Iowa

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State of Iowa

Flag of Iowa Seal of Iowa Nickname(s): The Hawkeye State, The Tall Corn State Motto(s): Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
Official language(s)	English
Capital	Des Moines
Largest city	Des Moines
Area	Ranked 26th
- Total	56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)
- Width	199 miles (320 km)
- Length	310 miles (500 km)
- % water	0.71
- Latitude	40°36'N to 43°30'N
- Longitude	89°5'W to 96°31'W
Population	Ranked 30th
- Total (2000)	2,926,324
- Density	52.4/sq mi  20.22/km² (33rd)
Elevation
- Highest point	Hawkeye Point[1] 1,670 ft  (509 m)
- Mean	1,099 ft  (335 m)
- Lowest point	Mississippi River[1] 480 ft  (146 m)
Admission to Union	December 28, 1846 (29th)
Governor	Chet Culver (D)
U.S. Senators	Chuck Grassley (R) Tom Harkin (D)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/DST-5
Abbreviations	US-IA
Web site	www.iowa.gov

Iowa (pronounced [ˈaɪəwə]) is a Midwest state of the United States. It is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the Union on December 28, 1846. The official name of the state is the "State of Iowa". The state is named for the Native American Iowa people. It is known as the "Hawkeye State" or the "Corn State".

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 2 History 2.1 References 2.2 Statehood 3 Demographics 3.1 Rural flight 3.2 Religion 4 Economy 5 Transportation 5.1 Interstate highways 5.2 US highways 5.3 Airports with scheduled flights 6 Law and government 6.1 Iowa Presidential caucus 6.2 U.S. senators from Iowa 7 Important cities and towns 8 Education 8.1 State universities 8.2 Independent colleges and universities 8.3 Community colleges 8.4 Professional business and technical colleges and universities 9 Libraries 9.1 Public Libraries 10 Sports 11 Art 12 Miscellaneous topics 12.1 Famous Iowans 12.2 Animals 12.3 State symbols 13 References 14 See also 15 External links

[edit] Geography

Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north; Nebraska and South Dakota on the west; Missouri on the south; and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east.

The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. There are several natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa[1], Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Coralville Lake, Lake McBride and Rathbun Lake.

The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers—a landscape not usually associated with this state.

The point of lowest elevation is Keokuk in southeastern Iowa, at 480 feet (146 m). The point of highest elevation, at 1,670 feet (509 m), is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 1,099 feet (335 m). Considering the size of the state at 56,271 square miles (145,743 km²), there is very little elevation difference.

Iowa has 99 counties. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County (#60).

Iowa has the highest average radon concentrations in the nation due to significant glaciation that ground the granitic rocks from the Canadian Shield and deposited it as soils making up the rich Iowa farmaland http://www.cheec.uiowa.edu/misc/radon.html. Because of the high surface area of the ground rock, radon is free to off-gas from the soils. Many cities within the state, such as Iowa City have passed requirements for radon resistant construction in all new homes.

Areas controlled and protected by the National Park Service include:

• Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry
• Herbert Hoover National Historical Site in West Branch
• Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

See List of counties in Iowa, List of cities in Iowa, List of townships in Iowa and List of Iowa rivers

[edit] Climate

Iowa experiences a continental climate with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50.0 °F (10.0 °C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 °F, while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 52.1 °F. Winters are brisk and snowfall is common, the capital (Des Moines) receiving an average of 36.3 inches per season. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season, as well as bringing increased precipitation and warming temperatures. The Iowan summer is known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures sometimes exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C).

Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year.^[2] Some of these thunderstorms can be severe with high winds and hail. The state has a moderately high risk of tornadic activity with, on average, 37 tornadoes per year.^[3]

[edit] History

Main article: History of Iowa.

