Mount Vernon, Iowa

Roll up to the Paramount Theatre, and you're gazing at a piece of Cedar Rapids history that nearly vanished. Originally opened in 1928, this stunning theater was designed as a vaudeville and movie palace. It quickly…

The largest cereal plant in the world, operating on the banks of the Cedar River since 1873, producing cereal and processing oats at massive scale.

This quarry provided the stone to build Iowa's original capitol building. Back in 1842, they started digging here. The North Bend Quarries, as it was first known, became a crucial source of limestone. That limestone…

This courthouse sits on an island in the middle of a river, a true island of justice! It’s not every day you see a county seat literally surrounded by water. Before this impressive building, Linn County used two other…

Ever wonder what makes a city truly tick? Here in Cedar Rapids, it’s this small but mighty island, much like the Île de la Cité in Paris, that serves as the heart of its civic life. Mays Island is home to Cedar Rapids’…

Prepare to be dazzled by a true architectural gem! The Peoples Savings Bank is one of Louis Sullivan's famous 'jewel box' banks, a miniature masterpiece of Prairie School design. Built in 1911, this bank was one of…

Pull over for a minute; we're about to see a piece of American history you might not expect. This unassuming building is the Mother Mosque of America, the oldest still-standing purpose-built mosque in the United States.…

Edmund Booth, who lived here, lost his hearing at age four and became a prominent deaf actor and advocate. In 1846, at age 6, Edmund contracted meningitis, which left him deaf. He later attended the American School for…

Pull over for a second and take a look around – you're in the heart of Anamosa's Main Street Historic District, a place that tells a story of a growing Iowa town. This district, largely built in the late 19th and early…

Those imposing walls hide more than just cells; they contain decades of Iowa's criminal history. Anamosa State Penitentiary opened in 1872, initially designed to house 396 inmates. Over the years, it's held some of the…

Imagine backbreaking labor under the watchful eyes of armed guards – that was the reality for inmates at this very location, the State Quarry. In 1872, the Iowa Men's Reformatory established a quarry near Stone City.…

This isn't just another small town; it's where a future president's journey began. Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States, spent his formative years right here in West Branch.Hoover was born in 1874 in…

The two-room cottage in West Branch where the 31st president was born in 1874, now part of a national historic site that includes his presidential library and gravesite.

Pull over for a quick peek at the Cedar County Sheriff's House and Jail, a real piece of Iowa history! This wasn't your typical big city lockup. Known as a "Mom and Pop Jail," it operated right here in Tipton. The…

Ever wonder how black women students navigated life at the University of Iowa before integration? This area holds a key piece of that story. The Iowa Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, or IFCWC, was an organization…

Pull over for a second – we’re right near the spot where Iowa City almost turned into a Wild West brawl over beer! Founded in 1856 by German immigrants, the Union Brewery was a cornerstone of the community, quenching…

You’re approaching Old Brick Church, a survivor from Iowa City’s earliest days. It's one of the few buildings that stood here before the Civil War. Originally known as First Presbyterian, it was built in 1856 after the…

Iowa City is a small prairie town that runs on sentences. It was Iowa's original state capital — the gold-domed Old Capitol still crowns the University of Iowa campus, the seat of government until the capital moved to…

The world's most celebrated creative writing program, founded in 1936 at the University of Iowa, which has produced seventeen Pulitzer Prize winners.

Iowa's original territorial and state capitol, now the centerpiece of the University of Iowa campus, served as the seat of government from 1842 to 1857.

Imagine being in the very room where Iowa became a state! The Pentacrest, anchored by the Old Capitol, marks the spot where Iowa’s journey truly began. Iowa City was chosen as the capital of the Iowa Territory in 1841,…

Imagine Iowa's government operating right here! This stately building, now on the University of Iowa campus, was once the Iowa State Capitol. Iowa City was designated the capital in 1841. Construction began on this…

Ever wonder what it was like to experience the golden age of vaudeville? The Englert Theatre lets you step back in time. Built in 1912, the Englert was designed as a premier entertainment venue, hosting everything from…

Founded by freed people in 1868, this church stands as a testament to the resilience and faith of Iowa's African American community. Bethel AME Church was established by free people of color, some from the South and…

Pull over here for a second; you're looking at the home of a man who helped keep the Union together. This is the Kirkwood House, the long-time home of Samuel J. Kirkwood, a pivotal figure in Iowa's history. Kirkwood,…

Pull over here for a minute; this place is more than just a pretty house. It's Plum Grove, the retirement home of Iowa's first territorial governor, Robert Lucas, and the childhood home of author Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd.…