While you're here.... Check This Out!

You can drive through the beautiful Loess Hills on the National Scenic Byway or bike on Wabash Trace Trail. Western Iowa's Loess Hills region is a one-of-a kind land formation in the United States and can be found in only one other place in the world, the Yellow River Valley in China. Loess formations are the result of windblown silt deposited in 200 + depths for 220 miles parallel to the Missouri River and Interstate 29.

The National Scenic Byway is a mosaic of scenic roads and excursion loops from the southern Iowa border to Akron, north of Sioux City. The Wabash Trace is a 63-mile hard surface trail with Trail Heads in Shenandoah and Council Bluffs.

Clarinda - You will GET IN THE SWING of things in Clarinda, birthplace of Big Band Leader, Glenn Miller. Visit his birthplace home and sway to Big Band sounds at the Glenn Miller festival each June. Junction of Highways 2 and 71.

Stanton - How about a drink from the world's largest coffee pot? In honor of their Swedish heritage, the city water tower is a coffee pot. It is estimated to hold 480,000 cups of coffee. Local actress Virginia Christensen became "Mrs. Olson" of coffee commercial fame. Highway 34.

Villisca - The Midwest's most hotly debated and yet unsolved crime took place here in 1912. Visit the site and if you can summon the courage, take a lamp-lit tour or make an appointment to stay overnight! Several documentaries and television shows have featured this story. Junction of Highways 71 and 34.

Corning - This nationally designated "Great American Main Street Community" offers great shopping, artwork and artisan's galleries, antiques, specialty gift shops and an old fashioned soda fountain. Make sure you stop in the Fickle Frog for tea and unique shopping. Highway 34.

Trivia

1. When the Miller Orchestra was at its peak in 1943 earning $20,000/week what did Glenn Miller choose to do?

2. The Olson-Linn Museum in Villisca has the largest collection of what?

3. Professional baseball players, Ozzie Smith, Von Hayes, Bud Black, Darrell Miller and Mark Williamson have what in common?

4. Shenandoah's Everly Brothers got their start on what radio station?

5. Who created corn-husking contests?

6. Name two songs made famous by the Everly Brothers.

7. Late night talk show host, Johnny Carson was born where?

8. What was the first city west of the Mississippi to adopt a city manager form of government?

9. Clarinda is the birthplace of 4-H, what do the four H's stand for?

10. Red Oak is the birthplace of what industry?

11. What is the distance between Iowa's north and south borders?

12. What six states border the state of Iowa?

13. Iowa has more roads than how many states?

Answers:

 1. Enlist in the United States Army Air Corps
 2. Pre-1930's cars and trucks
 3. They played for the Clarinda A's.
 4. KMA Radio
 5. Henry Wallace
 6. Cathy's Clown and Bye Bye Love
 7. Corning
 8. Clarinda
 9. Head, Heart, Hand and Health
10. Art Calendar industry
11. 210 miles
12. Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri
13. Forty

More Things to Do in Western Iowa