Highlights:

• The first Europeans to explore Iowa were French citizens following the Sac and Fox, presently known as the Mesquakie (Meskwaki) Indians.
• At first, due to a lack of trees, Iowa was believed to not be able to support agriculture. *Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette are believed to be the first European explorers to visit Iowa. They described Iowa as lush, green, and fertile.
• Iowa has been home to approximately 17 different Native American tribes. Today, only the Meskwaki tribe remains.
• The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri.
• During the 1835 Dragoon expedition to map and survey central Iowa, many dragoons got lost in prairie grass which was over their heads even on horseback. The map maker was Albert Lea, who is the namesake for Albert Lea, Minnesota. One of the commanders was Nathan Boone, the youngest son of Daniel Boone.
• Iowa became the 29^th state in the union on December 28, 1846.
• The Chicago and North Western Railway reached Council Bluffs in 1867. Council Bluffs was designated the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific Railroad. The completion of five major railroads across Iowa brought major economic changes as well as travel opportunities.
• During the American Civil War, more than 75,000 Iowans participated in the war, 13,001 of whom died (mostly by disease). Iowa had a higher percentage of soldiers serve in the Civil War, per capita, than any other state in the Union, with nearly 60% of eligible males serving. Among many cases in point would be Isaac S. Struble of Plymouth County, Congressman from 1883-1891.
• Iowa saw a large increase in farming of beef, corn, and pork during World War I, but farmers saw economic hardships after the war. These hardships were the result of the removal of war-time farm subsidies. Total recovery did not occur until the 1940s.
• The Farm Crisis of the 1980s saw a major decline of family farms in Iowa and around the Midwest, and it was marked by a sharp drop in the state's rural population.
• Although Iowa's primary industry is agriculture, it also produces refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, toothbrushes, and food products that are shipped around the world.
• Iowa is also a major producer of ethanol and biodiesel.
• Iowa has the 3rd largest wind power economy, after California and Texas.

[edit] References

• Bergman, Marvin, ed. Iowa History Reader (1996) essays by scholars.
• Ross, Earl D. Iowa Agriculture: An Historical Survey (1951)
• Sage, Leland. A History of Iowa (1974)
• Schwieder, Dorothy. Iowa: The Middle Land (1996) excellent scholarly history
• Wall, Joseph Frazier. Iowa: A Bicentennial History (1978)

[edit] Statehood

The original boundaries of Iowa proposed during statehood proceedings were different from those of today. The first design was approximately pentagonal in shape and only slightly smaller than Missouri. Iowa was to be bounded to the northwest by the lower Minnesota River and a line drawn from confluence of the Blue Earth River and Minnesota River southwest to the mouth of the Big Sioux River.

This design was accepted by the Congressional Committee on Territories but met resistance in the House. The implications of adding Texas to the Union was driving Northern interests toward the creation of smaller states in the northwestern territories so as to leave the possibility of creating more states in the future. To that end, Iowa's proposed boundaries were reduced significantly. The southern boundary would remain that of Missouri (itself the subject of the Honey Lands dispute). The eastern boundary would remain that of the Mississippi River. The western boundary was to be essentially a northern continuation of Missouri's western boundary (the meridian passing through the mouth of the Kansas River). Iowa's northern boundary was to be the line of latitude passing through the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers.

This much reduced version of Iowa was accepted by Congress but rejected by the people of Iowa — the first time a proposed state was rejected by its people. The main grievance voiced was the loss of the so-called Missouri Slope, the western part of Iowa that reaches the Missouri River. During the next session of Congress a compromise was reached and agreed upon, giving Iowa the shape it has today with its northern boundary at latitude 43° 30' and its western boundary along the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers. Ten years after statehood, Iowa attempted unsuccessfully to add a tract of land to the northwest, similar to Missouri's successful addition of the Platte Purchase. The proposed addition was the land between a western continuation of Iowa's northern boundary and the Missouri River, the southeast part of what would become South Dakota.^[4]

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	43,112		–
1850	192,214		345.8%
1860	674,913		251.1%
1870	1,194,020		76.9%
1880	1,624,615		36.1%
1890	1,912,297		17.7%
1900	2,231,853		16.7%
1910	2,224,771		-0.3%
1920	2,404,021		8.1%
1930	2,470,939		2.8%
1940	2,538,268		2.7%
1950	2,621,073		3.3%
1960	2,757,537		5.2%
1970	2,824,376		2.4%
1980	2,913,808		3.2%
1990	2,776,755		-4.7%
2000	2,926,324		5.4%

As of 2005, Iowa has an estimated population of 2,966,334, which is an increase of 13,430, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 39,952, or 1.4%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 53,706 people (that is 197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 11,754 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people.

The center of population of Iowa is located in Marshall County, in the city of Marshalltown [2].

Demographics of Iowa (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	96.14%	2.51%	0.63%	1.48%	0.08%
2000 (Hispanic only)	2.68%	0.08%	0.08%	0.03%	0.01%
2005 (total population)	95.79%	2.79%	0.61%	1.67%	0.08%
2005 (Hispanic only)	3.48%	0.13%	0.09%	0.03%	0.01%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	1.01%	12.55%	-2.70%	14.41%	1.01%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	0.12%	11.13%	-5.68%	14.14%	0.05%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	31.91%	53.85%	19.33%	29.51%	7.14%

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Iowa's population included about 97,000 foreign-born (3.3%).

Iowans are mostly of Northern European origin. The eight largest ancestry groups in Iowa are: German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%), Norwegian (5.7%), Dutch (4.6%), Swedish (3.3%) and Danish (3.2%)

6.4% of Iowa's population were reported as under the age of five, 25.1% under 18, and 14.9% were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.1% of the population.

[edit] Rural flight

Iowa, in common with other Midwestern states (especially Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of falling populations. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3,000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1,000. Between 1996 and 2004, almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. "Rural flight", as it is called, has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers.

[edit] Religion

Most Iowans are Protestant Christians, with Lutheranism being the largest single Protestant denomination, followed by Methodist. The state has the second largest population of Reformed Christians, both RCA and CRC.

The religious affiliations of the people of Iowa are:

[3]*Christian – 75%

• • Protestant – 50%
    • Lutheran – 16%
    • Methodist – 13%
    • Baptist – 5%
    • Presbyterian – 3%
    • Pentecostal – 2%
    • Congregational/United Church of Christ – 2%
    • Other Protestant or general Protestant – 11%
  • Roman Catholic – 23%
  • Other Christian – 1%
• Other Religions – 6%
• Non-Religious – 13%
• Did not answer – 5%

[edit] Economy

The state's total gross state product for 2003 was US$103 billion. Its per capita income for 2003 was US$28,340. Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle and dairy products. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Iowa produces the nation's largest amount of ethanol. Des Moines also serves as a center for the insurance industry.

Iowa imposes taxes on net state income of individuals and estates and trusts. There are currently nine income tax brackets, ranging from 0.36% to 8.98%. The state sales tax rate is 5%.^[5] Iowa has two local option sales taxes that may be imposed by counties after an election at which the majority of voters favors the tax. They are in addition to the 5% state sales tax. The regular local option tax is imposed on the gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property. It usually remains in effect until it is repealed, but the ordinance may include a sunset clause. The school infrastructure local option tax is automatically repealed 10 years after it is imposed, unless the ballot imposes a shorter time frame.^[5]

Property tax is levied on the taxable value of real property, that is, mostly land, buildings, structures, and other improvements that are constructed on or in the land, attached to the land or placed upon a foundation. Typical improvements include a building, house or mobile home, fences, and paving. The following five classes of real property are evaluated: residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial and utilities/railroad (which is assessed at the state level). Homeowners pay less than half of the property tax collected each year in Iowa. Farmers pay 21%, and businesses and industry, a total of 23%. Utility companies, including railroads, pay 10%. Iowa has more than 2,000 taxing authorities. Most property is taxed by more than one taxing authority. The tax rate differs in each locality and is a composite of county, city or rural township, school district and special levies.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Interstate highways

These are ten interstate highways that go through Iowa:

• 29, 35, 74, 80, 129, 235, 280, 380, 480, 680

[edit] US highways

These are 20 United States highways that go through Iowa:

• 6, 18, 20, 30, 34, 52, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 75, 77, 136, 151, 169, 218, 275

[edit] Airports with scheduled flights

• Des Moines International Airport
• Dubuque Regional Airport
• Mason City Municipal Airport
• The Eastern Iowa Airport
• Sioux Gateway Airport
• Southeast Iowa Regional Airport
• Waterloo Regional Airport

[edit] Law and government

The current Governor is Chet Culver (D)

