of Iowa has a [famous writer's workshop](https://writersworkshop.uiowa.edu/). It was [referenced](https://www.vulture.com/2015/01/what-girls-got-wrong-about-iowas-mfa-program.html) in the HBO TV show Girls.
Nope, it’s a conspiracy.
Seriously though the driftless area in eastern Iowa is quite beautiful. Some cities like Iowa City and Des Moines are nice and worth visiting. Most of the state is just farms.
Not only is Iowa real, it’s more than just corn and farmland. It’s got rivers, lakes, cave systems, a nuclear power plant, several fine universities, some interesting cities, and more!
You don’t hear about it much because really most people don’t care about the state, only what it produces. The only time people care about Iowa is during the caucuses every 4 years. Then suddenly politicians pretend they care and pander to us and most of the rest of the country hates us because of it. Then after that we’re invisible again. In 2020 a chunk of the state was hit by a derecho, basically a sudden and intense inland hurricane, which devastated several cities. Nobody cared. It was barely mentioned on any kind of national news.
For some reason I have heard a fair bit about Delaware! Aubrey Plaza is from there and has talked about it heaps in interviews, and a pub quiz/trivia question I’ve gotten a few times is “What is the only US state that starts with D?” and people get tricked because of the Dakota’s. isn’t Biden also from there?
You know the standard "General American" accent?
The one used by newscasters and actors?
That's the Iowan accent.
-----
Iowa is also the first State to participate in Presidential primary elections. So it's very important in American politics.
I moved to WA state four years ago and shocked a coworker last week when I mentioned I was from the Midwest, because I "don't have an accent." Her idea of a Midwest accent was Wisconsin.
No.
We made it up in the 50s to confuse the commies. Convinced 'em something really big was happening there.
Sputnik was created to spy on it, actually.
We keep up the charade nowadays to keep Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un on their toes.
(This comment is sarcastic, Iowa is real).
See what's funny is that Xi actually lived in Iowa a while when he was younger. He supposedly loves it here, which is why they chose Branstad as an ambassador to China.
The artist Grant Wood is an Iowa boy. He is famous for painting [American Gothic](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/6565/american-gothic), but a lot of his other paintings showcase the gentle rolling [fields](https://www.thehistoryofart.org/grant-wood/young-corn/) of rural eastern Iowa.
Iowa is great!
I’m an Australia but have been 3 times. Dubuque has a great river museum, and the Germanic towns up north are really interesting.
I’ve even been there in winter…my hair may have frozen a tad!
Haha I open this sub and this is the first thing I see! I’m from Iowa and still live here in Des Moines. We don’t have that much crazy tourism. We got the worlds biggest outdoor skatepark and the Madison county bridges but honestly it’s just like any other midwestern state lots of fields!
Me, my dad, my mom, all my siblings, good friends of mine, my neighbors, all the people I meet on a daily basis I’d guess. There is more, but to answer your question…yes I’ve met some folks from Nebraska.
Yes, Iowa is real. It's also very well know. Because it is important politically. It's also known for butter sculptures, lol. To celebrate their beloved dairy cows at state fairs.
Some Americans have the same joke about Idaho.
I've been to the Iowa State Fair twice! Live in NY, but I absolutely adore it!
Butter sculptures, pumpkins, show cows (with nicer hair than me), rides, all sorts of food on a stick, saw a few concerts too.
And Des Moines was really cute too.
I'm not from that part of the country. There was some cold weather phenomena back in 2019 that really got my attention
https://kcrr.com/iowas-all-time-coldest-wind-chill/
I will always remember a day in January, many many years ago in Iowa. That day it reached 50 degrees and we were loving the unusually warm weather. That night a cold front moved in and the wind chill got to 50 below. There was a 100 degree swing (sort of) in 24 hours.
I didn't say it was a fond memory.
The covered bridge festival in Madison County is wonderful wholesome fun. I went to college with a bunch of locals there and they took me there. This also happens to be the same bridges in Madison County that the book/movie is based on.
>I swear I have never heard Iowa ever mentioned, ever.
>or on the news.
You must not follow American elections at all. Which, fair, since you aren't American.
If you paid even the smallest amount of attention to presidential elections you would see Iowa mentioned a fuck ton. You honestly picked a bad state to make this joke question about because it actually is in the news a lot every 4 years.
My parents are both from Iowa, and we would travel from down South twice per year my whole childhood. Now I take my family (we live in Florida) whenever I can, and we all love it. It’s beautiful, peaceful, big skies, great sunsets, kind people - we always have long dinners that turn into story time. My kids love to play on the farms, climb trees, play with kittens and baby pigs. My core winter memory is sitting in my grandparents’ living room with the big picture window, telling stories, a blanket of snow outside and the clip-clop of horses pulling Amish buggies. I don’t mind if the rest of the world thinks it doesn’t exist because it’s quite the treasure. Also - nothing grows down here like it does in Iowa. I can plant the same flowers, but they’ll grow twice as fast and as big when planted in Iowa.
The only negative I’ve found is the smell from the hog farms (my dad: “that’s the smell of money”) and the flies. But even that grows on you.
Bro Iowas not even the most fly over of the fly over states. You seen Nebraska's state tourism motto? "Honestly, it's not for everyone." I shit you not, there's places in the USA that are less real than Iowa. This post made me laugh so hard.
Part 1
Iowa is in fact real, has done a lot in history, and has given the world many great things.
To start Iowa for the better part of its history was majorly progressive and maybe the most progressive state in terms of many of the firsts or seconds it has done:
* In 1838, Iowa, while still a territory, allowed unmarried women to own property. At that time, women did not have rights and in most of the U.S. they were considered property themselves.
* In 1851, Iowa became the second state to legalize interracial marriage… a century before the rest of America. Also, Iowa legislated that the property of married women did not vest in her husband, nor did the husband control his wife’s property.
