Touring Iowa

State Capital Building

     We left Manhattan and drove northwards to Des Moines. We spent some some time seeing a couple of movies that had come out, enjoying some new local restaurants and touring the state capital city. We lucked out as the huge farmer's market debuted on its first weekend of the season. This is one huge market. About five city blocks long and a block on either side are filled with vendors. Crafts, vegetables, flowers, and meats were just a few of the things to buy, see, and/or eat.

Just a part of the Farmers Market

     The RV park where we stayed had a new crop of Canadian Geese. They were cute and Misty was quite fascinated with them (much to the distress of the parents).

   

Imes Bridge

     Just a few miles south of Des Moines is Madison County. This county was made famous by the book and movie, Bridges of Madison County. You can tour the county and see all of the remaining covered bridges. They are the last of over 1,000 wooden bridges that were built in Iowa during the later half of the 1800's. There are six bridges on the tour. The Roseman Covered Bridge figured prominently in the movie.

Holliwell Bridge 

Cutler-Donahoe

Roseman

Roseman

Cedar Bridge

     The Cedar Bridge (above) is the only bridge that you can still drive through. All of the others are easily accessible but blocked to traffic. 

     Above is the Stone Bridge in Winterset's City Park. This served as a scene in the movie also.

     No visit to Winterset should be complete without a visit to the birthplace of a famous American. This icon of the silver screen was born in the above modest home in a very small Iowa farm community. Just up the street is a museum chronicling the life and times of this legend. Who is it you ask? Well none other than John Wayne!!!

Soaps and Locally made Crafts are sold here

     From Des Moines, we drove a short way to the Amana Colonies. Here are seven villages that were started by German immigrants in 1843-44. This was not an Amish or Mennonite community as many think. They were Inspirationists, an offshoot from the Luthern faith. They pooled their resources and purchased 5,000 acres near Buffalo, NY. In ten years they needed more space. Leaders searched for and found the ideal place in Iowa. In 1855 they established six villages, a mile or two apart across a river valley tract of 26,000 acres. They named the villages Amana which means "remain true". The six villages were: Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, Middle Amana, and High Amana (not necessarily creative in naming their villages). The village of Homestead was added in 1861 giving the colonies access to the railroad. Life in the colonies was communal in nature. All of their assets were pooled and money was not used in daily life. Residents received housing, medical care, meals, all household necessities, and schooling for their children. Adults were assigned jobs by the village council of brethren. If they needed things they could go to the cobbler for shoes, the woolen mill for cloth, the general store for other goods. They would pick up what they needed and it would be recorded on a ledger. They raised most of the food that they needed and the village craftsmen made items that were shipped to the rest of the country bringing in additional money for the colonies. This way of life remained essentially the same until 1932 when the Great Depression forced Amana to set aside its communal way of life. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the colonies annually now. Many of the historical buildings are beautifully maintained and easily visited. Craftsmen still practice their crafts and offer tourists their wares. 

     We were fascinated with the unique lattice structures along the sides of the homes and buildings. Still early in the season, there is no vegetation. In the summer I assume that there is a lush green covering of leaves that block the heat of the sun and keeps the inside of the building cooler. 

Each Craftsman has his own bench in the wood shop

Just some of the wood crafting machines

...and the end result is...WOW

     The wood crafting shop is amazing. Any piece of furniture for the home or office is made and sold here. Each craftsman sees a piece from board to finished product and personally signs their work. The clocks in the clock shop were beautiful!!

     In the Wollen Mill, fabric items are made from scratch. The wool is brought in and turned into thread. The machines above contain dozens of spools of thread that are joined together into unique fabrics. Wool blankets, tablecloths, placemats, mittens, and socks are among the items made here. The mill building above dates to the early days of the colonies and once was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and you can see the difference in the brick at the roof line where the roof was replaced. 

     After a couple of days and some fantastic German meals, we left Amana and Iowa in continuance of our journeys. On to Illinois...