Iowa

Abbreviation	IA Source: United States Postal Service - Abbreviations
Capital	Des Moines
Population	3,046,355 Source: Resident Population Data - 2010 Census
Governor	Terry Branstad (Republican, to January 2015)
Entered the Union	December 28, 1846 as the 29th state
Motto	Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
Nickname	The Hawkeye State
Flower	Wild Rose
Bird	Eastern Goldfinch
Song	Song of Iowa
Professional Sports Teams	No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy)
Origin of Name	Probably from an Indian word meaning "the beautiful land"
Historical Sites	Herbert Hoover Birthplace and Library, Fort Dodge Historical Museum, Effigy Mounds National Monument
Points of Interest	Amana Colonies, Des Moines Art Center, Sanford Museum and Planetarium, Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Living History Farms, Paddlewheel Riverboats
Bordering States	Iowa borders Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin
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Follow these links to read articles about Iowa from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:

• Britannica Online Encyclopedia
• Columbia Encyclopedia
• Information Please Almanac

Official State Links

• Iowa: the Official State of Iowa Website
  http://www.iowa.gov/state/main/index.html
  This is the official website for the State of Iowa.
• State Library of Iowa
  http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/
  Here is the homepage for the Iowa State Library.
• State Historical Society of Iowa
  http://www.iowahistory.org/
  Here is the homepage for the Iowa State Historical Society.
• Iowa State Historical Museum
  http://www.iowahistory.org/museum/
  Here is the homepage for the State Historical Society of Iowa Museum.
• Iowa Archives and Records Program
  http://www.iowahistory.org/archives/
  Here is the homepage for the Iowa State Archives.
• Iowa DNR State Parks
  http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/index.html
  Here is the homepage for Iowa State Parks.
• Travel Iowa
  http://www.traveliowa.com/
  Here is the official state tourism website for Iowa.
• Iowa Kids Page
  http://www.iowa.gov/state/main/kidspage.html
  This Iowa state government website provides special resources designed just for kids.

Other State Links

• 50states.com: Iowa
  http://www.50states.com/iowa.htm
  The site provides a wealth of information about Iowa. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate.
• Things To Do in Iowa
  http://www.thingstodo.com/states/IA/index.htm
  ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Iowa's entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state's interesting facts, famous people, and special events.
• Roadside America: Iowa Attractions
  http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ia.html
  Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of "weird sites along the highway" in Iowa.
• FedStats: MapStat: United States: Iowa
  http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/19000.html
  Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on "economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more" in Iowa.

• The shortest and steepest railroad in the U. S. is in Dubuque. It is 296 feet long, and rises at an incline of 60 degrees to a height of 189 feet.
• The red Delicious apple (the most popular apple in the U. S.) was developed in East Peru.

Some Famous People from this State

• William "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a Pony Express rider, cavalry scout, buffalo hunter, and showman in the late 1800s.
• Presidents from Iowa with links to ipl2's POTUS (Presidents of the United States) page:
  
  • Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was born in West Branch on August 10, 1874.
• Charles and John Ringling, co-founders of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, were born in the late 1800s in Iowa.
• Movie icon John Wayne was born in Iowa with the original name "Marion Michael Morrison."
• The artist Grant Wood (1892-1942) painted his most famous painting "American Gothic" in 1930.