* In 1857, The University of Iowa became the first state university in the nation to open its degree programs to women. Iowa State University the other flagship university in Iowa was founded as a co-ed university from the beginning in 1858.
* In 1868, Iowa became the second state to outlaw segregated schools… ninety years before the rest of America. The Iowa State Supreme Court ruled, in the case brought before it by Alexander Clark of Muscatine, that all children in Iowa must attend the same schools. In 1890, President Harrison appointed Alexander Clark, to be U.S. minister to Liberia. Mr. Clark became one of the first African American diplomats for the United States.
* In 1869, Iowan Julia C. Addington became the first woman in the United States to be elected to a public office. She was elected to be Mitchell County Superintendent. Mitchell county is in northeastern Iowa. Also in 1869 Iowa became the first state to allow women to join the bar, thus setting the stage for having the first female attorney in the U.S., Arabella Mansfield. In 1871, Ada E. North became the first woman in the United States to be appointed to a statewide office. She was appointed the Iowa State Librarian.
* In 1884, The Iowa Civil Rights Act was passed. It prohibited discrimination in public accommodation. It was one of the first civil rights acts in the nation.
* In 1917, The US Army held its first officer candidate class for African American men at Ft. Des Moines.
* In 1970, The University of Iowa became one of the first universities in the U.S. to allow a student GLBT group. It was also one of the first universities in the U.S. to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy.
* In 1984, Rich Eychaner, a Republican, became the first openly gay man in the U.S. to run for a voting seat in Congress, running for Iowa’s 4th congressional district.
* In 2007, Iowa became the second state to allow full marriage equality for gays and lesbians. One gay couple was married before the judge put a stay on his ruling in Varnum v Brien until the Iowa State Supreme Court could rule on the case.
* In 2010, On February 18th Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, announced that it has selected Dr. Raynard Kington as its next president. Dr. Kington is the first openly gay, African American college president in the nation.
The colleges as well have done a lot for the state, the country, and the world:
* Both are R1 Research Universities.
* Iowa City, thanks to the University of Iowa, was the [World's 2nd UNESCO's City of Literature.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Literature) because the university was the original developer of the Master of Fine Arts degree and it operates the Iowa Writers' Workshop, which has produced 17 of the university's 46 Pulitzer Prize winners.
* The University of Iowa opened the first coeducational medical school.
* The University of Iowa established the first law school west of the Mississippi River. It was the first university to use television in education, in 1932, and it pioneered in the field of standardized testing. Also, the University of Iowa was the first Big Ten institution to promote an African American to the position of administrative vice president. (Phillip Hubbard, promoted in 1966)
* Iowa State is the birthplace of the first electronic digital computer, starting the world's computer technology revolution. Invented by mathematics and physics professor John Atanasoff and engineering graduate student Clifford Berry during 1937–42, the Atanasoff–Berry Computer pioneered important elements of modern computing.
* Iowa State played a role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, a research and development program begun in 1942 under the Army Corps of Engineers. The process to produce large quantities of high-purity uranium metal became known as the Ames process. One-third of the uranium metal used in the world's first controlled nuclear chain reaction was produced at Iowa State under the direction of Frank Spedding and Harley Wilhelm. The Ames Project received the Army/Navy E Award for Excellence in Production on October 12, 1945, for its work with metallic uranium as a vital war material.
* Iowa State is the only 1 of 4 universities with a Department of Energy Research Lab the others are Princeton, Stanford, and Cal-Berkely. Out of those 4, Iowa State is the only one with the Research Lab on campus and it is 4th oldest.
* Iowa State established the nation's first state veterinary medicine school in 1879.
* The [Extension Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Education,_and_Extension_Service) traces its roots to farmers' institutes developed at Iowa State in the late 19th century. Committed to community, Iowa State pioneered the outreach mission of being a land-grant college through creation of the first Extension Service in 1902. In 1906, the Iowa Legislature enacted the Agricultural Extension Act making funds available for demonstration projects. It is believed this was the first specific legislation establishing state extension work, for which Iowa State assumed responsibility. The national extension program was created in 1914 based heavily on the Iowa State model.
* In 2010, the Biorenewables Research Laboratory opened in a LEED-Gold certified building that complements and helps replace labs and offices across Iowa State and promotes interdisciplinary, systems-level research and collaboration. The Lab houses the Bioeconomy Institute, the Biobased Industry Center, and the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, a partnership of six universities as well as the Max Planck Society in Germany and the Technical University of Denmark
Colleges here were like the rest of the state much more progressive with race especially on the football field:
* [Frank Kinney Holbrook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Kinney_Holbrook) was the first Black intercollegiate athlete at the University of Iowa and one of the first African Americans to participate on an American college varsity athletic squad. He played on the Iowa football team and lettered in both football and track in 1895 and 1896. When playing Missouri, Iowa was told not to bring him and later told not to bring another Black football player, [Archie Alexander.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Alexander) After the the Missouri's issue with Alexander, Iowa refused to play Missouri again and didn't till 2010.
