During a Saturday stop in Winterset, Iowa, we visited the birthplace of actor John Wayne. Born May 26, 1907 to Clyde and Mary Morrison, Wayne’s boyhood home is located just off the city’s main square. The tiny white home—restored to appear as it did in 1907—is surrounded by a statue of the western star, a small gift shop and, if fundraising goes well, a John Wayne Museum…
Iowa
One of my favorite parts about the mini road trips we take are the tiny towns that we visit along the way. In this particular case, we found ourselves in West Bend, Iowa to visit the Grotto of the Redemption. But as lunchtime neared and our stomachs began to grumble, we knew we needed to do a little exploring…
After grabbing lunch at NewBo City Market, we wandered around the adorable Cedar Rapids neighborhood of New Bohemia. Before we hopped back in the car to embark on the next leg of our adventure, we stopped in at a few shops and took in some of the adorable atmosphere of this unique neighborhood…
If you happen to be a Star Trek fanatic—or even if you aren’t—you probably know that Captain James T. Kirk is on the roster of proud Iowans. Granted he won’t be born for another 215 years, but the people of Riverside, Iowa hasn’t let that stop them from celebrating their (future) local celebrity…
To celebrate the first official day of autumn—though the temperatures in Iowa have still been in the mid-70s and 80s—I hopped in the car with a friend and headed to Wilson’s Orchard near Iowa City. We arrived just after the orchard opening and snagged a few fresh apple cider donuts for our rumbling stomachs…
Last week I wrote about my trip to the famous “American Gothic” house in Edon, Iowa. A town of just over 900, Eldon is one of the small town, Iowa gems I truly love. Before we headed to our final destination, we stopped off at a local antique and furniture renovation shop—Junk’e in the Trunk—and scooped up a few vintage treasures…
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…