Other statewide elected officials are:

• Patty Judge (D) - Lieutenant Governor
• Michael Mauro (D) - Secretary of State
• David Vaudt (R) - Auditor of State
• Michael Fitzgerald (D) - Treasurer of State
• Bill Northey (R) - Secretary of Agriculture
• Tom Miller (D) - Attorney General

The two U.S. Senators:

• Tom Harkin (D)
• Chuck Grassley (R)

The five U.S. Congressmen:

• Dave Loebsack (Dem.)
• Bruce Braley (Dem.)
• Leonard Boswell (Dem.)
• Steve King (Rep.)
• Tom Latham (Rep.)

The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is a non-partisan governmental agency that is responsible for organizing, updating and publishing the Iowa Code. The Iowa Code is republished in full in odd years (i.e., 1999, 2001, 2003, etc..) and is supplemented in even years.

Iowa has a liberal populist tradition, but now is fairly evenly divided between the two major political parties.

Iowa supported Bill Clinton in 1992 and in 1996.

In 2004, George W. Bush won re-election by less than a majority of votes (49.9%).

By 2006, Iowa had leaned Democratic and two Republican seats switched parties to the Democrats.

Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or Alcoholic beverage control state.

See List of Governors of Iowa, Iowa General Assembly, and Iowa State Capitol

[edit] Iowa Presidential caucus

The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential caucus, a gathering of voters to select delegates to the state convention. Along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, it has become the starting gun for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election. The national and international media give Iowa (and New Hampshire) about half of all the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives the voters enormous leverage. Some candidates decide to skip the Iowa caucus, especially those who oppose ethanol subsidies, and use their resources in other early states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties.

[edit] U.S. senators from Iowa

List of United States Senators who have represented Iowa:

Seat 1

Senator	Took Office	Left Office	Party
Chuck Grassley	1981	present	Republican
John Culver	1975	1981	Democrat
Harold E. Hughes	1969	1975	Democrat
Bourke B. Hickenlooper	1945	1969	Republican
Guy M. Gillette	1936	1945	Democrat
Richard Louis Murphy	1933	1936	Democrat
Smith W. Brookhart	1927	1933	Republican
David W. Stewart	1926	1927	Republican
Albert B. Cummins	1908	1926	Republican
William B. Allison	1873	1908	Republican
James Harlan	1867	1873	Republican
Samuel J. Kirkwood	1865	1867	Republican
James Harlan	1855	1865	Free Soil and Republican
Augustus C. Dodge	1848	1855	Democrat

Seat 2

Senator	Took Office	Left Office	Party
Tom Harkin	1985	present	Democrat
Roger Jepsen	1979	1985	Republican
Dick Clark	1973	1979	Democrat
Jack R. Miller	1961	1973	Republican
Thomas E. Martin	1955	1961	Republican
Guy M. Gillette	1949	1955	Democrat
George A. Wilson	1943	1949	Republican
Clyde L. Herring	1937	1943	Democrat
L.J. Dickinson	1931	1937	Republican
Daniel F. Steck	1926	1931	Democrat
Smith W. Brookhart	1922	1926	Republican
Charles A. Rawson	1922	1922	Democrat
William S. Kenyon	1911	1922	Republican
Lafayette Young	1910	1911	Democrat
Jonathan P. Dolliver	1900	1910	Republican
John H. Gear	1895	1900	Republican
James F. Wilson	1883	1895	Republican
James W. McDill	1881	1883	Republican
Samuel J. Kirkwood	1877	1881	Republican
George G. Wright	1871	1877	Republican
James B. Howell	1870	1871	Republican
James W. Grimes	1859	1869	Republican
George W. Jones	1848	1859	Democrat

[edit] Important cities and towns

Main article: List of cities in Iowa

Population figures are given in parentheses and are based on 2005 estimates,^[6] except for those marked with *, which are special census figures from 2005. Metropolitan Statistical Area figures are 2006 estimates.^[7]

