Southwest Iowa Tourism
Southwest Iowa Tourism on IowaBeautiful.com. Southwest Iowa Tourism - your Southwest Iowa Travel Guide to Vacations, Attractions and Events
Taylor County Historical Museum And Round Barn
Taylor County Historical Museum And Round Barn - Bedford, Iowa
The county has developed a four-acre historical complex by bringing in various historic structures. Visitors can look at a log cabin over a century old, furnished rural schoolhouse, print shop, bank building, small chapel, and depot. Near the depot a restored caboose has been placed. A rare, historic round barn is also located in the complex. A number of artifacts are on display in the museum building.
Squirrel Cage Jail - Council Bluffs, Iowa
Squirrel Cage Jail - Council Bluffs, Iowa
The "Squirrel Cage Jail" Adjacent to the court house in Council Bluffs, it is one of the only three remaining rotary cell type jails left standing in the United States.
Built in 1885 at a cost of about $30,000 … nearly $8,000 for the outer building and just over $22,000 for the rotary jail unit contained in the center.
Sidney Iowa Rodeo - Sidney, Iowa
Sidney Iowa Rodeo - Sidney, Iowa
The Sidney facility is one of the best in the country with parking, new pens and gates, hospital facilities, concessions, flea market, carnival and covered concrete grandstands. Sidney’s population of 1,150 hosts over 38,000 visitors during the four days of Sidney Iowa Rodeo, which ranks in the top 12% of the nearly 800 rodeos approved by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The downtown Sidney parade kicks off the excitement at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, a Rodeo Queen Contest is held at the arena at 6:45 p.m. and the first full performance begins at 8 p.m.
Shelby County Historical Museum - Harlan, Iowa
Shelby County Historical Museum - Harlan, Iowa
In Harlan visitors can look at quite a variety of historical items. The museum’s collection includes old fire-fighting equipment, antique furniture and clothing, a stuffed two-headed calf, and furnishings from an old farmhouse. Also on the premises are two log cabins over a century old.
Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial, “Black Angel” - Council Bluffs, Iowa
Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial, "Black Angel" - Council Bluffs, Iowa
Locally known, in Council Bluffs, as th "Black Angel," this statue inspired by visions experienced by Mrs. Dodge in 1916 on the three nights preceding her death.
The solid bronze statue, commissioned by the Dodges’ two daughters, was created by Daniel Chester French who call the Black Angel one of his finest works. French is known nationally for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Prairie Trails Museum Of Wayne County - Corydon, Iowa
Prairie Trails Museum Of Wayne County - Corydon, Iowa
In this museum, in Corydon, Iowa, the exhibit “Prairie to Present” traces the various ages of a heartland prairie. More than 40,000 artifacts are available for use in the displays showing the area’s history from the ice age until now. Here, too, visitors can look at old vehicles, farm machinery, and examples of the Wayne County wildlife. The museum has developed a late 1890s “Main Street” with some small store and shop replicas and also depicts rooms in a home.
Oak Seminary - Pleasanton, Iowa
Oak Seminary - Pleasanton, Iowa
A one room school house on it’s orignal site 3 miles east of Pleasanton, Iowa.
The school dates back to the 1850’s with diaries from a former student of 1887 being found to document the activities at that time.
It’s name relects a program extablished in the east during those decades to train young single women to become educators and missionaires to the frontier.
Nodaway Valley Historical Museum And Goldenrod School House - Blanchard, Iowa
Nodaway Valley Historical Museum And Goldenrod School House - Blanchard, Iowa
This museum features the history of the Nodaway Valley from 1840 to the present. Included are displays dealing with the Civil War, agriculture, early commercial life of the region, and sports. A special area deals with the origin and history of the 4-H movement. The rural school in which Jessie Field Shambaugh taught and where she developed some of the basic tents of the movement has also been moved near the museum.
Museum Of Religious Arts - Logan, Iowa
Museum Of Religious Arts - Logan, Iowa
The purpose of the Museum of Religious Arts in Logan, Iowa is to preserve and exhibit religious arts, tradition and culture, fostering an appreciation of religious history for our enrichment and that of future generations.
King of Kings Display -
This exhibit includes life size, "one of a kind" wax figurines, built to portray nine Biblical scenes. Sculpted by Leone Chaney, this display found its first home at the Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, FL in the late 1960’s.
Mills County Historical Museum, Earth Lodge - Glenwood, Iowa
Mills County Historical Museum, Earth Lodge - Glenwood, Iowa
In Glenwood Lake Park, the town has developed a number of interesting sites. At one locale a Native American Earth Lodge has been developed and it displays a collection of artifacts from the Earth Lodge people who lived in this area between 800 and 1200 A.D.
