Iowa
Capital:
Des Moines
Date of Entry:
December 28, 1846
Maps:
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| Map of USA. Iowa outlined in dark ink & with name written on it. |
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| A close-up of Iowa & its neighbors. |
Neighbors:
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota
Water Borders:
Missouri River, Mississippi River
Total Area:
56,273 square miles
Five Largest Cities:
Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City
Famous Geographical Point:
Ocheyedan Mound
State Nickname:
The Hawkeye State. Named after famed Native American chief Black Hawk.
Famous Person:
Esther Pauline "Eppie" Lederer, aka "Ann Landers," advice columnist
Book Set In/About:
What's Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter Hedges
A young man, trapped in small-town Iowa by numerous responsibilities & dreaming only of escaping, begins to see his life in a new light.
Movie Set In/About:
"Field of Dreams" (1989), directed by Phil Alden Robinson
When an Iowa farmer begins to hear voices, he interprets their message to mean that he should build a baseball diamond in his corn field.
Headline of the Day:
"Iowa State May Dodge NBA Darling Mo Bamba When Cyclones Play Texas in Big 12 Tournament" in the Des Moines Register
2 comments:
I have a soft spot for Iowa because one of my closest friends from high school was from there (and lives there now). Also because of the Music Man, State Fair and also because of Bill Bryson's "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" about growing up in Iowa.
I checked out the Oceyedan Mound and was amused by this: It was once thought to be the site of the state’s highest elevation. It was surpassed by a hog lot (now called Hawkeye Point) in the same county (Osceola) and now ranks even lower on the list due to the elevation of landfills in the area.
As a person who grew up on the "second bench" in a town with foothills surrounding it, I can't imagine landfills beating out a geologic occurrence as the highest point.
I have to admit, I was appalled when I discovered that the tallest thing in Iowa is a tower of trash. If that's not a sad commentary on modern society, I don't know what is.
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