• Des Moines (194,163/MSA 534,230), state capital, and home to Drake University.
• Cedar Rapids (123,119/MSA 249,320)
• Davenport (98,845/MSA 377,291), home of Saint Ambrose University, largest of the Quad Cities
• Sioux City (83,148/MSA 143,474)
• Waterloo (66,483/MSA 162,263).
• Iowa City (62,887/MSA 139,567), home of the University of Iowa
• Council Bluffs (59,568/MSA 822,549), part of Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area
• Dubuque (57,798/MSA 92,384) Iowa's oldest city, river port, college town, tourist destination.
• West Des Moines (52,768), suburb of Des Moines and insurance center
• Ames (52,263/MSA 80,145), home of Iowa State University.
• Cedar Falls (36,471), home of the University of Northern Iowa and part of the Waterloo metropolitan area
• Ankeny (*36,161), suburb of Des Moines
• Urbandale (*35,904), suburb of Des Moines
• Bettendorf (31,890), part of the Quad Cities
• Marion (30,233), suburb of Cedar Rapids
• Mason City (27,909), city known for cement manufacturing
• Clinton (27,086), industrial river town
• Marshalltown (25,977), home of Iowa Veterans Home, known for furnace and valve manufacturing
• Fort Dodge (25,493), known for mining and veterinary pharmaceuticals
• Burlington (25,436), industrial river town
• Ottumwa (24,798), industrial river town
• Muscatine (22,757), location of many chemical plants
• Coralville (17,811), suburb of Iowa City
• Newton (15,696), former home of the Maytag Corporation's headquarters prior to the Whirlpool Corporation buyout
• Indianola (*14,156), home of National Balloon Museum and Simpson College
• Clive (13,851), suburb of Des Moines
• Johnston (*13,596), suburb of Des Moines
• Altoona (*13,301), suburb of Des Moines
• Boone (12,831), an important hub for the Union Pacific Railroad
• Spencer (12,403) known for the Clay County Fair
• Fort Madison (11,048) home of the Iowa State Penitentiary
• Oskaloosa (11,026), home of William Penn University
• Keokuk (10,762), river port in extreme southeast
• Pella (10,291), home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation.
• Storm Lake (10,076), home of Buena Vista University
• Carroll (10,047)

[edit] Education

Iowa has historically placed a strong emphasis on education, which is shown in standardized testing scores. In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores in states where more than 20% of graduates were tested. The national office of ACT is in Iowa City, and the ITBS and ITED testing programs used in many states are provided by the University of Iowa.

An overhaul of the current education system is being discussed. One of the suggested ideas is switching from 180 days to a year-round school system. [4]

[edit] State universities

• Iowa State University
• University of Iowa
• University of Northern Iowa

[edit] Independent colleges and universities

Ashford University Briar Cliff University Buena Vista University Central College Clarke College Coe College Cornell College Divine Word College Dordt College Drake University Emmaus Bible College Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Graceland University Grand View College Grinnell College

Iowa Wesleyan College Loras College Luther College Maharishi University of Management Morningside College Mount Mercy College Northwestern College Simpson College Saint Ambrose University University of Dubuque Upper Iowa University Vennard College Waldorf College Wartburg College William Penn University

[edit] Community colleges

Clinton Community College Des Moines Area Community College Ellsworth Community College Hawkeye Community College Indian Hills Community College Iowa Central Community College Iowa Lakes Community College Iowa Western Community College Kirkwood Community College

Marshalltown Community College Muscatine Community College North Iowa Area Community College Northeast Iowa Community College Northwest Iowa Community College Scott Community College Southeastern Community College Southwestern Community College Western Iowa Community College

[edit] Professional business and technical colleges and universities

AIB College of Business Allen College of Nursing Des Moines University Hamilton College Kaplan College Mercy College of Health Sciences

Palmer College of Chiropractic St. Luke's College of Nursing and Health Sciences Vatterott College

[edit] Libraries

[edit] Public Libraries

• Cedar Falls Public Library
• Davenport Public Library
• Dubuque Carnegie-Stout Public Library
• Iowa City Public Library
• Waterloo Public Library
• Sioux City Public Library
• Traer Public Library [5]

[edit] Sports

The Minor League baseball teams are:

Iowa Cubs (AAA, Pacific Coast League) Cedar Rapids Kernels (A, Midwest League) Burlington Bees (A, Midwest League) Clarinda A's (collegiate summer)

