Page 450 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

448  THE GREA T PLAINS

Iowa Madison County and birth-
place of Hollywood Western
Stretching from the Mississippi on its eastern border to the star John Wayne. The four-
Missouri River on the west, Iowa offers seemingly endless room house where the actor
vistas of rolling hills, lush cornfields, old-fashioned barns, and grew up is a much-visited
clapboard country churches. It is one of the nation’s largest museum today. The local
Chamber of Commerce
agricultural producers, with a rich stock of tidy, hard-working provides a map of the six
farming communities. These are the images that make the covered bridges that inspired
state a perfect setting for Hollywood movies seeking to author Robert Waller’s famous
capture a nearly vanished rural America. Iowa also has a 1992 novel, The Bridges of
handful of lively cities, including the state capital Des Moines, Madison County.
with its excellent art and history museums.

o Sioux City p Des Moines
* 83,000. ~ @ * 203,400. ~ @ n 400 Locust St,
n 801 4th St, (800) 593-2228. Suite 265, (800) 451-2625.
∑ visitsiouxcity.org ∑ catchdesmoines.com
A busy railroad center and The state capital draws its name
Missouri River port, Sioux City from French voyageurs who
sits on the northern cusp of explored the Raccoon and Des
Iowa’s green, shaggy Loess Hills. Moines River Valleys, calling the
This unique ecosystem is latter La Rivière des Moines, “River
comprehensively explained at of the Monks.” The city is now
the Dorothy Pecaut Nature an important agricultural and A typical family home in the Amana
Center in Stone State Park, entertainment center and Colonies
about 3 miles (5 km) north of home of the massive Iowa State
the city. The northern tip of the Fair, which lures more than a a Amana Colonies
200-mile (320-km) Loess Hills million visitors every August. n 622 46th Ave, Amana, (800) 579-
National Scenic Byway, Dominating the 2294. ∑ amanacolonies.com
which traverses the area east of downtown
hills, can be accessed is the gold-leafed central The seven Amana Colonies
from the park. The park dome of the Iowa State along the Iowa River were
also has one of the Capitol. Nearby is the settled in the 1850s by the
state’s few surviving Iowa Historical Building, Inspirationists, a mainly
stands of tallgrass with its displays on the German religious sect. The
prairie and a network of state’s Native American, colonists prospered, building
bike and hiking trails. geological, and cultural a profitable woolen mill and a
Just south of down- history. West of the series of communal kitchens,
town, the Sergeant Capitol, the Eliel shops, and factories. In 1932,
Floyd Monument, first Saarinen-designed Des residents voted to end their
ever designated national Moines Art Center communal lifestyle, setting up
monument, marks the exhibits an impressive a profit-sharing society instead.
1804 burial of Sergeant collection of paintings One of the community
Charles Floyd, who was by Henri Matisse, Jasper businesses evolved into
a member of Lewis and Johns, Andy Warhol, and Amana appliance manu factur-
Clark’s (see p562) Corps Georgia O’Keeffe. The ing, while the 1857 Amana
of Discovery. Floyd Floyd Monument Center’s modern Woolen Mill is the state’s only
was the first and only sculpture gallery was woolen mill still in operation.
mem-ber to die on the designed by I.M. Pei. The Amana Heritage Society
transcontinental journey of & Museums commem orate
the three-year-long expedition. E Des Moines Art Center the success of the colonies’
Exhibits from the voyage can be 4700 Grand Ave. Tel (515) 277-4405. enterprises and their unique
seen in the Sergeant Floyd River Open 11am–4pm Tue, Wed, Fri, history in seven separate
Museum & Welcome Center on 11am–9pm Thu, 10am–4pm Sat, museums and preserved
the riverfront. noon–4pm Sun. 7 historical sites.
∑ desmoinesartcenter.org
E Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center E Amana Heritage Museum
4500 Sioux River Rd. Tel (712) 258- Environs 4310 220th Trail. Tel (319) 622-3567.
0838. Open 9am–4:30pm Tue–Sat, Winterset, located about Open Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Sat,
1–4:30pm Sun. Closed Jan 1, 35 miles (56 km) to the south, noon–4pm Sun. & 7
Thanksg., Dec 24 & Dec 25. 7 is the attractive seat of ∑ amanaheritage.org
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp460–62 and pp463–5

448-449_EW_USA.indd 448 11/2/16 2:47 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm