A 12-day trip in Iowa planned in 1998
Consider the scenario I’ve prepared, and consider whether Iowa might be a desirable destination. The best time to go would be the week of September 2
nd to the 12th (A Saturday to a Tuesday), because that would allow one to enjoy the Midwest Old Thresher’s Reunion in Mt. Pleasant. The July 1st to July 11th schedule also allows some attendance at special events.The first day one drives up US-61 to Hannibal Missouri. One can have lunch in Hannibal, and take a tour of the historic homes and parks. Around 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. one heads up to Keokuk, just across the border into Iowa, where one can tour the George M. Verity Keokuk River Museum’s old steam paddle-wheel boat. If one has gone in July, one should continue up to Fort Madison for the night, so that the next morning one could tour Old Fort Madison where one can watch living history demonstrations and visit with costumed interpreters. Old Fort Madison was active from 1808-1813. In Fort Madison one could stay at the Coffey House Bed and Breakfast, the Ivy Manor Bend & Breakfast, The Victoria, Mississippi Rose & Thistle Inn, or some other bed & breakfast. Persons on a tighter budget would probably stay at one of these:
Santa Fe Motel 2639 Avenue L $28-$48 in '98.
Madison Inn Motel 2P/2B: $46 in '98 .
Best Western Iowan Motor Lodge, Hwy 61 S. (indoor pool) $55-$60 in '98.
If one were travelling in early September, one might just stay in Keokuk for the night, which also ahs a Bed & Breakfast (The Grand Anne) and some cheap motels (Chief Motel, Keokuk Super 8 Motel, etc.)
The second day of the tour one would have a leisurely morning in Keokuk or Fort Madison. Each has some historic homes that can be toured as well as local historical museums. As this would be a Sunday (July 2
nd or September 3rd) the Fort Madison, Farmington, & Western Railroad rides would be available in Farmington, just a few miles from either town. Description: An authentic re-creation of a pre-World War II branchline terminus. A country village, engine house with displays, an extensive collection of hand and motor cars, and the yard are on display. A wye is demonstrated and there are many restored pieces of rolling stock. The FMF&W is one of the most authentically operated and appearing railroads in the country. The ride is two miles through woods, up grade, and over a trestle. Trains depart hourly on the half hour. Adults enter the park and ride the train for $5.00, while students are $4.00. In the afternoon someone who enjoyed nature would probably go to nearby Geode State Park, which is supposed to be one of the best state parks in the Midwest. That would be a good place to camp. A person who didn’t want to stay in a state park might return to a place in Fort Madison, or even the city of Burlington where one could see Starr’s Cave Nature Center and the park and preserve. Also the Des Moines County Historical Society Museums.The third day of the trip would be July 3
rd or September 4th (Labor Day). These are the two Mondays of the year when the Midwest Central Railroad in Mt. Pleasant runs its steam train on a one-mile track around the grounds of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion. The Midwest Old Threshers Reunion is the world’s largest steam show, featuring over 100 acres of exhibits including steam and gas tractors, antique cars, stationary steam, gas engines, horse power, recreated villages, working craft shows, and more. A one day admission in September during the event is $7.00, while a visit in July would cost only $2 per adult, $1 per child. A visit during the September reunion would require the whole day’s attention, while a visit in July might be accomplished in a couple hours. If visiting in July one would have time in the afternoon to go to Muscatine to see the millhouse and dam built in 1848 at Wildcat Den State Park. That would be a good place to camp for the night. A visit in September might also allow time for the visit to Muscatine, or otherwise an evening drive north from Mt. Pleasant to Iowa City where one could stay at a Bed & Breakfast (Bella Vista Place, The Golden Haug, or Haverkamps’ Linn Street Homestay) or place like the Holiday Inn Iowa City.The fourth day would be July 4
th and many attractions might be closed, but if one visits in September and spends the previous night in Muscatine or Wildcat Den State Park, one could then visit the Laura Musser Art Gallery and Museum in Muscatine. The Amana Colonies would be open, and one could spend the greater part of the day visiting these. In the late afternoon a family that enjoyed camping could drive east to Maquoketa to stay in the Maquoketa Cave State Park. Otherwise someone might get a hotel or Bed & Breakfast in Cedar Rapids, or return for a second night in Iowa City.The fifth day if one had camped in Maquoketa Caves State Park one could take a tour of the caves in the morning. Otherwise someone who had spent the night in Cedar Rapids would want to visit the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art to admire the collection of Grant Wood paintings (one of my favorite artists). This could also have been visited on the fourth day if one spent a short time at the Amana colonies. The rest of the fifth day would be spent on a scenic tour along the Mississippi, visiting Dubuque, Dickeyville, Prairie du Chien, and the Effigy Mounds National Monument. In Dubuque one might ride on the Spirit of Dubuque, a two-deck paddlewheeler offering daily sightseeing tours down the Mississippi (departing at 2 in July, and 3 in September). Also in Dubuque is the Mississippi River Museum, the Fenelon Place Elevator (an incline railway erected in 1882), the old shot tower (built in 1856), and the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical gardens. In Dickeyville (across the river from Dubuque in Wisconsin) one can see a shrine and grotto built with stones, glass, pottery, and so forth. I like those sorts of things. Prairie du Chien is another scenic town where one could stop along the river. Just across the river back in Iowa are the Effigy Mounds. One might have time to see these in the afternoon of the fifth day, but more likely one would settle for the night nearby, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, or Marquette, Iowa, or camping at Spook Cave in Giard, Iowa. Then, on the sixth day one would walk around the Effigy mounds, perhaps after touring Spook Cave.