Clinton LumberKings (A, Midwest League) Swing of the Quad Cities (A, Midwest League) Waterloo Bucks (collegiate summer) Sioux City Explorers (Northern League, independent)

The Minor League hockey teams are:

Iowa Stars Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Waterloo Blackhawks Omaha Lancers (located in Council Bluffs)

Des Moines Buccaneers Sioux City Musketeers Quad City Mallards Dubuque Thunderbirds

Real Pro Wrestling

• Iowa Stalkers

The Minor League soccer teams are:

Des Moines Menace (USL Premier Development League; amateur)

[edit] Art

• Exhibitions
  • Iowa Biennial

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

[edit] Famous Iowans

The following is an alphabetical list of famous people born in Iowa (who don't necessarily live in Iowa) as well as famous Iowans in general.

(Gable, Dan) Olympic Gold Metalist in Wrestling and Famous Wrestling Coach for the University of Iowa, Born in Waterloo, Iowa.

Name	Occupation	Description
Tom Arnold	Film actor	Born in Ottumwa on 6 March 1959.
Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke	Jazz cornet player	Born in Davenport 1903-1931.
Buffalo Bill	Buffalo Hunter; Entertainer; Pony Express Rider	Born William Frederick Cody near Le Claire on February 26, 1846.
Billy Aaron Brown	Played Kyle in ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules	Born in Clarinda, Iowa in 1981.
Bill Bryson	Popular writer of travel books	Born in Des Moines in 1951.
Norman Ernest Borlaug	Nobel Peace Prize laureate	Born near Cresco on March 25, 1914.
Johnny Carson	Comedian	Born in Corning on 23 October 1925.
Christian Clemenson	American Actor	Born in Humboldt, Iowa on November 11, 1959
Mamie Eisenhower	Wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower	Born in Boone in 1896.
Michael Emerson	Actor, plays Benjamin Linus in ABC series Lost	Born in Cedar Rapids on September 7, 1954.
Bob Feller	Major League Baseball Player; Hall of Famer	Pitched 3 no-hitters for the Cleveland Indians, Born near Van Meter on November 3, 1918.
George Gallup	American statistician; inventor of the Gallup poll	Born in Jefferson in 1901.
Frank Gotch	Professional wrestler; world heavyweight champion	Born south of Humboldt in 1878.
Chad Hennings	American football player and US Air Force officer	Born in Elberon on October 20, 1965.
Kirk Hinrich	NBA basketball player	Born in Sioux City on January 2, 1981
Herbert Hoover	31st President of the United States	Born in West Branch in 1874. He is also buried there.
Lou Henry Hoover	Wife of President Herbert Hoover	Born in Waterloo, Iowa.
Ashton Kutcher	Film and television actor	Born in Cedar Rapids on February 7, 1978.
William D. Leahy	Five star admiral	Born in Hampton on May 6, 1875.
Ron Livingston	Film and television actor	Born in Cedar Rapids on June 5, 1968.
Frederick L. Maytag	Maytag founder	Lived his childhood years near Laurel.
Robert Millikan	Physicist	Measured the charge of the electron, spent part of his childhood in Maquoketa.
Glenn Miller	Musician	Born in Clarinda (1904)]
Kate Mulgrew	Actress	A film and television actress born in Dubuque, Iowa on April 29, 1955.
Charles Murray	American policy writer	Best known for being the co-author of the controversial best seller, The Bell Curve. Born in Newton, Iowa on January 8, 1943.
Nancy Price	Author of Sleeping with the Enemy	Former Professor at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Harry Reasoner	Journalist	Born 17 Apr 1923 at Dakota City, Iowa
Donna Reed	Actress	Born as Donna Belle Mullenger January 27, 1921 on a farm near Denison, Iowa
George Reeves	Actor	Born January 5, 1914, best known for playing the role of Superman on the television series in the 1950s.
Reggie Roby	NFL Punter	Born in Waterloo played college football at University of Iowa.
Sage Rosenfels	NFL quarterback	Born in Maquoketa in 1978 and played college football at Iowa State University.
Brandon Routh	Film and television actor	Born in Des Moines on October 09, 1979
Slipknot	Alternative metal/nu metal band	Formed in Des Moines.
Tracie Spencer	Female R&B Vocalist	Born in Waterloo.
Mark Steines	Co-host of Entertainment Tonight	Alumnus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Bill Stewart (musician)	Accomplished American jazz drummer	Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa.
Sullivan brothers	Deaths brought about the military's Sole Survivor Policy	Died together on the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal, were born in Waterloo.
Billy Sunday	a professional baseball player; evangelist	Born in Bina in 1862 and lived in Glenwood, Nevada, and Ames.
Corey Taylor	Lead vocalist of the bands Slipknot and Stone Sour	Born on December 8, 1973 and formed Slipknot in 1995.
James Van Allen	Scientist	Born in Mount Pleasant in 1914.
Michelle Vieth	Mexican soap actress	Born in Marshalltown on November 19, 1979. Now lives in Mexico.
Henry A. Wallace	33rd Vice President of the United States	Born in Orient, Iowa in 1888; died in Danbury, Connecticut in 1965
Robert James Waller	Author of The Bridges of Madison County	Former Professor of Business at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Brian Wansink	Author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think	Born in 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa and alumnus of Drake University (M.A.). Professor at Cornell University.
Grant Wood	Artist	Known mostly for his painting American Gothic, was born in Anamosa on 13 February 1891.
Wright Brothers		Lived for a short time in Cedar Rapids while their father was posted there as a bishop with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
Kurt Warner	American football player	Born in 1971 in Burlington. Alumnus of the University of Northern Iowa.
John Wayne	Film actor	Born as Marion Morrison in Winterset in 1907.
Meredith Willson	Broadway composer/lyricist: The Music Man, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Here's Love	Born on May 18 1902 in Mason City. The Music Man is based partly on Willson's own childhood and is his tribute to the State of Iowa.
Elijah Wood	Film actor	Born in Cedar Rapids on January 28, 1981.
Ed Yost	Inventor of the modern hot air balloon	Born in Bristow in 1919.
Andy Williams	American Pop Singer [Moon River, 1962]	Born in Wall Lake in 1927.
Joey Jordison	American Drummer of Slipknot and Guitarist of Murderdolls	Born in Des Moines in 1975.