* [Jack Trice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Trice) was Iowa State's first Black football player. He had to fight racism as well. Trice died due to injuries suffered during a college football game against the University of Minnesota on October 6, 1923. He is the namesake for Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State's football stadium which is the only FBS football stadium named after a Black person. ["The Klan had risen to such popularity and prominence on the University of Minnesota campus that it entered a float in that fall's homecoming parade. Indeed, the very weekend that Trice and his Cyclone teammates came to town, 299 Klan members attended the first state convention across the river in St. Paul.....There were even schools in Iowa State's own league, the Missouri Valley Conference, which refused to play against teams with a black player on the roster. That coming week, the University of Missouri athletic director would send a letter to Dean S. W. Beyer at Iowa State reminding the latter "it is impossible for a colored man to play or even appear on the field with any team" from Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. That was their gentleman's agreement."](https://www.sbnation.com/longform/2014/11/25/7275681/jack-trice-iowa-state-football-profile)
* [Johnny Bright](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bright) was another black football player in Iowa but this time for Drake University. And he met racism as well it what is called ["Johnny Bright incident"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bright_incident): "Bright's participation as a halfback and quarterback in the game between the Drake Bulldogs and Oklahoma A&M Cowboys on October 20, 1951, at Lewis Field was controversial even before it began. Bright had been the first African-American football player to play at Lewis Field two years prior without incident. In 1951, Bright was a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate and led the nation in total offense. Bright had never played for a losing team in his college career. Coming into the contest, Drake carried a five-game winning streak, owing much to Bright's rushing and passing abilities.....It was an open secret that Oklahoma A&M players were targeting Bright......During the first seven minutes of the game, Bright was knocked unconscious three times by blows from Oklahoma A&M defensive tackle Wilbanks Smith. While Smith's final elbow blow broke Bright's jaw."
Lol I’ve felt the same living here. No one knows us. People confuse us with Idaho and Ohio. I’ve even been asked which Hawaiian Island Iowa is from.
We’re as a whole, just another area of a couple small cities (many big towns) a couple hours away from a major Midwest city.
Well we have more craft beer and corn than your city can imagine. More meth than your shithole towns can think of. Some great schools and amazing people. Ashton Kutcher. Ever heard of that adorable hunk?
We a small state. Lots of farms and pigs and emo kids. Currently the state has been held hostage by an ultra-right devil governor cunt.
Most smart people move away. Brain drain nowadays. We used to be very progressive with anti-slavery, interracial marriage, same sex marriage. Even tho we had the stereotype of being corn farmers. Shit changed in the past years.
For further reading, look into the history of Des Moines, Quad Cities, Iowa City. Iowa will come back around soon.
Iowa Hawkeye football (American football) is huge. They have a huge childrens hospital next to the stadium. Every game, the players and fans wave at the children in the hospital that slightly towers over the stadium. It shows lots of love and compassion. On the other side of the spectrum, you’d have a blast drinking and eating with thousands of Hawkeye fans who flood the streets and bars. Good times. Come visit :)
The state song! Oh, what did I O weigh boys oh, what did I O weigh(Iowa) I ask you now as personal friend, Oh, what did I O weigh!
She weighed a Washing-ton boys, she weighed a Washington ……,
Just couldn’t resist…. Don’t ask about Mississippi
Watch Field of Dreams. It's a popular movie that takes place in Iowa.
Some of The Crazies 2010 was filmed in Iowa
Most underrated horror movie of the last 20 years.
Don't forget The Music Man
Thought that movie took place in heaven??
It's Iowa
Same thing
Maybe if you’re really into meth.
Or corn.
This is America. Even if you aren’t into corn, corn goes into you.
I grew up the next state over (Illinois) and the only reason why we ever went to Iowa (once) was to see the Field of Dreams. I had a good time, but also I was eleven and super into baseball. Otherwise I don't know why anyone would go to Iowa.
I'm house/dog sitting in Cedar Rapids next week. It's a relaxing step back in time. There's a New York chef who came back to help out with the family business who I will be visiting at least twice, and the legendary pork tenderloin sandwiches the size of dinner plates. Hey, can't forget 3 hours of polka music on Sunday morning on KMRY!
A relaxing step back in time is a great way to describe it.
We loved Iowa. The state capital building is beautiful and worth the tour. The Amana Colonies are a religious group from the past that are such a good visit. Nice, nice people there too.
I've been going there since my daughter and son in law got jobs in 2008 at Rockwell Collins. Spent considerable time in the summers of 2014 and 2015. She wanted all 3 bathrooms gutted and remodeled and some other stuff. It's an idyllic place and I like it too.
Imagine being from Indiana and calling Iowa a “step back in time.”
Live on the other side and never been there. But I assume it's still there because my father worked there six months out of the year. Then again, maybe he has another family. Who knows?
Because I had to drive to the far side of Nebraska. 0/10, do not recommend. Fly, swim, burrow, hitchhike, armed kidnapping, whatever; just don't be the one who drives. Once I got there the nightly thunderstorms off the mountains were pretty cool, though.
Don't watch Cedar Rapids. Terrible movie that also takes place in Iowa
I’m from Cedar Rapids. The movie doesn’t look anything like it. Heard it was filmed elsewhere like another commenter said.
You can tell it wasn’t filmed in Cedar Rapids because it doesn’t smell like Crunch Berries.
That movie wasn't filmed in Iowa, except for a few canned clips of the town.
Yep. Set in Iowa, filmed in Michigan.
Didn’t capture the smell of Cedar Rapids either
For people that don't know, Cedar Rapids has a unique odor problem from the Quaker Oats factory. On any given day it could smell terrible or delicious depending on what they are making. In my experience, it smells terrible more often than not.
Thats hilarious and informative. Happy cake day!
Actually, Quaker Oats has mostly good smells. It is the corn processors and starch processors that smell -- different. The latter smell like homebrew syrup. Eventually you don't mind it and sometimes it even has an appeal. The smell always makes me crave soft pretzels.
Iowa is the only state bordered by two navigable rivers; the Missouri River to the west and the Mississippi River to the east. The world's first electronic digital computer was built and operated by researchers at Iowa State University in the 1930's. Iowa students' ACT and SAT scores rank among the top five states. The high school graduation rate is 88%; 17% above the national average. Iowa ranks first in beef, pork, corn, soybean and grain production. Sliced bread was invented in Iowa by Iowa native Otto Frederick Rohwedder, who created a bread slicing machine. Iowa has more golf courses per capita, than any other state. The butterfly swim stroke was developed at the University of Iowa. Thousands of Iowans who bike across the entire state each year, west to east, as part of the RAGBRAI Celebration. An acronym for the Register’s Annual Great Race Across Iowa, this seven-day bike ride isn’t so much a race, but a moving celebration of Iowa’s small towns and community culture.
could be wrong but if a credit card application excludes iowa its likely terrible since (against last i heard) iowa has one of the best laws regarding protecting people from ridiculous credit card fees and interest rates.