Later on the sixth day, after Effigy Mounds, one would visit Decorah to see the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Then one would go to Spillville to see the Bily Clock Museum and Anton Dvorak Exhibit. This is the place where Dvorak did most of his work on his New World Symphony. The Bily Clock museum is supposed to be one of the finest museums and worth a special trip according to the AAA guide. As this would be a Thursday (July 6
th or September 7th) the Fort Atkinson State Preserve might not be open, but it’s not out of the way so one might go just to have a look. One would then continue across northern Iowa to Mason City or Clear Lake.The seventh day (Friday) would be a resting day, where one might just sit around and read. In Mason City there are several houses and small museums worth visiting, including the Charles H. MacNider Museum, the Frank Lloyd Wright Stockman House (only open on Fridays in July, not September), the Meredith Willson Boyhood Home, and the Van Horn’s Antique Truck Museum. Clear Lake is famous for its state park around the lake, so one could go swimming there possibly (in July). One would spend a second night in the same place. One might be camping in Clear Lake State Park or McIntosh Woods State Park, or one might be in a Bed & Breakfast or motel in the area. (The town of Clear Lake has five B&Bs).
The eighth day is a Saturday, and if one were travelling in July the Mason City & Clear Lake Electric Railway Historical Society would be running trains. And it might be doing so anyway in September. (call 800-469-7433 to find out). One might do the trip in reverse in September, so one would be here the Sunday before Labor Day weekend, and then could do the Midwest Thresher Reunion Friday instead of Monday. After visiting the Mason City & Clear Lake Electric Railway one could continue west to see the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, the largest shrine and grotto of its kind in the country. From there one would head south to Dakota City to see the Humboldt County Historical Museum. This has several 19
th Century buildings and artifacts, and gets a star in the AAA guide as an exceptional attraction. Possibly one would arrive too late to see this on the eighth day, and would see it on the morning of the ninth day instead. Fort Dodge is a fairly large town just 18 miles south where one could stay in a motel. Camping is also allowed for free on the grounds of the Grotto of the Redemption.The ninth day one might begin by visiting Fort Dodge or the museum in Dakota City. After seeing one or both of these historic museums one would be able to go south to Boone (less than an hour from Fort Dodge) to ride the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. On weekends (this would be a Sunday) a Chinese steam engine pulls the train of vintage cars on its 15 mile round trip. After the train trip one might visit the Iowa Arboretum in Boone. There is also a Kate Shelley Railroad Museum and Park in Boone, open 1-4 on weekends. One would continue south to Des Moines to spend the night there.
The tenth day one would visit Des Moines. The Iowa State Capitol and the Weeks House (Salisbury House) are two major attractions. Also, as one leaves Des Moines one should stop in Colfax to see Trainland USA, an operating toy-train museum. One might also stop at the Pella Historisch Museum and Park, 507 Franklin Street, Pella, Iowa, which has 21 historic museums nestled in a courtyard. One could spend the night in Ottumwa.
The eleventh and final day one might begin by visiting the Airpower museum in Ottumwa. About 12 miles out of Ottumwa on the way home one finds the village of Eldon, and one can see there the cottage that Grant Wood used in his painting "American Gothic". It would be fun to bring a pitchfork and some funny clothes to pose in front of the cottage for a photographic recreation of that masterpiece. Further on down along the Des Moines River the restored villages of Van Buren (including Bentonsport, Bonaparte, Farmington, and Keosauqua would be worth seeing. These towns are well-preserved villages of the mid-Nineteenth century. From here one is quite close to the Missouri border, and about four hours from home.
A trip like this could cost as little as $400 for a family of four that camped and ate picnics most days. A family of four would have difficulty spending more than $1000 on the trip even if staying in all the best hotels and eating at the best restaurants along the way. So, in cost it’s far cheaper than a visit to Europe or Asia. The food would be familiar, and the travel times are short, excepting the first and last day with the long drives to and from St. Louis. Aside from the first and last days there are no single legs of travel that should require as much as an hour in the car at a time. The heavy concentration of train-oriented attractions also has advantages for families with small children who are train-crazy. The many historical attractions would be especially interesting to anyone with an interest in 19
th Century Midwestern American history and architecture.
