IOWA

Hawkeye State

Having three vertical stripes blue, white and red the Iowa flag resembles the flag of France. On the white stripe is a bald eagle carrying a blue streamer in its beak. The state motto " Our Liberties We Prize, and Our Rights We will Maintain" is written on the streamer. The name of the state is emblazoned in red letters.

Entered Union: December 28, 1846; 29th State
Capital: Des Moines
Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
Flower: Wild rose
Bird: Eastern goldfinch
Tree: Oak
Rock: Geode
Song: The Song of Iowa

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
A thousand years ago several groups of pre-historic Indian Mound Builders dwelt on Iowa's fertile plains. Marquette and Jolliet gave France its claim to the area in 1673. It became U.S. territory through the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Indian tribes were moved into the area from states further east, but by mid-19th century were forced to move on to Kansas. Before and during the Civil War, Iowans strongly supported Abraham Lincoln and became traditional Republicans.

FACTS AND TRIVIA ABOUT IOWA
Iowa is the only state bordered on both east and west entirely by rivers. (Mississippi on the east, Missouri and Big Sioux on the west.)

The shortest and steepest railroad in the U. S. is in Dubuque. It is 296 feet long, and rises at an incline of 60 degrees to a height of 189 feet.

The red Delicious apple (the most popular apple in the U. S.) was developed in East Peru.

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Sabula is Iowa's only town on an island.

Eskimo Pies, the popular ice cream treats, were invented in Onawa, Iowa in 1920.

The town of Fort Atkinson was the site of the only fort ever built by the U.S. government to protect one Indian tribe from another.

Besides Paris, France, Cedar Rapids is the only other city in the world that has its government buildings on an island in the center of the city.

Elk Horn is the site of the largest Danish settlement in the United States.

Iowa State University was the first land-grant college in the United States.

The largest Amish community west of the Mississippi River is near the town of Kalona.

Glenn Miller, the famous big-band leader, was born in Clarinda in 1904.

Film star John Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa and his real name was Marion Robert Morrison.

Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was the first president born west of the Mississippi River -- his birthplace was in West Branch, Iowa.

Mamie Doud Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight Eisenhower, was born in Boone, Iowa.

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