INTERESTING FACTS

Did you know…

• Sioux City has the biggest popcorn factory in the U.S.A.

• The Iowa State Fair lasts 11 days. It’s in August.

• The Great Bear in the Effigy Mounds National Monument is 137 feet long.

• The famous painting, “American Gothic” was painted by Grant Wood from Kansas.

• More students graduate from high school in Iowa than in any other state.

WHAT TO EXPECT!

THE LAND

The land of Iowa is very fertile. Just like the other states in the Midwest that are part of the farm belt, Iowa has rich soil from glaciers that used to cover that state a long time ago. If you like to take it easy and like the farming, small town way of life, you’ll love Iowa. Farms actually take up 92% of the state because of the rich soil. Iowa produces one-fifth of our country’s corn and hogs. The middle of the state is flat like a pancake, but other parts of the state are hilly. Along the Mississippi River, to its east, there are some bluffs that are 400 feet high. The Missouri River is to its west.

CLIMATE

The winters are very cold in Iowa. If you like to ice skate, you’ll enjoy it in the winter months because most of the lakes freeze up. That’s how cold it can be. It also snows a lot in the winter. It’s great for tobogganing and building snowmen. The average winter temperature is between 18ºF and 24ºF. The summers don’t get too hot. The average summer temperature is between 74ºF and 77ºF. That’s not so bad. You can still enjoy going outside and playing.

PLACES TO SEE!

Iowa State Fair

Effigy Mounds

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

If you want to learn more about the Danish there are many Danish festivals like the Tivoli Fest and Jule Fest in May and November. Another cultural thing to check out is the Effigy Mounds national Monument. The mounds are Native American graves and there is one that’s 137 feet long, called the Great Bear. In August you have to go to the Iowa State Fair. It’s so much fun. The people of Iowa celebrate farming and ranching with this huge party-fair. They have carnival rides and hog-calling contests, which are fun. The fair lasts eleven days. If you’re a popcorn fan you’ll enjoy all the popcorn made here.