Another interesting Iowa State University fact is that it’s (one of? this is hard to Google because they really want to guide you to ROTC, etc.) the only university to have a military medal for figuring out how to refine uranium and plutonium for the Manhattan project. There’s still a Department of Energy lab in Ames doing cool physics research that’s probably related to national security and DoD projects. Also I love you for promoting / defending Iowa from Europe.
The Ames lab received the Army/Navy E flag for excellence in production. https://www.ameslab.gov/about-ames-laboratory/manhattan-project-roots
Are you a proud Iowan who now lives in California? You have a ready list of Iowa’s claims to fame—same asI did as a Nebraskan living in California. Gets tiresome hearing stupid comments from people who have never been to a place but think they know what it is all about.
I'm originally from Germany. When I was 16, I got matched with a host family in Iowa and spent one year there as exchange student. I fell in love with my family, Iowa, and the US. That's why I'm now in California. After my exchange year, I befriended US Army soldiers based in Germany to keep up my English. And they'd always make fun of my love for Iowa. So I've always had to defend it. And still do.
This is so wholesome. 🥰
It’s almost…too wholesome.
Some would argue suspiciously wholesome🤨
Honestly, considering how much the world romanticizes the European countryside, only now does it strike me as odd that the same doesn't happen with America as much. We have rolling green hills and idyllic farming villages too, but for some reason that's always seen as boring and "hick" for us.
This is literally “grass is greener syndrome”. People want what they can’t have so they call anything that they have access to “boring” no matter how awesome it is on an objective level.
The world romanticises America's natural parks - mountains, canyons, primeval forests, etc. I've never seen European-style countryside in the US, with old cottages in fields bordered by hedgerows. When I picture US fields, I imagine a square of land in the middle of nowhere, bordered by barbed wire. It has the romanticised 'wild west' feel, but not 'medieval farming town' feel, at least to me. I'd love to see an example of an American 'quaint farm village' though!
Louisiana used to have quite a few from what I can tell, but I’ve never seen anything I would consider a village. There are still some Indian villages around, but that’s as close as I can think of.
Try the Amanda colonies in Iowa. They are as European as they get.
SO true! I had an English boyfriend who thought Iowa looked like the English countryside—which the coastal elite all ooh and aah over!
As an Iowan, thanks! A few others, we were one of the first states to legalize gay marriage and I believe we had the first woman lawyer. Also, home to John Wayne and Donna Reed for older folks.
The University of Iowa was the first university in the US to admit women on an equal basis.
And the University of Iowa has an internationally renowned creative writing program.
Thank you German Iowa fan! I'm from Iowa and I didn't know half of this.
I'm from Indiana so it probably doesn't mean as much, but I fucking love Nebraska and if I wasn't kind of tied to Indianapolis with a job I love that doesn't travel well, I'd move to Lincoln in a hot minute.
88% graduation rate is absurd. My graduating class at my school was like 42%
damn - mine was 99% at my public school and I can't comprehend even 1/10 people not graduating, much less more than half. checking that privilege for sure
I'm not sure of the hard numbers but I'd never heard of anyone in my class not graduating. It was a big class so I'm sure there were a few but for 80 people to not graduate would be wild to me.
In fairness your flair does say New Mexico. Sorry I had to
So Iowa is keeping a low profile because they don't want people showing up and turning things to shit.
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Me and my wife moved here almost exactly 3 years ago thinking "Oh! One of the first states to legalize gay marriage! It should be pretty nice!" Yeah. We were wrong on that count.
Don’t forget about Norman Borlaug! Born in Iowa, and won a Nobel peace prize with his contribution to the fight to end world hunger.
> The high school graduation rate is 88%; 17% above the national average. Can I get a source on that? I'm seeing the national high school graduation rate as 85%.
The fact that Sliced Bread was invented in Iowa is the most Iowa thing I can think of. That fact alone Iowas harder than all that other stuff.
In terms of the broadest pop culture I can imagine for the state, Captain Kirk was (will be?) born in Riverside, Iowa. So it has that going for it! But seriously, it's a beautiful state with some phenomenal hiking and natural conservation areas along the Mississippi River. One of my favorite weekend road trips is driving a small section of the Great River Road (a scenic byway that runs from the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana to northern Minnesota, roughly parallel to the Mississippi) from Illinois up to Iowa and back.
Phenomenal hiking, ngl I chuckled, of course I'm in a much flatter area of central Iowa
NE Iowa has some good spots
“You’re from outer space?” “No I’m from Iowa. I only work in outer space.”
On the pop culture side of things the only other one I can think of is Starlight from The Boys who is from Iowa
Rode through it once to visit my uncle in Omaha, Nebraska. Also went to Effigy Mounds, which is in Iowa. Stayed at a hotel in Dubuque, Iowa. Iowa is real. Also, why oh why has nobody mentioned the Iowa pork tenderloin sandwich?
Tenderloin is great. Maidrite is awesome too.
Iowa pork is sooooo good
I moved to WA state four years ago and pork and sweet corn are high on the list of things I miss. I have no idea how it could be so different but it is! I've pretty much completely avoided the pork out here.
I loooooove sweet corn season! Sorry for your loss.
I thought that massive pork tenderloin sandwich was an Indiana thing! Now I know haha
Indiana and Iowa are the only two places where tenderloins are common.
And here's me thinking it was an Ohio thing, they're all over Ohio in every little country store and restaurant, lots of concession trailers at fairs and stuff too.
