Des Moines Day Trips is a series of unexpected itineraries for one- or two-day adventures across the state of Iowa. Find ways to explore unique roadside attractions and discover local history without leaving the state! Start your…
American Gothic House
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the end of the year. I feel like I blinked at some point this summer and suddenly it was December. Regardless of how fast it all felt, this was a great year for adventures…
The American Gothic House has always been a favorite Iowa attraction of mine—why else would I visit three times in the past two year? So when I heard the house’s interior would now be open to the public, I knew I’d have to make another trip…
If you’re a long-time blog reader you know that this wasn’t the first time I’ve visited the American Gothic House in search of pie. One Sunday last summer we set out in pursuit of the Pitchfork Pie Stand, only to learn that Beth had sold out the day before and wouldn’t be baking more. We were crushed, to say the least, but settled for milkshakes at the Rexall South Side Drug soda fountain in neighboring Ottumwa. But even over the course of a long winter we never forgot how much we wanted that pie…
Last weekend a friend and I decided to take a mini road trip south to Eldon, Iowa in search of the house that inspired artist Grant Wood’s “American Gothic.” Less than two hours from Des Moines, the trip was the perfect length—peppered with stops along the way—for a sunny Sunday afternoon…