Monday, July 10
th. (September 11th)Des Moines.
Iowa State Capitol
Salisbury House (Weeks House) 4025 Tonawanda Drive
See Train display in Colfax
Pella Historisch Museum and Park, 507 Franklin Street, Pella, Iowa.
Night in Ottumwa.
Tuesday, July 11
th. (September 12th)See American Gothic house in Eldon.
If time allows and interested, one could visit the Restored Village at Bentonsport.
Drive down to St. Louis
Ride
Iowa Arboretum
Saturday, July 1
st (September 2nd)Drive up US-61 to Hannibal. Lunch in Hannibal. Look around Hannibal.
Later in the afternoon, drive up to Keokuk, then Fort Madison, Iowa. Look around these towns. See George M. Verity Keokuk River Museum. Spend the night in Fort Madison.
Sunday, July 2
nd . (September 3rd)Take the 12:30 Fort Madison, Famrington & Western Railroad (Donnellson) train ride.
Afternoon, drive to Geode State Park. Go hiking and exploring there, and camp there for the night.
Monday, July 3
rd. (September 4th Labor Day)Spend the day at Mt. Pleasant at the Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers Heritage Museum. Ride the train there.
If September, one could spend the whole day enjoying the Midwest Old Thresher’s Reunion.
Visit Muscatine in the evening.
Camp at Fairport State Park or Wildcat Den State Park along Mississippi River.
Tuesday, July 4
th (September 5th)Possibly look at the Laura Musser Art Gallery and Museum in Muscatine (1314 Mulberry Avenue) in the morning.
See sights of Iowa City, Iowa (old State Capitol)
Visit Amana Colonies near Iowa City, Iowa
The Brucemore House in Cedar Rapids
Night in Maquoketa Caves State Park near Maquoketa, Iowa
Wednesday, July 5
th (September 6th)Visit shrine in Dickeyville, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Effigy Mounds National Monument near Marquette, Iowa.
Spook Cave. Night in Decorah.
Thursday, July 6
th (September 7th)Decorah,
Spillville, Clock Museum where Dvorak wrote New World Symphony
Fort Atkinson
Night in Charles City or Mason City
Friday, July 7
th (September 8th)Day at Clear Lake State Park and/or McIntosh Woods State Park.
Camp in state park for the night.
Saturday, July 8
th (September 9th)Ride Mason City and Clear Lake Railway.
After train ride visit Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend
Night in Fort Dodge
Sunday, July 9
th (September 10th)See Fort Dodge
Ride Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad
Iowa Arboretum
Monday, July 10
th. (September 11th)Des Moines.
Iowa State Capitol
Salisbury House (Weeks House) 4025 Tonawanda Drive
See Train display in Colfax
Pella Historisch Museum and Park, 507 Franklin Street, Pella, Iowa.
Night in Ottumwa.
Tuesday, July 11
th. (September 12th)See American Gothic house in Eldon.
If time allows and interested, one could visit the Restored Village at Bentonsport.
Drive down to St. Louis
Lodging:
Saturday, July 1
st (September 2nd)Spend the night in Fort Madison.
Santa Fe Motel 2639 Avenue L $28-$48 in '98.
Madison Inn Motel 2P/2B: $46 in '98 .
Best Western Iowan Motor Lodge, Hwy 61 S. (indoor pool) $55-$60 in '98.
Sunday, July 2
nd . (September 3rd)Geode State Park. Camping
Monday, July 3
rd. (September 4th Labor Day)Camp at Wildcat Den State Park along Mississippi River. Camping
Tuesday, July 4
th (September 5th)Night in Maquoketa Caves State Park near Maquoketa, Iowa Camping
Wednesday, July 5
th (September 6th)Night in Spook Cave and Campground, McGregor. Camping
Thursday, July 6
th (September 7th)Night in Charles City or Mason City
Charles City, Lamplighter Motel, 1416 Gilbert St., Hwy 218. (indoor pool) $33-$42 in '98.
Mason City, Ashley Inn Motel, Hwy. 65 S. $25-$30 in '98.
Mason City, Comfort Inn, 410 5th St. SW (indoor pool) $40-$65 in '98.
Mason City, Thriftlodge, Jct. Hwys 65 & 18 W. (outdoor pool) $40-$48 in '98.
Friday, July 7
th (September 8th)Camp at Clear Lake State Park and/or McIntosh Woods State Park. Camping
Saturday, July 8
th (September 9th)Night in Fort Dodge. Budget Host Inn, (indoor pool) $33-$70 in '98.
Budget Travelers Inn, 300 1st Ave. S. (outdoor pool) $30-$45 in '98.
Sunday, July 9
th (September 10th)Night in Des Moines.
Monday, July 10
th. (September 11th)Night in Ottumwa.
Tuesday, July 11
th. (September 12th) Home in St. Louis
|