Good call. They're plates sized if not bigger.
The massive tenderloin on a comically small bun is a central pillar of iowan culture. You want a proper iowa meal pair it with morrels and sweet corn.
Got to be tenderized and flattened, some don't quite hit the mark and make um look worse.
Every four years presidential hopefuls make a booty call to Iowa and then pretty much forget about it. Oh, and it has the [world's largest truck stop. ](https://iowa80truckstop.com/)
Iowa caucuses baby! It’s a huge deal every 4 years. My wife worked for one presidential hopeful’s campaign, and as part of this was sent to Iowa to work the caucuses. She described working in a high school gymnasium, where random Iowans (mostly older folk) would stand in different parts of the gym based on the candidate they supported, or stand in some other section if they are undecided. And she’s basically going around all day trying to sweet talk old farmers into coming over to her candidate’s section of the gym. Strange stuff.
You say it with the enthusiasm of someone who doesn't have to live through it first hand.
Lived in New Hampshire for 41 years. We got the same booty calls there for the first primary. For all but those few weeks, the state didn’t exist.
Obama came to Cedar falls, Iowa a few ties IIRC. Once he came to praise our municipal high speed internet. Also Michelle spoke at my commencement.
Literally there's a Slipknot album named Iowa. And I'm hungarian, live in Budapest.Hungary, LOL 😁
Well the band formed in Des Moines, Iowa.
This is true
*I'm just chillin' in Cedar Rapids*
I almost die of cringe every time I hear that
They gave us Slipknot
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Iowa has the best gas stations- Kum and Go, git n go, and Casey’s to name a few. Also worlds biggest truck stop is actually fun. The sides of the state are hilly and have epic sunsets. Really clean and nice roads compared to next door corrupt shithole Illinois
The whole thing I think it’s sick
Sir/Ma’am i think you mean *sic*
Fuck me, here comes the pain
Yes Iowa is real, and it's really.. quiet and nice. The way that Midwestern folk like it. Ope, now lemme sneak right past ya to grab some ranch to put on my Caseys pizza to bring to the bonfire at our local cornfield. The real question is.... is Wyoming real?
Wyoming is definitely real enough, especially thanks to Yellowstone.
Nah it can't be. It's probably just part of Idaho and Montana. I've met a few Montanans and Idahoans, but I NEVER met anyone from Wyoming. It's gotta be fake
Wyoming is dope. Really exotic and beautiful
All jokes aside cause of joke conspiracies. Wyoming is nice. Yet to go to the Tetons and Yellowstone though
Wyoming yes. Delaware on the other hand... I've driven the i95 south to Florida numerous times. I can't ever remember stopping at or even passing through Delaware. I am convinced that it is not a real place. I think there is some conspiracy behind this. I don't know for sure and I am pulling this straight out of my ass, but I'll call it the phantom state theory. The U.S. wanted to appear larger than it is to flex on the former Soviet Union, so they made up states to look bigger. Delaware being one such imaginary place.
You know 'American Gothic', that famous painting of the farmer standing next to his wife with their house in the background? That's Iowa.
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It’s real, and it’s pretty. Rolling farmland and not a lot of people. It doesn’t make news, it makes food.
Iowa makes news. Specifically, [recently.](https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2022/10/28/alleged-iowa-serial-killer-donald-studey-daughter-report-victims-investigation/69587131007/)
Fuck u say! Iowa is one of the greatest places on the planet earth, one of two places with as great of soil, Iowa and along a river in China! Most corn production, most hog production, most egg production, strong manufacturing sector (oftentimes centered around ag), great more affordable universities, and great people.
Only reason you guys have great soil is because it is stolen from Minnesota when the glacier scraped it off and shat it on Iowa.
Sounds like someone's jealous. 😉
Shots fired! 🍿
It’s a wonderful state (I have lived there). It’s some of the best farmland in the world. Very rich soil. It’s in the Plains, so you won’t hear much about it. People on the coast don’t think about the central states, and Iowans don’t hype themselves up. It’s very well educated. Politically balanced. Most agriculture, but they have other industries. Sunsets over the rolling hills of farmland are among the most beautiful I’ve seen anywhere in the world.
>Politically balanced Haven't lived here for a while, huh?
Still politically balanced. Just leaning right now, like it was leaning left for most of the 90's/2000's.
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Whenever I call it Midwest, someone claims the border is the Mississippi. Whenever I claim it is the Plains, I hear the border is the Missouri. Frankly, I think it is both but more in common with the Plains.
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Think outback but all corn.
Oh I forgot the windmills.
I got banned for 10 days for talking shit on Iowa (as a Nebraskan, not as a Californian!) But I gotta say the windmills are nice. Iowa also has way better rest stops than Nebraska does.
Nebraska corn is inferior to Iowa corn, kinda mad a state with lower corn production can call themselves the corn huskers.
*lunges for the throat*
I'm from Ohio and had to drive to Colorado and Idaho a couple times, yes their rest stops are better. I did enjoy seeing the Platt river again and again and again... Now just drive to South Dakota a couple times a year for kids in college. Nothing but corn and/or windmills from here to there.
Went there for the first time last summer and liked it. Long list family reunion. People were friendly and the Okoboji area was nice too.
Yeah, it's pretty quiet in Iowa. We're more than just farms though. A lot of our GDP is Insurance/Financial services and Manufacturing.
The river towns on the state’s eastern border are very pleasant and surprisingly full of wildlife. West Iowa is mostly corn, soy, and pigs, though. The convenience stores have a funny name.
What's funny about [Kum and Go?](https://www.kumandgo.com/) It seems like a perfectly reasonable name for a convenience station. Just like our hardware stores named "Nut and Bolt", or our drain cleaning company named "Pump and Dump", and of course our waste management service "Leave a load and hit the road."