[edit] Animals

Some of the wild animals that can be found in Iowa:

White-tailed deer Pheasant Quail Muskrat Raccoon Red fox Jackrabbit Cottontail Fox squirrel Gray squirrel Coyote Beaver

Badger Weasel Mink Eastern spotted skunk Striped skunk Gray fox Opossum Gopher Groundhog Massassauga rattlesnake Prairie rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake

[edit] State symbols

• Nickname(s): The Tall Corn State, The Hawkeye State
• Bird: Eastern Goldfinch^[8]
• Fish: Channel catfish (unofficial) [6]
• Flower: Wild Rose^[8]
• Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass^{[citation needed]}
• Tree: Oak^[8]
• Colors:Red, white, and blue (in state flag)
• Fossil: Crinoid (proposed) [7]
• Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"^[8]
• Rock: Geode^[8]
• Ships: Iowa class battleship, USS Iowa (BB-4), USS Iowa (BB-53), USS Iowa (BB-61)
• Song: The Song of Iowa^[9]
• Soil: Tama (unofficial)

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Scouting in Iowa
• Iowa State Patrol

[edit] External links

Find more information on Iowa by searching Wikipedia's sister projects
	Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
	Textbooks from Wikibooks
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Images and media from Commons
	News stories from Wikinews
	Learning resources from Wikiversity

• Official State of Iowa Website
• Iowa Cities and Towns
• Iowa News.
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Iowa
• U.S. Census Bureau
• Iowa Code online at Iowa General Assembly
• Iowa Newspapers
• Iowa News. (civil liberties)
• Midwest Regional Climate Center (climate statistics)
• Iowa State Facts
• the Depression in Iowa
• Iowa: Facts, Map and State Symbols
• State Symbols
• American Religious Identification Survey
• Office of Governor-elect and Lt. Governor-elect
• State Fire Marshal Division [8]
• Fire Service Training Bureau [9]
• The Iowa Biennial Exhibition

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Coordinates: 42° N 93° W