Iowa, Iowa, That’s Where the Tall Corn Grows

4-12 September 2012

We meandered through the middle of Iowa, staying away from the interstates as much as we could. As a result, we saw lots and lots of cornfields and bean fields and small farming towns, and a few surprises.  US Highway 20 passed right by our Chicago campground and we pretty much followed it to Rockwell City, Iowa where Russ’ aunt lives.

In the Chicago area, US 20 is known as the US Grant Highway because it passes through Galena, Illinois where Ulysses S Grant lived for a number of years before and after the Civil War. I thought it would be kind of cool to see his home so we headed for Galena.  What a wonderful surprise that town is! A Rip Van winkle-like town, this place is full of original pre-Civil War homes and business buildings that are in pristine condition. The downtown Main Street has many unique boutiques and restaurants and is a fun street to wander down. The surrounding area is green, rolling hills with beautiful vistas of prosperous farms.

Dubuque, Iowa is about 20 miles west of Galena and we had a very nice couple of days seeing the sights there.  The history of riverboats on the Mississippi River is documented in the National Riverboat Museum along with a nice aquarium with river fishes.  Not very colorful but interesting anyway. Since there was so much focus on riverboats, we took a paddleboat ride on the Mississippi to see what the hype was all about. Dubuque also had lots of beautiful 1800’s homes and buildings. And a huge number of colleges (four catholic colleges and a couple secular ones) for a city of 58,000!

On the way to Fort Dodge, we stopped by the “Field of Dreams” where the film was made. Didn’t bring our gloves though so we didn’t get a chance to throw a few fly balls. And we toured a Frank Lloyd Wright home, called Cedar Rock, just outside of Quasqueton. The highlight of that tour, for me, was the wagon ride behind a tractor to get out to the house. The house was built in 1950 and is an Ustonian design – a design for the common man (although not sure if the common man could afford a $150,000 house in 1950.) Everything was designed by Wright, including the furniture. It had the Wright signature design elements – integrating the outside with the inside, lots of natural light, long horizontal lines.

In Rockwell City, we had a lovely afternoon visiting with Russ’ Aunt Irene and two of her children as well as a granddaughter and her adorable baby boy. I love these mini family reunions that we are having on this trip. Lots of reminiscing and getting caught up on family news.

Finally, we left US Highway 20 and took some county and state roads over to the Omaha area. Farmers are starting to harvest their fields in this part of Iowa. I really find it interesting to watch the combines marching through fields, chewing up the cornstalks and filling their hoppers with the golden grains. There were lots of quilt blocks painted on the barns and houses in this area also.

We are staying on the west side of Omaha, away from downtown proper. Today, we split our time at the Quilting Institute in Lincoln, Nebraska and the Air & Space Museum. Seems like a good balance for us. Now I am listening to the rain pour outside while occasional lighting lights up the sky and thunder shakes the trailer.  Hoping for good weather tomorrow as we head further south to Wichita and Oklahoma City.

 

A home in Galena, Illinois. 

 

Ulysses S Grant's home in Galena, Illinois. He lived here after the Civil War and after his presidential term.



Some of the beautiful pre Civil War buildings in Galena.



Downtown Galena.  There were lots of great boutiques and restaurants.

This little lion is protecting one of Galena's homes.

 



Yum, catfish tastes so good (not!)

This is an albino snapping turtle.

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This beaver would go into a frenzied dance when he saw someone standing near his tank.

Not a real anaconda, but sized and weighted like a real one. Russ tried to lift it - not easy.

Oh, no! Someone save Russ from the giant Mississippi catfish!



Iowa's only operating paddleboat.

Dubuque has the only remaining true ice harbor on the Mississippi. The dykes protect the city from river floods.

One of the 29 locks and dams on the Mississippi.  It doesn't cost anything to use the locks - unlike the exorbitant prices to use the Panama Canal.



The Frank Lloyd Wright designed home, Cedar Rock.

Poor Russ!  Captured at last.



Frontier Village in Fort Dodge.  There are many of these villages throughout the midwest, established to preserve buildings and their contents.

The Internaltional Quilt Study Center and Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Antique tape measures from France.

Antique toy sewing machine.

An SR-71 at the Air & Space Museum. The navigation system was built by Northrop Grumman.

The Holy Family Shrine on a hillside next to I-80. This is not a church - it is intended for travelers to have a place to meditate and reconnect with their faith.