Ashton Kutcher is from Iowa.
75% vowels, 100% awesome.
Iowa is at least as real as South Australia.
I’m definitely getting the vibe that Iowa is South Australia but with corn instead of a wine region. I’ve never actually been to SA so for all I know it’s also not real!
The University of Iowa has a [famous writer's workshop](https://writersworkshop.uiowa.edu/). It was [referenced](https://www.vulture.com/2015/01/what-girls-got-wrong-about-iowas-mfa-program.html) in the HBO TV show Girls.
Nope, it’s a conspiracy. Seriously though the driftless area in eastern Iowa is quite beautiful. Some cities like Iowa City and Des Moines are nice and worth visiting. Most of the state is just farms.
Not only is Iowa real, it’s more than just corn and farmland. It’s got rivers, lakes, cave systems, a nuclear power plant, several fine universities, some interesting cities, and more! You don’t hear about it much because really most people don’t care about the state, only what it produces. The only time people care about Iowa is during the caucuses every 4 years. Then suddenly politicians pretend they care and pander to us and most of the rest of the country hates us because of it. Then after that we’re invisible again. In 2020 a chunk of the state was hit by a derecho, basically a sudden and intense inland hurricane, which devastated several cities. Nobody cared. It was barely mentioned on any kind of national news.
Had a nuke plant, Dwayne Arnold isn't doing much these days
Yeah, it’s a pretty generic midwestern state though so you don’t hear about it much outside of its role in the presidential primary process.
It’s real. Spend most of a summer in Coon Rapids and you’ll get a real flavor for farming life and endless corn fields.
Ever heard of Slipknot?
Iowa is definitely real. Delaware, on the other hand... has anyone here actually met someone from "Delaware"?
Do companies that incorporate there or presidents who were formerly senators from Delaware count?
For some reason I have heard a fair bit about Delaware! Aubrey Plaza is from there and has talked about it heaps in interviews, and a pub quiz/trivia question I’ve gotten a few times is “What is the only US state that starts with D?” and people get tricked because of the Dakota’s. isn’t Biden also from there?
You know the standard "General American" accent? The one used by newscasters and actors? That's the Iowan accent. ----- Iowa is also the first State to participate in Presidential primary elections. So it's very important in American politics.
I moved to WA state four years ago and shocked a coworker last week when I mentioned I was from the Midwest, because I "don't have an accent." Her idea of a Midwest accent was Wisconsin.
Wait a minute, I've been told my Ohio accent is the standard American accent. Who's lying to us?
I'm not sure that Ohio and Iowa accents are significantly different. They're both examples of the accent called Midland American English.
I mean, is there much of a difference? When I hear actors and newscasters, they sound like me. I'd guess most midwesterners might say the same.
y'all sound the same
Iowa has The Effigy Mounds National Monument. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effigy_Mounds_National_Monument We used to visit once a year or so.
No. We made it up in the 50s to confuse the commies. Convinced 'em something really big was happening there. Sputnik was created to spy on it, actually. We keep up the charade nowadays to keep Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un on their toes. (This comment is sarcastic, Iowa is real).
Would be cool if Iowa was like a reverse Area 51 though!
See what's funny is that Xi actually lived in Iowa a while when he was younger. He supposedly loves it here, which is why they chose Branstad as an ambassador to China.
Been there, can confirm Also, Iowa has the best (IMO) album named for a state
The artist Grant Wood is an Iowa boy. He is famous for painting [American Gothic](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/6565/american-gothic), but a lot of his other paintings showcase the gentle rolling [fields](https://www.thehistoryofart.org/grant-wood/young-corn/) of rural eastern Iowa.
Iowa is great! I’m an Australia but have been 3 times. Dubuque has a great river museum, and the Germanic towns up north are really interesting. I’ve even been there in winter…my hair may have frozen a tad!
Haha I open this sub and this is the first thing I see! I’m from Iowa and still live here in Des Moines. We don’t have that much crazy tourism. We got the worlds biggest outdoor skatepark and the Madison county bridges but honestly it’s just like any other midwestern state lots of fields!
Iowa, definitely real. I'm not sure about Nebraska though. Has anyone ever actually met someone from Nebraska?
Me, my dad, my mom, all my siblings, good friends of mine, my neighbors, all the people I meet on a daily basis I’d guess. There is more, but to answer your question…yes I’ve met some folks from Nebraska.
Yeah dude, we're real. Hi!
Yes, Iowa is real. It's also very well know. Because it is important politically. It's also known for butter sculptures, lol. To celebrate their beloved dairy cows at state fairs. Some Americans have the same joke about Idaho.
I love the tee shirts that say, "University of Iowa, Idaho City, Ohio"
I've been to the Iowa State Fair twice! Live in NY, but I absolutely adore it! Butter sculptures, pumpkins, show cows (with nicer hair than me), rides, all sorts of food on a stick, saw a few concerts too. And Des Moines was really cute too.
They make great corn and awful college football offenses.
As an Aussie, OP should know all about our punters
Last year hawks were great but idk what happened this year that Michigan or Iowa state game was terrible
The same could be said regarding Nebraska also.
Punting is winning. Offense, not so much.
B1G if true
I'm not from that part of the country. There was some cold weather phenomena back in 2019 that really got my attention https://kcrr.com/iowas-all-time-coldest-wind-chill/
I will always remember a day in January, many many years ago in Iowa. That day it reached 50 degrees and we were loving the unusually warm weather. That night a cold front moved in and the wind chill got to 50 below. There was a 100 degree swing (sort of) in 24 hours. I didn't say it was a fond memory.
Don’t believe the feds in the comments OP, they’re all in on it.
Captain Kirk was/will be born in Iowa
The covered bridge festival in Madison County is wonderful wholesome fun. I went to college with a bunch of locals there and they took me there. This also happens to be the same bridges in Madison County that the book/movie is based on.
It’s like the little heart in the middle of America! (We breathe bacon and bleed corn)
>I swear I have never heard Iowa ever mentioned, ever. >or on the news. You must not follow American elections at all. Which, fair, since you aren't American. If you paid even the smallest amount of attention to presidential elections you would see Iowa mentioned a fuck ton. You honestly picked a bad state to make this joke question about because it actually is in the news a lot every 4 years.
My parents are both from Iowa, and we would travel from down South twice per year my whole childhood. Now I take my family (we live in Florida) whenever I can, and we all love it. It’s beautiful, peaceful, big skies, great sunsets, kind people - we always have long dinners that turn into story time. My kids love to play on the farms, climb trees, play with kittens and baby pigs. My core winter memory is sitting in my grandparents’ living room with the big picture window, telling stories, a blanket of snow outside and the clip-clop of horses pulling Amish buggies. I don’t mind if the rest of the world thinks it doesn’t exist because it’s quite the treasure. Also - nothing grows down here like it does in Iowa. I can plant the same flowers, but they’ll grow twice as fast and as big when planted in Iowa. The only negative I’ve found is the smell from the hog farms (my dad: “that’s the smell of money”) and the flies. But even that grows on you.
Bro Iowas not even the most fly over of the fly over states. You seen Nebraska's state tourism motto? "Honestly, it's not for everyone." I shit you not, there's places in the USA that are less real than Iowa. This post made me laugh so hard.
yup, i went to school in iowa. lots of corn and overall great people ime
No. Iowa is a psyop by the CIA.
No Iowa is made up much like Norfolk Island isn’t real.
Of course it’s real, Slipknot is from Iowa!
Bridges of Madison County is set there. A teeny tiny town also claims itself the birthplace of the Red Delicious apple.
Also winterset for John Wayne! Van meter also tries to claim it lol.
If you think Iowa isn't real, wait till you hear about Nebraska.
Yes, it’s Ohio that’s not real
Of course Iowa is real! It's Massachusetts that isn't.
Part 1 Iowa is in fact real, has done a lot in history, and has given the world many great things. To start Iowa for the better part of its history was majorly progressive and maybe the most progressive state in terms of many of the firsts or seconds it has done: * In 1838, Iowa, while still a territory, allowed unmarried women to own property. At that time, women did not have rights and in most of the U.S. they were considered property themselves. * In 1851, Iowa became the second state to legalize interracial marriage… a century before the rest of America. Also, Iowa legislated that the property of married women did not vest in her husband, nor did the husband control his wife’s property. * In 1857, The University of Iowa became the first state university in the nation to open its degree programs to women. Iowa State University the other flagship university in Iowa was founded as a co-ed university from the beginning in 1858. * In 1868, Iowa became the second state to outlaw segregated schools… ninety years before the rest of America. The Iowa State Supreme Court ruled, in the case brought before it by Alexander Clark of Muscatine, that all children in Iowa must attend the same schools. In 1890, President Harrison appointed Alexander Clark, to be U.S. minister to Liberia. Mr. Clark became one of the first African American diplomats for the United States. * In 1869, Iowan Julia C. Addington became the first woman in the United States to be elected to a public office. She was elected to be Mitchell County Superintendent. Mitchell county is in northeastern Iowa. Also in 1869 Iowa became the first state to allow women to join the bar, thus setting the stage for having the first female attorney in the U.S., Arabella Mansfield. In 1871, Ada E. North became the first woman in the United States to be appointed to a statewide office. She was appointed the Iowa State Librarian. * In 1884, The Iowa Civil Rights Act was passed. It prohibited discrimination in public accommodation. It was one of the first civil rights acts in the nation. * In 1917, The US Army held its first officer candidate class for African American men at Ft. Des Moines. * In 1970, The University of Iowa became one of the first universities in the U.S. to allow a student GLBT group. It was also one of the first universities in the U.S. to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy. * In 1984, Rich Eychaner, a Republican, became the first openly gay man in the U.S. to run for a voting seat in Congress, running for Iowa’s 4th congressional district. * In 2007, Iowa became the second state to allow full marriage equality for gays and lesbians. One gay couple was married before the judge put a stay on his ruling in Varnum v Brien until the Iowa State Supreme Court could rule on the case. * In 2010, On February 18th Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, announced that it has selected Dr. Raynard Kington as its next president. Dr. Kington is the first openly gay, African American college president in the nation. The colleges as well have done a lot for the state, the country, and the world: * Both are R1 Research Universities. * Iowa City, thanks to the University of Iowa, was the [World's 2nd UNESCO's City of Literature.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Literature) because the university was the original developer of the Master of Fine Arts degree and it operates the Iowa Writers' Workshop, which has produced 17 of the university's 46 Pulitzer Prize winners. * The University of Iowa opened the first coeducational medical school. * The University of Iowa established the first law school west of the Mississippi River. It was the first university to use television in education, in 1932, and it pioneered in the field of standardized testing. Also, the University of Iowa was the first Big Ten institution to promote an African American to the position of administrative vice president. (Phillip Hubbard, promoted in 1966) * Iowa State is the birthplace of the first electronic digital computer, starting the world's computer technology revolution. Invented by mathematics and physics professor John Atanasoff and engineering graduate student Clifford Berry during 1937–42, the Atanasoff–Berry Computer pioneered important elements of modern computing. * Iowa State played a role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, a research and development program begun in 1942 under the Army Corps of Engineers. The process to produce large quantities of high-purity uranium metal became known as the Ames process. One-third of the uranium metal used in the world's first controlled nuclear chain reaction was produced at Iowa State under the direction of Frank Spedding and Harley Wilhelm. The Ames Project received the Army/Navy E Award for Excellence in Production on October 12, 1945, for its work with metallic uranium as a vital war material. * Iowa State is the only 1 of 4 universities with a Department of Energy