The movie was filmed here in 1988 and released in 1989. It won 7 Oscars. Like Dances With Wolves, Field of Dreams starred Kevin Costner.If you build it, he will come….So here I am!Doing my Tom Seaver imitation.Running the bases.And he scores!
This is the birthplace of President Herbert Hoover, our 31st president, from 1929-1933. He was born here in 1874.In this two room house lived Herbert’s parents and three children! Tight quarters!Rear of the house.Their bathroom.Hoover’s father was a blacksmith.The little box beside the brick chimney says “Seat for boys Tad-Bertie”. Bertie was the future president.Hoover attended this schoolhouse.Teacher’s desk.Penmanship workbook – an obsolete school subject.Student’s desk and books.The Friends (Quaker) Meeting House. Hoover was raised Quaker.Men sat on the right side of the partition.Women sat on the left side, with access to the cry room.The cry room.Unfortunately the Presidential Museum was closed due to COVID fear.The museum campus is very park-like.The graves of President Herbert and First Lady Lou Hoover.
The Iowa State Capitol is quite beautiful – 5 domes!Women’s Suffrage in Iowa.Rear view of the capitol.Another Abraham Lincoln statue is still standing!The Rotunda.The flag and emblems at the top of the rotunda are suspended from the top.Senate chamber.House of Representatives chamber.Iowa Supreme Court.Beautiful architecture.Very old water fountain.This mural, “Westward”, symbolizes the Pioneers, led by the spirits of Civilization and Enlightenment, to the conquest of the Great West by cultivation. The mural depicts a Prairie Schooner drawn by oxen across the prairie, with a family and other pioneers, through growth of stalks.Model of the battleship U.S.S. Iowa in the lobby.Des Moines IA
Southbound Rest Area, Sergeant Bluff IA – September 2021
So we stopped at this rest area in Iowa, and when we came out of the rest room – SNAKE!! This is apparently a Western Fox Snake, which feeds on field rodents, not people!
This is a quirky roadside attraction we had to see since we passed right by here. All of the artwork murals are made of corn!The palace is a venue for concerts, sports, conferences and parties.Check out the columns in the lobby.They were set up for a party when we were there.Mt. Rushmore made of corn!Close up of a duck mural so you can see the corn in detail.