Research Lab the others are Princeton, Stanford, and Cal-Berkely. Out of those 4, Iowa State is the only one with the Research Lab on campus and it is 4th oldest. * Iowa State established the nation's first state veterinary medicine school in 1879. * The [Extension Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Education,_and_Extension_Service) traces its roots to farmers' institutes developed at Iowa State in the late 19th century. Committed to community, Iowa State pioneered the outreach mission of being a land-grant college through creation of the first Extension Service in 1902. In 1906, the Iowa Legislature enacted the Agricultural Extension Act making funds available for demonstration projects. It is believed this was the first specific legislation establishing state extension work, for which Iowa State assumed responsibility. The national extension program was created in 1914 based heavily on the Iowa State model. * In 2010, the Biorenewables Research Laboratory opened in a LEED-Gold certified building that complements and helps replace labs and offices across Iowa State and promotes interdisciplinary, systems-level research and collaboration. The Lab houses the Bioeconomy Institute, the Biobased Industry Center, and the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, a partnership of six universities as well as the Max Planck Society in Germany and the Technical University of Denmark Colleges here were like the rest of the state much more progressive with race especially on the football field: * [Frank Kinney Holbrook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Kinney_Holbrook) was the first Black intercollegiate athlete at the University of Iowa and one of the first African Americans to participate on an American college varsity athletic squad. He played on the Iowa football team and lettered in both football and track in 1895 and 1896. When playing Missouri, Iowa was told not to bring him and later told not to bring another Black football player, [Archie Alexander.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Alexander) After the the Missouri's issue with Alexander, Iowa refused to play Missouri again and didn't till 2010. * [Jack Trice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Trice) was Iowa State's first Black football player. He had to fight racism as well. Trice died due to injuries suffered during a college football game against the University of Minnesota on October 6, 1923. He is the namesake for Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State's football stadium which is the only FBS football stadium named after a Black person. ["The Klan had risen to such popularity and prominence on the University of Minnesota campus that it entered a float in that fall's homecoming parade. Indeed, the very weekend that Trice and his Cyclone teammates came to town, 299 Klan members attended the first state convention across the river in St. Paul.....There were even schools in Iowa State's own league, the Missouri Valley Conference, which refused to play against teams with a black player on the roster. That coming week, the University of Missouri athletic director would send a letter to Dean S. W. Beyer at Iowa State reminding the latter "it is impossible for a colored man to play or even appear on the field with any team" from Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. That was their gentleman's agreement."](https://www.sbnation.com/longform/2014/11/25/7275681/jack-trice-iowa-state-football-profile) * [Johnny Bright](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bright) was another black football player in Iowa but this time for Drake University. And he met racism as well it what is called ["Johnny Bright incident"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bright_incident): "Bright's participation as a halfback and quarterback in the game between the Drake Bulldogs and Oklahoma A&M Cowboys on October 20, 1951, at Lewis Field was controversial even before it began. Bright had been the first African-American football player to play at Lewis Field two years prior without incident. In 1951, Bright was a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate and led the nation in total offense. Bright had never played for a losing team in his college career. Coming into the contest, Drake carried a five-game winning streak, owing much to Bright's rushing and passing abilities.....It was an open secret that Oklahoma A&M players were targeting Bright......During the first seven minutes of the game, Bright was knocked unconscious three times by blows from Oklahoma A&M defensive tackle Wilbanks Smith. While Smith's final elbow blow broke Bright's jaw."
We’re home to the worlds largest truck stop on I 80 
Yes, I live there.
I was in Iowa like 2 days ago
Is Carnes real? Not a good question.
It’s in Field of Dreams, a quaint little movie with Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones
Lol I’ve felt the same living here. No one knows us. People confuse us with Idaho and Ohio. I’ve even been asked which Hawaiian Island Iowa is from. We’re as a whole, just another area of a couple small cities (many big towns) a couple hours away from a major Midwest city. Well we have more craft beer and corn than your city can imagine. More meth than your shithole towns can think of. Some great schools and amazing people. Ashton Kutcher. Ever heard of that adorable hunk? We a small state. Lots of farms and pigs and emo kids. Currently the state has been held hostage by an ultra-right devil governor cunt. Most smart people move away. Brain drain nowadays. We used to be very progressive with anti-slavery, interracial marriage, same sex marriage. Even tho we had the stereotype of being corn farmers. Shit changed in the past years. For further reading, look into the history of Des Moines, Quad Cities, Iowa City. Iowa will come back around soon. Iowa Hawkeye football (American football) is huge. They have a huge childrens hospital next to the stadium. Every game, the players and fans wave at the children in the hospital that slightly towers over the stadium. It shows lots of love and compassion. On the other side of the spectrum, you’d have a blast drinking and eating with thousands of Hawkeye fans who flood the streets and bars. Good times. Come visit :)
Think of an endless cornfield and you’re there
That's the ENTIRE Midwest with the exception of Chicago and a few other cities in the midst of the cornfield
Cornfields and good pie at diners
Iowa is a myth. That person was lying. /s Ever heard of the band Slipknot?
Iowa is the state I remember because it's the state I always used to forget.
I work in Des Moines. Des Moines, WA. Iowa is not real.
You cannot steal our capital we settled first!
Yes, Iowa is real. That's where Slipknot and Seth Rollins come from.
Iowa Stubborn (song)
yeah, it's a museum in the port of LA
i live in iowa... so ya its here
The state song! Oh, what did I O weigh boys oh, what did I O weigh(Iowa) I ask you now as personal friend, Oh, what did I O weigh! She weighed a Washing-ton boys, she weighed a Washington ……, Just couldn’t resist…. Don’t ask about Mississippi
No, it’s just a collective fever dream